My friend came over on 10/22, a Saturday, and said to me I just got this call from the Department of Taxation telling me that every year they choose a select few individuals to receive a $12,500 grant for paying their taxes on time, and she has been selected. She asked them if there was a catch, they told her no, the money is yours free to do what you want with it. She also said that this person spoke so bad english she couldn't understand him and had to ask him several times to repeat himself and he also handed the call to his manager and the manager handed the call to his manager on thier own accord.
They all told her the same info and that they just needed to verify her bank name. When she gave them her bank name they then said they needed her account number to verify it was an open account and to deposit the money into her account. She was supicious so she said hold on while I get that and muted her phone. She could hear them talking in a different language to each other. She then got back on the phone and said I'm not at home and I don't have that information with me, can you call back in an hour. They told her that was fine and they'd call back.
They called my friend on her cell phone number too, which is strange because the phone is not in her name, so how did they get her phone number, and to call and ask for her?
When they called back she wanted me to talk to them to see if it seemed legitimate, so I did and told him I was her. The first thing they asked me was for the account number. I told him I had some questions and ignored their request. He told me they were calling for the US government grant department. I asked him who they worked for and he told me it was an organization, Advantage America, the government hired his company to do this.
I asked him something and it took me a moment to realize he was giving me the address, so I had to ask him several times to repeat himself because I could NOT understand him, and they barely understood me. He finally said hold on and someone else, his "manager" got on the phone with just as bad an accent so I had to go through it again and then he said hold on and his "manager" got on the phone, and I was so frustrated I had to ask him to just spell everything.
This whole time they kept trying not to answer and ask me for the account number so they could verify the info and something about confirmation and I couldnt even understand what he was saying even after he had said this several times during the call. I asked him if they could just mail a check instead of direct deposit and he told me they don't do that anymore due to so many getting lost in the mail, the government changed their policies. I asked if he could call back on Monday. Being Saturday I knew the Better Business Bureau and anyone I could call to look into this was closed, even though I figured it probably wasnt legit. He told me today was the last day and they would have to give it to someone else. Finally I told them I was stil not at home and to call back in an another hour. He told me okay but just this last time and something about having to get managers approval to do so.
In the mean time I call the local police department to let them know that I thought this was fraud. They told me if they call back to try to get more info like a phone number, their name, and they should have a permit number as a business to solict, and also to ask how they got my (my friend's) number. So, an hour later they actually called back. The first thing he said to me was, can I have that account number now. I told him I had some questions and just ignored them every time they kept asking through out the call. I asked him his name and had to have it spelled, it was Sam Caswell - a very American name for someone who doesnt really even speak english.
When I asked him if there was a number I could reach him at he told me that he was in a call center and could only make outbound calls. So I asked him for the corporate number and he gave me the zip code! So I had to ask him again, he kept trying to put me off, finally he was like ok but just this once. After he gave me the number I asked him what the phone number was, he saide officer once, then manager (which I later called and was customer service). Then I continued to ask him how he got my phone number. I had to ask him about seven times to repeat himself and all I could get was that he was calling for the government and the goverment has something of citizens of America before he said hold on, spoke to someone in different language. Then someone else, a "manager" got on the phone and I has to start all over again, and then again said hold on and and his manager got on the phone. James B. Adams (another very American name), who spoke slightly better English. He said the government had a computer with every single American and they searched for people who havent filed bankruptcy for 20 years, 4 years and a select few of those were chosen to receive the grant.
Then I went on to ask what the permit number was, he didnt even understand or know what I was talking about, got the runaround of course and then asked if I wanted the offer or not. I told him I don't think so because you can't give me the information I'm asking for. Finally he said ok but this is the last time. The number he gave me was 1-379-543-7345. Looks like a phone number to me and what a coincidence the last four #'s are the same as the phone number he gave me! After that he asked again for the number and I told him I wasn't interested and hung up.
Half an hour later I got another call and they proceded to say I'm from the US Government Grant Department... I interuppted him and told him that I already told his company that I wasn't interested and could they please stop calling me. I cannot believe they were calling again! I had to tell him that a second or third time and he muttered about me wasting his time for 2 hours and I told him he was the one calling me, then I just hung up on him.
Right away the phone rang again. The first thing he said was "you f*king b*ch" in a such a way and right away I told him to stop calling me, that I had already called the police and filed a report then I hung up again.By this time now I (and my friend) are in so much shock and disgust and disbelief. A minute or two later he called AGAIN, and started saying what sounded like "you want to sex me". I couln't believe he said what I thought so I asked him to repeat what he said. "You want to sex me, I want to sex you" and kept going on. I cursed at him, told hime to leave me alone and hung up. He called back right away and said the same thing and kept going on about it and I told him to go f*k himself and hung up.
Yet again he calls right back and now says something like I am f*king you right now doggy style and starts going into detail, won't stop when I start talking. So I keep saying hey, listen, why dont you go f*k yourself and hung up. Right away I called the local police department back, and got the same person and told all. The guy hasn't called back again.
The total number of times these people called my friend was EIGHT TIMES!!! This whole thing is just crazy, weird, and creepy among many other things.
Lisa/Sara
Zion, Illinois
U.S.A.
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