For the past 2 weeks, my cell phone was ringing off the hook with the strangest number I have ever seen. The number was 001819 and every time I answered the phone we were automatically disconnected.
Today I answered the phone and did not say anything. I waited for about 20 seconds and then a lady with a Mexican accent introduced her self as Anna. Anna mumbled the name of her company twice until I asked her to speak clearly. This lady told me that there was annual payment of 12,500 dollars available to me.
This payment was from the national government and did not have to be paid back.in order to get this money Anna needed a one time fee of $49.99 (which does not need to be paid for 2 days for MY security). Then she immediately said what bank is your checking account with? I said I'm not supposed to give that info over the phone becoz I do not know you or your company - how do I know you are legit? She said that she needed my banking info (name and routing and account numbers) again I questioned her and she is good - she said you write checks all the time, right? Well your checks do not have the complete bank account number on them - once we have your information YOUR bank with verify that we are a legit company and proceeded with the money being transferred to your account. Anna also asked if I paid taxes and said she received my information from the government that I was approved for this grant. I said the government isn't supposed to give out anything without my permission and the government has not contacted me about this. Then I also asked if this is a government grant why it isn't coming directly from the government. She just kept reassuring me and asking for my bank info. I knew this was a scam but these people can fool anyone.
After realizing I was not going to give her this info she hung up on me.
I contacted my local news stations and the mobile phone company (the young man on the other end was very sweet - even called me back - about this site), as well as my local police.
Please be careful - the bank told me this happens all the time and there is nothing they can do about it - once these people have your numbers you are powerless — you can possibly call your bank immediately and close the account before the transaction takes place. My bank said they do not call to verify that their customers verified any transactions.
Thanks to Carmen I am posting my experience here.
Kate
Marietta, Georgia
U.S.A.
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