Scam alert – Community Grants Hub

We have received reports from members of the public that scammers are sending emails that pretend to come from the Community Grants Hub.

These emails may:

• show the Community Grants Hub branding
• use our Enid Lyons address
• refer to a Minister or Assistant Minister for Social Services.

The scammer may pose as a program coordinator, grant administrator or other department representative. The email will tell a member of the public they have been successful for a grant of around $100,000 to $160,000. It may use different grant names, such as ‘2025 RISE Empowerment Fund’, ‘Australian Individual Mobility (AIM) Grant’ and ‘Individual and Business Support Grant’. The scammer will tell the recipient to reply to the email to accept their offer.

Do not reply. If you reply, the scammer may use details such as your name and address to make the scam seem real. However, they may say you must pay a fee to receive their funding, which we will never do. The fee could be by wire transfer or gift card. They may send a debit card for you to put money into.

How to protect yourself

• If you receive a call or email about a grant that you did not apply for, be cautious or hang up immediately. The Community Grants Hub does not cold call the public to offer grants or charge a fee to release grant funds
• If you aren’t sure if a call or email is legitimate, consider contacting the Community Grants Hub or department directly using contact details from a trusted source, such as this website
• Never give your personal login or credit card details over the phone or in an email. Scammers may use them to commit identity fraud or steal your money
• If you have already provided information or are concerned that a crime has or may be committed, please immediately contact the police, your bank or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) if it relates to your passport(Opens external website) details
• Read the what to do if you've been scammed(Opens external website) information on ScamWatch

The Community Grants Hub will never:

• contact you on social media
• ask for your online banking login
• ask for your myGov login
• ask you to download software
• ask you to transfer money
• ask you to set up a bank account with a specific provider to receive funding
• cold call members of the public to offer grant funding.

Report the scam

You can report scams to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) from the Scamwatch Report a scam(Opens external website) page.

You can also report scams specific to us or the Community Grants Hub to fraud@dss.gov.au or call 1800 054 312.

More information

Visit ScamWatch(Opens external website)and find out how to stop and avoid scams(Opens external website).

Visit the National Anti-Scam Centre(Opens external website). 

Email the Community Grants Hub at support@communitygrants.gov.au or use our contact form(Opens external website).