On Friday, September 30,05, I received a phone call stating that I was one of the few people chosen for a grant of $12,500 that I did not have to pay back. I didn't believe it at first until I realized that they must've received my name when I was searching for information on the internet about grants. I informed them that I didn't have a bank account and they asked if I could use a family or friends account. I told them that I didn't know because I was so far away from all of my family. This gentleman informed me that his name was Frank. He told me that he would call me back on Saturday to get the information.
I had talked to my neighbor and she informed me that she would let my use her bank account. I told her that I would give her $2000 of the money. She gave me her information. Then when they called back to get the information, the original gentleman that spoke to called me. I was then transferred to another gentleman who I talked to for a moment, then I was listening to a recording where they taped my information. I was informed that I was signing up for a free trial on medical services and phone services if I didn't call and cancel them.
I was then given a confirmation code and they told me that they would call me back afterwards to make sure that I got the confirmation code. So they called me back within 2 minutes to confirm the confirmation code. I was then told that the money would be in my account on Tuesday, October 4th. The $49.95 and then later the $299.00 would be deducted out of the grant after I got it.
My neighbor continued to monitor her account to make sure the money was going to be in there. We were both hoping because we both needed the money, very badly. Last night she called me to let me know that the money still wasn't there.
I had tried to call the number that kept coming up on my caller ID when they would call 440-009-2022 (then I did a reverse directory on it and the area code is from Columbus OH, but it's not a real number, possibly a phone card is what I was told.)
Today I called the number I was given 1-866-503-7345. I got a lady who told me that she couldn't help me unless I informed her of the company that I was calling about because they deal with 12 companies. I told her that I wasn't sure of the company name because they would say it real fast when I asked them to slowly tell me they would again say it real fast.
So I asked her to look my name up in the computer system. She told me that would take hours unless I knew what company I was dealing with. I told her that was impossible because every computer system has a way of searching within minutes of all the files. She got rude with me and told me that she has been there for years and wasn't going to deal with me telling her how to do her job. Then she hung up on me.
I called back and the next person I talked to immediately gave me a different phone number to call. I called it 1-877-851-4363. The phone was answered by a Johnny Cortez. I asked him what was going on and he told me that I had the information wrong. I told him that is what I was told. He then informed me that when I pay the $49.95 then I would get the $12,500 within 6 months.
I told him that is not what I was told. I was told all that money would come out of the money that they were sending me. He kept telling me that was wrong. I told him the name of the guy who called me and he told me that they would do an investigation on it. I told him that didn't do me any good. When I asked to talk to his supervisor he told me that they were unavailable. He told me that I wasn't even in the system, but they would be sending me the information package as soon as they received the $49.95.
I told them that they weren't going to get that from me. His response was, "Where else can you get medical benefits like these." I told him that I didn't need the medical benefits, I have medical with the state. I then started asking him questions about the company. He couldn't answer how long that they had been in business, he had only been with them a few months.
I told him that I know that I had gotten scammed and that I was going to report them to the Better Business Bureau. He told me that I wasn't being scammed, he would give me their internet address so I could check to make sure that they were a legit company. I also informed them that if any money was removed from the account that was given to them that I would be reporting them to every single agency there was. He informed me that no money would be taken out of the account.
My neighbor is going to tell her bank about what has happened and inform them to monitor her account. I can't believe that I fell for the scam and ended up pulling my neighbor into it also. I feel like a complete idoit, I was just really hoping with everything that is going on in my life, eviction (which I have had to miss several days of work due to), sick children (which I have had to take even more days off of work for) you name it! I was just hoping that things were finally going to go my way. God I feel so stupid.
Jessica
Puyallup, Washington
U.S.A.
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