Grant Scam Dupes Man in Ashburn: Police

ASHBURN, VA — A man received a call around noon Sunday in the 2100 block of Crescent Park Square from someone claiming to be with the "National Institute of Health" who told him he had been awarded a senior citizen grant, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

But first he had to pay fees to receive the grant, said the caller, who asked him to provide payment with iTunes gift cards.

Well, here's what the actual National Institutes of Health has to say about similar calls:

"This is a scam. No federal government grant-making agency will make phone calls or send emails or letters to solicit money or personal banking information from a potential grant recipient."

Here are some tips about grant scams from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

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