I got a phone call at 5pm on 2/2/06 from a man frank Johnson, stating he was with government grants from the IRS.
That I was getting a grant, in the amount of, $12,500. That I would never have to pay back and not have to pay any $ for or anything, and he would wire the $ to my rite into bank account account. I was very skeptical (VERY) but I have never got a grant before and did not know how it all worked and was not sure of anything,
I asked him to repeat himself and that I did not believe that he was telling me the truth, and that there is tons of scams out there he said he understood. I kept stating that I was unsure, and told him I wanted to speak to his manager, he then asked me to hold and another man got on the line by the name of Frank Matsunga.
He told me that he was from government grants from the IRS and that they are the place that does the payouts of the government grants. He also stated that the FBI records all the phone conversations that they have. I know my head was saying do not believe this DONT, but my poor heart and gut were actually saying this may be the real thing.
I then explained to him that I am on full disability and that obviously this money would help me with all my financial problems. And that I was having a very hard time believing what he was telling me. However again not knowing how the whole grant system worked I started again to give him my information. I then stopped and he said do you have additional questions. I said yes, I would like your phone # and extension please. Without any normal hesitation he gave me his phone # extension and the website and assured me that everything would be great I told him I would like to verify everything he is saying and where he is calling from he said that would be fine if I waned to, but it would hold thing up and It would just be easier to look it all up after that way there was no delay in the process. (I was on the website as we were speaking). I said ok I will research the stuff while we were on the phone. So he told me that I would have the $ in my bank (not my account) Just in the bank in the morning.
I questioned that and said then why would you need my account # then if you are not putting it into my bank account just to the bank. He stated that he needed it to verify only with the bank that it was the correct person to be able to deposit the $ when I gave my back the pass code he would give me. I asked what that was all about.
He told me that he would be giving me a pass code (like a password) and I would have to go to my bank in the morning with it. That I have to give the bank this # to allow them deposit into my account. I don't know about you but it sounded all secure and stuff. I am not sure again how all this works, now it sounds very secure to me. He did tell me that my bank itself would charge me a fee to transfer the money something like $299.00. I did say what why would they charge me that, he said it may not be that much but could be up to that much.
I stated that was insane. He then stated that something booklet about insurance would be delivered to my home by UPS or Fedex or something but I would not have to pay the shipping because I am being given the grant, and that I did not apply for it. I said ok.
Now at this point I have given him my information and am kicking myself, but at this point he already has all the information that he needed and me being the level heded idiot I am, said to myself, ok Elyse if this was a scam and I gave him all the information he would have at this point hung up and that would be that, but he did not do that. He said ok, Mrs Lavery I just need to confirm all the information that we spoke about.
I was like what there is more. Then he said I have to put you into the system that confirms all of this.By the way he had all my information I just confirmed it all. My name age, phone #, address, etc. I did not give any of that to him at all. So I said ok what is this, he said it is an automated system that will reconfirm everything, He stated that if I had any questions during it I could just say no or that I did not understand and he would pick up the line and explain it to me.
I said ok, then he put me into the automated thing. I asked me to confirm all my information and stated things like, there will be a 299.00 fee and a 14.99 shipping fee that would come out of the $ I stated NO. He picked up the phone and he said, do you have a question. I said yes the system said there was a fee and a shipping charge. He said as I told you before about the fee your bank will or may charge to transfer the $, and you do not have to pay the shipping charge for the insurance information, that that part of the confirmation is for people who applied for the grant, not the people like yourself who it was just given too. I said ok and he put me back into the system.
The next question was as you are aware we are not associated with the government or something like that. I again stated NO. He picked it up and said do you have a question on this, I stated yes. You said that you were with the IRS the government, he said I stated we are the independent agency that the IRS has to pay out the grants. I said yes, he said ok, and put me back into the prompt, (please understand this was quite a few hours ago so I am not sure in what order the?'s were in) Then the system said something about possibly getting the grant in seven months.
I again said NO and he picked up the phone and said, nicely again do you have a question about this. I said yea you said that the $ would be in my back tomorrow not that I would have to wait up to seven months for it. He stated no that is not what it means. That means you would be re-eligible for another grant up to 12,500.00 again in another 7 months. That is all that means.
At this point I am getting very mad because I am listening to this verification/Confirmation thing saying things that I am not agreeing with and I am stating this to him. He is continuing to reassure me, that most of this is for the people whom have applied for the grant and were accepted most of this applies to them but because I was selected without applying for it, that most of it did not apply to me.
At this point I am very upset crying even because I had a bad feeling in my head but if this was the real thing would I be passing up all that very much needed money. I have to say he never pressured me to a point, he just kept reassuring me that everything would be just as he said it would. The money would be in my bank in the morning waiting for me to get there to transfer it into my account with the password that they were going to give me.
I said honestly I do not know you I do not know if I will be broke in the morning because you have taken all my $ and I am crying saying all this, he then said, Oh Mrs. Lavery, Are you crying, please do not cry. I know you are scared but I can re assure you that I am real what I am telling you is the truth. Please do not cry everything is ok. You will be fine and you will be very happy tomorrow when you see the grant going into the bank. I again said how do I know that you are not going to rob me blind.
He said I can't I do not have any authorization to take money out of your bank only to put it in. Again crying I said ok this is what I do tomorrow. He said yes. Then he continued on to say so if you feel more comfortable go ahead and take all the $ out of your account now, then wait to see. I was like what.
Now remember I have given him all my info over 45 min or so ago and he was still on the phone with me saying all this, trying to reassure me still even now after he has all the information, that confused me even more. He asked me again to stop crying and again said everything would be fine. He then said are you alright I said I do not think I have a choice at this point what's done is done. He said yes it is and you will be rejoicing tomorrow and said for me to have a good rest of my evening, and enjoy the money that I get. And to relax and have a good evening, asked me again if I was ok, and I said sure and said goodby. I will see what happens, if it is lagit, then fine but i am sure i will be following up here to compleat this report.
So until tomorrow.
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