On 12/21, I was contacted by Sheila Olberoy, (Personal Info Removed), stating (in a islander/filipino accent) that she was from the US grant office, to which I had applied for a small business grant, asking if I was still planning to move forward with my business saying I met the 7 point criteria and was approved for a grant, in great detail, giving me a case number (B61912). I was explained the process and told that I would need a certified grant writer to draft a 9 page purposal. I said I didn't have one and she told me she would be more than happy to provide one that is used often and known by the government, with a 97% approval rating. The name was First Option Financial Services, INC based out of Pensicola, FL. I googled the name, found them on the BBB with an A unaccredited rating. I also found a few other companies with the same name throughout the country. I called the company (850-512-1803 which was a general number and 850-332-0895 the office of Ted Cooks a man with a thick Filipino accent) I was contacted back by Ted Cooks, and explained the process in a very unassuming manner. Ted was very patient and consistant with his delivery, explaining each step in detail, from the necessary documented quotes on company letterhead so there would be a detailed paper trail, to an explanation of how to properly draft my cost analysist. I spoke with Ted Cooks, a number of times over the course of a two weeks, and felt that this was genuine offer, from the overall consistant way he spoke, I even went so far as to call the actual grant office and other grant writing services in the area. When I receved the similar feedback from them, I went ahead with Ted Cooks and First Option Financial services, INC.
The fact that Ted didn't ask for my bank acount information and wanted to make sure there was a paper trail, put my thoughts of this being a scam at ease. I talked to him on Monday the 1/16 and he gave me the exact same schpeel that I had just found on this website. I was told that my grant writer would be Candy Benson and to send a certified check for $487.00through certified mail to her at their Accounting office at 2250 NW 114ave unit 1p Miami, FL 33179, with my "government contract number" PTY23039.
I was told my grant would be ready for disbursement between the 16th of April and the 20th of April and would be for $80000, as long as all of my paperwork matched with no major differences between my requested amount and the actual costs. There would be a government official dropping off my check and i would need to have two types of ID and the contract number. Ted Cooks said that the reason for such low prices, compared to other services, was because they contracted their writers and recieved a commission from them, when payment was made. I was told I would be receiving two packages from them the first would be the following Monday, and would contain my initial proposal or 30% of what was needed, then I would need to sign each page and return it back with all the documentation I had collected. I was given until 3pm PST on Tuesday the 17th of January to have the tracking number for my certfied check to Ted Cooks.
This scam is the same as all the previous ones listed under Florida State Financial Planners. The method of operation is indentical to the previous scams. The money I lost was sending a certified copy of my official complaint to Florida's Attorney General's office! And a big F-U. N Please phone the Florida;s attorney general's office at 561-842-1918 and contact the BBB online. The scamming willstop when more people complain.
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