The Wyoming Department of Health is warning that fraudulent activity by individuals claiming to represent the Community Services Block Grant is targeting Wyoming residents. The Department of Health staff has heard from a handful of victims and near-victims who have been contacted via Facebook Messenger and other social media platforms with offers of a large grant in exchange for personal information and a “small fee for processing.” The department stresses that these individuals are not representing nor connected to the Community Services Block Grant in in any way and funds from the program are never awarded to individual residents. The department says the people making reports described receiving the scam messages from established social media friends, which helped the information to appear more real and trustworthy. In other locations across the country, potential targets have also received calls, emails and text messages. Anyone receiving such a call or message should report it immediately to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Fraud Hotline.
