hi om in the proses of getting grant can you please advise

I have been contacted by Sierra Investment Group Inc and promised $466,000 if I pay $11,850.  This is grant $$.  I was initially sceptical.  They dropped the fee to 7,900 for business plan.  
After reading these comments and seeing other problems, I just decided to put on my running shoes and sprint away.

I wish they could be reported and shut down.

My plumber fixed my pipes, then he presented me with the bill which I paid. Subway built my sandwich, rang it up and I paid the charge. When I worked for a private company many moons ago, customers placed orders, we built widgets, shipped them and then got paid. My mechanic replaced the oil in my car, etc. Do the work first, then get paid, see how that works? Only scammers want payment up front. Are you a scammer shill?

What kind of company would do service and get paid later??a company that fails!! I have been a grant writer and business analyst for 15 yrs, if a client has to invest anything in their company by the cost of the business plan do it!! We are concerned about the bbb, but realistically top company,s in the USA also have bad reports.  For example airtran,Sears,even freaking Mary Kay products but does that mean they shut down the company ?? Of course not we still fly airtran and use Mary Kay products..so sack up and put your money where your mouth is

I just got the same call yesterday.  Have been trying to check them out and what I'm finding is not good.  They have a D- rating from the BBB.  One attorney who was asked his advise said not to do it.  And the website "Avoid Grant Scams" described their MO to a "T" and basically said it was a scam.

Ok Carmen...where do you work.  I would like to see if you are for real and if this is a scam.

That is what my Atty sai.  If they are legit, they will do the work in good faith and get the compensation from you after Funder sends you the check.  Like most "deals" out there,if they ask for money up front, it probably isn't such a great deal or worse yet - you lose big.
The other point the atty told me - good job on looking in the BBB records, D&B, SOS.  However, these type companies will start a business name and not use it for 2 years or more.  That way, when they start using that name the records go back 2 or more years with "no complaints."  Once complaints start rolling in, they go to the next name in their stack.  
it sounded great, I like Linda Links and Alice Williams.  I will miss talking with them.

Good luck to all those looking for funds!  --Paul, still searching in Denver

Gerald, I understand if you don't work there anymore, based on what you are saying.  But can they get the funds?  Do they have the contacts?
Pleasereply.  Thanks!  --Paul

Hi Carmine.  I am in Denver, would like to check this out.  Please advise where you are. plocher4@aol.com

so @m&m if you did get the money are you willing to contact someone who got a call and is a bit in the boat of this is too good to be true.

How do you know he was fired? You must work for these scammers too.

The evidence will show up in about a year, when people realize they aren't getting the money and then start screaming very loudly. By then these scammers will have changed their names and moved on.

Carmine III, do you by chance work for this company?

You were smart to kill the transaction. This is the advance-fee scam where you have to give them $money up front for the HOPE of getting a big chunk of $money in return. It will never happen. The scammers are selling hopes and dreams for hard $cash.

I am Santa Claus and you are a lying scamming shill.

Or you are a scammer shill.

truthbtold is a scammer shill.

We all could use $money but we should NOT give $money away UP FRONT in the hope of getting a bigger amount in return -- this is the classic scam, to offer fabulous hopes and dreams in exchange for cash up front.

But $4,000 is NOT too small an amount to scam from each victim, is it?

That's the beauty of this type of advance-fee scam -- there is never any hard evidence besides a conversation followed by an electronic debit of $funds. THIS IS A SCAM.

Beware this number is associated with companies stating you are eligible for big-$money grants and offering to write up grant paperwork/business_plan/application/whatever that you submit, all for several $thousands UP FRONT. Posters report once they send the $money, they never hear back from the companies. THIS IS A SCAM. This is a version of the advance-fee-for-something scam where something is a grant, grant paperwork, business plan, loan, scammed-money refund, lottery winnings, interest rate reduction, tax reduction, gift card, refund, doggie, cruise, vacation, free gas, etc., and the advance-fee is for tax, shipping, registration, insurance, secure handling, processing, etc. They may send you a fake check, may want your credit/debit card or bank account number, or tell you to wire cash via Western Union, Moneygram, etc. They can put recurrent difficult-to-cancel monthly charges or a 1-time charge on your card or bank account, and sell account info to other criminals and you'll have to replace accounts altogether. Wired-cash is irretrievable - once it's picked up at the other end, it's untraceable and gone. If they want you to call them up for instructions, they may tell you not to discuss the wire with Western Union desk clerks but the real reason is WU clerks are familiar with these scams and will warn you not to wire the money. If you give them the WU Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) for the wire, they can pick up the money from anywhere in the world. Report to US Postal Service Inspectors https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx , the Federal Communications Commission http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm , the Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ and your state AG, as appropriate.

Not free money, is just like paying the interest up front.   A line of credit rate is under 5 % and you could control the amount.  I am sure if you calculate the percentage rate is alot higher than a typical business loan or line of credit..

Hi Carmen,

What is the name of your tax cunsulting firm in Colorado Springs?

scammers?  how about some evidence?

Hooray for this website. It's obviously working to warn people of this scam, as shown by the fact that the scammers are now posting lies here in a desperate attempt to offset the truth.

how can you complain about receiving free money

I took money out of my 401 k last spring so I could enroll with sierra investment group.   so far I have only received half of my qualified, amount.  the only real problem that I have with sierra is the checks I received are typically 6000 dollars or less.  I own a fruit stand in new york city and I spend on average 4000 dollars every 2 weeks just for inventory.  The grant money helps a ton, I just wish the checks were more.    Every extra dollar is a blessing.

stop lying gerald we all know you were fired because you failed your drug test!   meth head.

coby that makes no sense at all.  4000 dollars is a small investment.   plus what can you really do with 4000 bucks?  not much at all.

this company is crazy they want money up front for me to develop a business plan if I had 4000 dollars I would not need a grant