HOUSTON – The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers not to fall for a common scam making the rounds.
Scammers are calling on the phone claiming you're entitled to valuable government grants, but there's a catch.
One victim, who asked KPRC 2 to hide her identity, got a call from a man who said he was from the Federal Bank of Reserve. He told her all she had to do was buy a few hundred dollars in iTunes gift cards and she would receive a $9,000 government grant.
"They take the gift card that you've just bought for whatever that dollar amount is. They're going to request the number on the back of the gift card, and then they're going to drain that gift card,” said Melanie Duquesnel, with the Better Business Bureau.
You will never see that grant money. The victim lost more than $1,200.
"I cried for the first two days. I don't want to be evicted," she said. "It's not fair to me. Why me?"
"People fall prey because they want to be lucky," Duquesnel said.
If you get a similar call, be vigilant.
"If it sounds too good to be true, or you're suspicious, please call us at BBB. We'd be more than happy to walk you through the process," Duquesnel said.
The best thing to do is hang up the phone.
"They will scam you out of every penny you have," the victim said.
The Federal Trade Commission keeps a running list of scams and ways to protect your money.
