I was called on my cell phone while on a 3hr drive by a three-digit phone number on a Friday (July 22nd). Stupid me I answered. A fast talking gentleman with a thick middle-eastern accent by the name of "Henry" was offering me a "consumer grant" that I was "guaranteed" for the amount of $5,000. And he needs my checking account to deposit it into. I said "Deposit ONLY" I don't want to have to pay for this. He said yes.
He then says "a government official will come to your door tommorrow to drop off the paperwork and again on the following business day which will be Monday and pick it up. When he arrives to pick it up he will give you $500 cash in exchange for you to look over our other offers."
He said that the money would be depositted into my banking account within 4 after I file the paperwork. Something still seemed fishy. Free money? About a 5-10 min.into the conversation he was asking me to approve an amount of $29.95 to be taken from my account. I asked what for. He said it was for the membership fee. It was to cover things like the government official's messengering costs and so on. He then promted me to do a recording to verify the deal.
The recording didn't say anything about $5,000 and the $500 was to be in the form of coupons. When it said do I agree to the $500 coupons I said to Henry, "I thought you said cash?" He replied that cash was an option that he had to put into the computer and that the recording was incorrect. He erased and rerecorded that part for me to start over. I then said to the recording "yes, $500 cash as an option". He then stopped the recording and said that the system would only accept a yes answer to continue, and erased and rerecorded my "yes".
At the end of the recording I heard a 1800 number but he wouldn't repeat it or give me the number. He just said that it would be with the papers I would get the next day with the government official and that my account wouldn't be charged for 2 more business days.
I waited till the next Friday (July 29th) and called them back with the number I got from my Bank when they withdrew the money. It is now Monday, August 1st and I haven't seen a government official and accourding to the call back number I won't. My $29.95 covers my membership fee of which I cancelled my membership (on July 29th) before they had a chance to give me benefits (as of yet). And from what they can tell me is only a welcome letter and a coupon book which no one knows what it specifically covers.
When I have asked for the name of the company that I have called they would just hang up on me. They have hung up on me 8 times including the assistant manager. I just got the info today from the only person there that didn't seem to have an accent at all. The only person who can refund me my money is on leave untill the end of September! They won't call her.
I have called them within 3 days of purchase and no services rendered and requested my money back. I have contacted the Federal Trading Commision and the Police. And I am not going to rest untill something has been done about this.
Holly
baltimore, Maryland
U.S.A.
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