Complaint / Review
American Cash Awards
Award Caller Demanded $500 Green Dot Card for Taxes, Fees

How many alarm bells were blaring and red flags blowing violently when I received the initial phone call on my cell phone?! The caller (Mr. Brown) contacted me from a private number - Ring! He didn't even know who I was when he called me - Red flag! He said that my wife wanted to "surprise me" with this award - Ring! He gave me specific instructions to obtain $500.00 and put it on a Green Dot MoneyPak Scratchcard for the purpose of verifying my identity - Red flag!

After I obtained the Scratchcard, I would give him the 14-digit code on the card so that he would know I had purchased it, but there would not be a withdrawal from the card. Again, it was merely for verification - Ring! Once the money was proven to be on the card (not by withdrawing it), he would call UPS, and a lady named Sharon Stone, who was also a financial consultant, would come to my home to deliver my cash award of $50,000.00 along with a cashier's check for the remaining balance. She would kindly accompany me to my bank and "help me" deposit it. This was so that the IRS would not tax the money I had won and so I would know how to deposit it properly, so that it would not be subject to investigation because, according to Mr. Brown, "... It is illegal to have more than $1 million in a single bank account!" - Red flag!

The Scratchcard was for taxes on the award, delivery fees and a "stamp" (WHAT?!) - Ring! They did not have my physical address, said that I was selected by a lottery through Walmart, and said I would have my award within a few hours - Ring! When I asked why he was calling from a private number, his answer was that the other agents were using the other lines. Seriously? - Red flag!

I must admit that I fell for it for a moment, because it has always been my earnest desire to provide tangible financial security for my family. So, in ignorance and to test the validity of the claim, I offered to get a Scratchcard with not $500.00 but $200.00. Mr. Brown then tried to bargain with me to see if I could possibly come up with the rest by borrowing it from my bank through a signature loan, or from friends or family - Ring! I responded that any reasonable person would want to know why I needed such a significant amount and when in fact I would repay the loan. His answer was very sharply stated: "I am trying to help you! You are not cooperating with me! Just do what you need to do to get the $500.00! Don't tell anyone what you need it for, because real men don't discuss their financial matters with others!" - Red flag!

Then, when I tried to call the number(s) that he finally gave me, after I had given him the runaround for a while, all of a sudden I had tremendous problems trying to reach him! - Ring! Enter someone else I forgot to mention in the list of names connected to this ridiculous situation: Mr. Mark Anderson. To see what my experience was with Mr. Anderson, just start from the beginning of this report. It is pretty much a carbon copy with a slight twist! No disparagement to Green Dot, but I called to see if the card still had the initial $200.00 deposit on it. I doubt I even have to tell you what the result was - Red flag!

I called this "Mr. Anderson" and questioned their claims of integrity and that the funds on the Scratchcard were now in the possession of a "Ms. Brown." His angry response was, "Who told you the Scratchcard was used?!" - Ring! So naturally, Mr. Anger-son (I mean Anderson) eventually became a disappearing act! - Red flag! So of course I began to turn the tables and harass them at least as much as they had harassed me. I would call, and call, and call, and call until I finally got someone to answer. The next individual I spoke to was Mr. John Scott - Ring!

Hold on, let me catch my breath, because this little charade has proven to be exhausting! When I asked about the other agents previously mentioned, Mr. Scott kindly informed me that he could not speak to me concerning the other agents - Red flag! So I asked him for an email address where I could contact them directly. His response was that he didn't know their email addresses and so he couldn't give me that information - Ring! Of course I antagonized him by asking how they could all work for the same company, virtually in the same office, and not know each other's email address or even have a general email address where I could simply direct my correspondence to the desired person. Survey says: "You will either have to call him until you reach him, or I will just have him call you!" - Red flag!

Listen, I won't belabor this by highlighting the insults hurled at me and the things they challenged me to do in order to give them what they were harassing me for. I will just say one final thing before I conclude. The last person I talked to was Mr. David Brooks (and by the way, I never met or talked to this mysterious "Sharon Stone"). I gave him what I thought was a reasonable request: I merely asked if we could arrange a COD (cash on delivery). "Well, we don't accept cash, or credit cards, or bank checks." You could have knocked me over with a butterfly's wing! - Ring!

I am SO done! For those who will take the time to read this and other disclosures on the predators who are, in my estimation, preying upon the vulnerability of people with a very calculated and sinister objective: please take every precaution, trust every instinct you have that is trying to persuade you to run the other direction, and believe the consistency in the reports that are given. You will not be the exception to the victimization of this diabolical plan!