On June 17 I received a phone call from First National Government Grant Benefit stating I have been selected from my income tax return to receive a an undisclosed amount of money, a dollar grant from the government, and was asked how much money I would like to have every month. The person Idendified himself as Craig Walker, a Senior manager of the organization. He also said he was not a government employee, but that the government contracted his company to sign up people who had paid taxes in the past for a free grant from the government.
Craig said that I would be sent a letter within 4-5 working days. He told me that I would have to provide a checking account number together with the routing number of the bank He said the checking account number is required so he could apply a $29.95 Processing Fee.
I gave him a checking account number and he recorded it (he said.) He then said after the processing fee had been charger that his company First National Government Grant Benefits would send me $100.00 emergency cash.
He said I would also be enrolled in a National Health Care Plan that would be FREE for 7 days with no obligation, but if I decided to keep the plan it would cost me $19.95. He sad I could cancel any time during the 7 day trial period, and that I was not under any obligation. He also said I would receive $6000.00/mo for the rest of my life. The number for their customer service department was stated as: 1-800-410-1682.
He also told me the only thing I would have to pay is a $29.95 processing fee for the government to put the money into my account electronically. He said he could not sign me up unless I participated in a recorded interview. I knew that this was a bogus scam, and I told him I needed to call someone, but that I would call him back because I had a call on my other line.
He said he could not provide a telephone number that I could reach him at. I said that would be ok, but that I couldn't do the survey at that time because I had to return the call to the person that had contacted me on the other line. He said he would call back, but never did.
I read Amber's consumer complaints, but I didn't need to go to the internet to figure out that this was a scam. I will agree with what Amber reported no company would ask for your banking information over the phone. Here are some further steps you can take:
If you discovered that your identity had been stolen, or that someone is doing this to you please do the following:
Call your bank or credit card company, you might want to call both.
Contact the three major credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax and TRW
Obtain the 30-page consumer support publication which is available from the Federal Trade Commission.
Fill out and submit the FTC form to dispute new, unauthorized accounts
Beware that you might have to pay $1,500 in out-of-pocket expenses or more in your efforts to resolve the problems that identity theft could cost you.
James
Silver Springs, Nevada
U.S.A.
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