Don't Fall For Free Grant Scams

REGINA - Feb 10/04 - SNS -- Farm families are often the recipients of letters and email messages encouraging them to buy catalogues or directories that list grants, programs and services offered by federal and provincial governments.

"These solicitations seem to appear at a time when farmers are experiencing periods of low cash flow: just before seeding, for example," says the manager of the Farm Stress Unit, Ken Imhoff. "Furthermore, the information published in the catalogues and directories offered by these services is readily available to the public free of charge. There is no need to pay for this information."

The Connections Services Directory, for example, is a computer-based, on-line directory of programs and services for farm and rural people in Saskatchewan. It provides links to provincial, federal and community-based organizations that offer business development, financial and legal services, educational services, farm safety, and personal and family services. Descriptions of these services include information on any grants currently available to farm and rural people.

The programs and services offered through the Connections Service Directory may be discussed with staff by calling, toll-free, 1-866-680-0006 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The directory also may be accessed at any time through the Web site www.agr.gov.sk.ca/connections. Those without Internet access may visit their nearest public library.

Information on federal government programs and services is available on the Government of Canada Web site at http://canada.gc.ca/ or http://www.canada.gc.ca/directories/infor_e.html. The toll-free telephone number to access this information is 1-800-O-Canada (1-800-622-6232).

The Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre (CSBSC) also offers business information through its Web site at http://www.cbsc.org/sask/ and its toll-free telephone number, 1-800-667-4374. The head office is in Saskatoon, and there are 16 regional offices across the province. Staff at these sites offer one-on-one assistance for those seeking business information and related programs or services.

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