Grant Expert Warns Consumers to Beware of NY Consumer Protection Board
Free money master Matthew Lesko demystifies government grant programs and claims.
Kensington, MD (PRWEB) December 28, 2004
Grant expert Matthew Lesko (http://www. lesko. com/truth) claims the New York Consumer Protection BoardÂ’s (CPB) misleading statements in their new report about government programs can be hurting up to 50 million of the same consumers they are trying to help.
Because of the high volume of consumer complaints, the CPB recently issued a report cracking down on scam artists who charge high fees by promising free government money (http://www. lesko. com/truth). “It is a noble effort to try to eliminate cheats and crooks in our society but not the right approach because it is turning millions of taxpayers away from government programs who are eligible for this help,” says best-selling author Matthew Lesko.
Throughout the CPB report and in its nationally distributed news release, the agency warns consumers against trusting anyone selling information about “little-known” government money programs. The CPB claims most consumers already know about these programs or can easily find out. But recent studies by the Congress, U. S. investigative agencies and non-profit organizations prove that:
4 Million Seniors can receive up to $1,000 from Medicare but they donÂ’t apply because they are unaware of the program (*1) 6 Million Families are missing out on free health insurance for their kids (*2) 10 Million Families can get up to $4,000 a year for groceries but donÂ’t apply (*3) 800,000 College Students can receive grants up to $4,050 but donÂ’t apply (*4) 29 Million Seniors donÂ’t know they can get colonoscopies, bone mass measurement, prostate cancer and glaucoma tests paid for by Medicare (*5)
And if the CPB says itÂ’s so easy to find out about government programs, then why does a recent U. S. Government Accountability Office study (*6) reveal that:
39% of recent consumers who called the Medicare hotline with questions got the wrong answer or no answer at all, and 96% of the doctors who called into Medicare got the wrong answer or only a partial answer.
The CPB report characterizes Matthew Lesko’s web site and some of his books as providing “solid and useful…” but then blames Lesko’s legitimate advertising as somehow encouraging scam artists. The CPB also discloses that there are zero complaints and no investigation against Lesko.
NY Consumer Protection Board DoesnÂ’t Know U. S. OMB
The CPB also states that there is very little free money available for individuals from the government because…“Experts say most government grants only go to agencies and organizations – not individuals.” They base this statement on their interview with an U. S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) official.
Although this is a true statement from OMB about government grants, it is a false statement about all free money from the government. OMB categorizes most free government money to individuals under the term “direct payments.” The OMB budget figures show that in 2003 the government gave out $250 billion in grants to individuals (most of which go through local governments and agencies) but also gave out $1 trillion in direct payments to individuals (*7). The CPB should call back the OMB and get the correct information.
And if there is very little money available to individuals, why does the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York write in a recent book (*8) that consumers receive $1.2 trillion dollars in federal, state and local government handouts every year?
About Matthew Lesko
Lesko has devoted over 25 years educating consumers on how to get their tax dollars back from government programs that have been enacted into law. Recently, he has been giving lectures to wounded GIs at Walter Reed Hospital (www. lesko. com/walterreed. html (http://www. lesko. com/walterreed. html)) about little-known government money programs that can help these veterans put their lives back together as well as helping Iraqi War Widows (www. lesko. com/starsstripes (http://www. lesko. com/starsstripes)). They, too, are all unaware of the thousands of government grant and free money opportunities that can help in their hour of need.
It seems an abuse of power by the NY Consumer Protection Board to issue press releases and reports that mislead consumers about the opportunities available to all taxpayers to improve their lives.
Please visit www. lesko. com/truth (http://www. lesko. com/truth) for more information. Matthew Lesko is available for interviews 24/7.
Contact:
Debbie Samson
800-261-6147
Debsamson@aol. com
*for more details see www. lesko. com/truth (http://www. lesko. com/truth )
(*1)http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d04363.pdf (http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d04363.pdf)
(*2)http://www. kff. org/medicaid/loader. cfm? url=/commonspot/security/getfile. cfm&PageID=28333 (http://www. kff. org/medicaid/loader. cfm? url=/commonspot/security/getfile. cfm&PageID=28333)
(*3)http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d04346.pdf (http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d04346.pdf)
(*4)http://www. acenet. edu/resources/HigherEdFacts/issue-briefs/2004FAFSA. pdf (http://www. acenet. edu/resources/HigherEdFacts/issue-briefs/2004FAFSA. pdf)
(*5)http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d03958.pdf (http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d03958.pdf)
(*6)http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d05130.pdf (http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d05130.pdf)
(*7)http://www. whitehouse. gov/omb/budget/fy2005/pdf/hist. pdf (http://www. whitehouse. gov/omb/budget/fy2005/pdf/hist. pdf)
(*8)“Running On Empty” by Peter G. Peterson, former Chairman of Federal Reserve Bank of New York (2004 New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
# # #
