Federal Government Grants Department
Complaint 283120 Details

This is my experience with these Federal Grants people. You can skip all the way to the bottom for my recommendation after receiving this call. I highly recommend that you follow these steps.

Recently on 10/24/2013 some time in the morning, I received a call from a blocked number and ignored it. At first I did not pick up. A few hours later, the blocked number called me again. I was curious this time so I picked up. A man on the other end congratulated me on being a good citizen and having a clear record, claiming he was working for the Government involved program called the Federal Grants Reserve:Grants Department. I was about to hang up when he mentioned a personal grant offer of $10,000. I stayed on the line momentarily noting that I am a full time student and funds aren't always turned down from someone. This was my first mistake.

ALWAYS know that you MUST apply for any type of grant. At least, that's what I was told. So when I heard that this man was willing to give me this once in a life time offer of such a grant for being such a good citizen, (or whatever; he mentioned many other factors) I was already suspicious. But I kept on the line for further information to see as to his main goal of offering "grant" money which may not even exist.

He needed to complete a profile for my grant, so he asked me questions. He already had my name, since he asked "Hello, is this Ms.Person I May Scam Next?" So of course, I answered and confirmed it. After the buff down of his offer he asked for confirmation of my street address which he already had. "Is this your correct home address?" I was naive at the point and confirmed this as well. He sent me a security code which I should not share with anyone, and gave me a callback number and a website.

(202) 506-8401
http://www.usagovernmentgrants.org/personal_grants.html

The number definitely allowed me to call him back. The website feedback said the page was not found. However, if you capitalize the "p" in personal and "g" in Grants, it's brings you to the corrected site. I have not looked over this site too long, however it seems that these people may be using another person's site name to cover themselves up. I highly recommend not calling for your number may be recorded. Avoid this site too just in case.

Soon, he asked for my card information as to submit a $194 reservation fee. Here I got upset.

Government department of any such type should NOT ask for any private information falling under card numbers, SSS, or any other important information like so. Name, phone number, street address; anyone can look that up. It's simple to find honestly. He already had the last four digits of my card which was unsettling. He needed the full number and the card security code or CVN/CSC. I told him that I was sorry and that I could not give such information. He got very upset to the point he said he would kill me.

Yes, he threatened me. "Ma'am, are you saying that you are no longer interested in this once in a life time grant?" Yes, I am no longer interested since you have asked for information which people working for the Government are trusted to not ever ask for. Of course, I did not tell him that. I simply told him "yes and I am sorry; your offer is very appreciative however I am already receiving funds for classes and I do not think they can stack on top of each other."

"Then WHY are you wasting my time ma'am?!" Whoa there, calm sir. Nope, he kept going.

"Here I am, trying to give you money and after all this time, you turn it down? This economy is very drastic right now as you know ma'am, I would not let this chance slip by if I were you." Too pressuring. I apologized again and wished him good luck. And as I was about to hang up, he yelled, "No! I'm going to kill you! I'm go to kill you!" His English was not very good in the first place, but anyone could understand that he intended murder. "I know where you live! It's... this address here, right? Your card ends in these numbers? The address on the card would match this one right? I know where you live ma'am, don't hang up on me!" I told him "Sir, Please calm down. You are not in your right of mind. You shouldn't pressure your customers or they will lose interest. Is it my money you want?" He got flustered and said "No, it's- I am trying to give you money. I want to help." I told him that he's helped me enough and he suddenly laughed!

"I'm just kidding ma'am, I work for the Government I wouldn't do any such thing. Thank you for your time and interest ma'am, and have a good day."

I was scared of course, for someone to simply say that. He called me for more information. The card number he had (last fur numbers) actually did not match the address, since the card is under my school address instead. However, I stilled closed my card. I am very much upset with these people. Especially when many many others out there actually need money and are desperate, it is a sick thing to take even more money from them.

These are my tips for those who have been scammed by these people or who have recently received this call:

1)Close your card with your bank and receive a new one. Make it for sure that those numbers do not exist. (he also had my expiration date and my full name on the card beforehand)

2)Take off your saved card information from purchasing sites. Paypal especially, even ebay, amazon, anywhere and everywhere.

3)Do not purchase a greendotmoney pack. He asked this method to receive the financial fees. It's a type of "credit card" which they ask for the numbers of the card you purchase too! On the greendot money pack website, they even said to not give out information since they are not to be held responsible.

4) They did not ask for email. But still, do not give that out either.

5)Shred any special information from bank receipts you throw out. SHRED EVERYTHING with information.

5)Understand that grants/loans are not offered this easily, you must apply. Anyone who offers are most likely not official.

6)Never give out any information to anyone unless you know for sure that it is safe. If anything, YOU should be asking the questions.

7)Relax if someone has your phone number or name or street address/email. It is actually simple to search up any address from google maps or have a simple list of names and random numbers. This is how telemarketers and spam mail/email get you you in the first place. However, if anything is a threat to your actual private information, do something about it.

8)Lock your front door. I'm not being facetious or over-reactive. Be careful with people going to your front door. It's not common for strangers to be going up to other people's houses. And if so, be even more careful of this fact.