Called about me receiving a grant for $9700 in a demographic survey, I went along for the ride they gave me some other number and a referral number. I then researched the number on google and I thought I'll have some fun so I let them call me again and I just told them "How do I know it's not a scam" "what's the catch" then one that ticked them was when I said "do I got to buy a green dot card" dude wouldn't stop saying who told you to get a green dot card from western union. What is their name? That led to them saying to me "are you educated?" Etc I just told them no I'm a "stupid American" they eventually hung up.
I did not have my phone on my person with the two calls came in...within 7 minutes of each other. I am awaiting a call in regards to a job, but am glad that I was unable to answer after reading everyone's post about this number. This would NOT be the first time that I have been approached about similar issues... Years ago, I had gone online and wanted information on starting my own business and the availability of possible government loans/grants, etc. It hadn't even been five minutes from my posting that I got a call. Sounds like the same thing as the rest of you! It was a lady with an extremely heavy East Indian accent and it frustrated HER that I kept saying I could not understand her. She kept demanding my bank information for a one-time $250 application fee for the government grant information and monies. I asked her if she had many people stupid enough to give that information over the phone to unknown people. She got really angry. I told her that I wanted ALL of HER INFORMATION (her full name, company/organization name, location, etc.) and she told me I would get that once I gave her my bank information. I told her to just email me the information or forget about it! She asked me if I wanted the grant or not and she told me I was wasting her time! I forwarded her phone number and details of our conversation to the police department like I always do! Please people... do NOT offer personal information (bank account, etc.) to people you do not know!
This number has called my 94 yr old grandmother and keeps calling and harassing her saying they're with the federal government and they're issuing grants. It's a male with an accent from india. I told him she wasn't interested to please remove our number from their calling list and he rudely kept asking me "why" in a very argumentive manner. There's laws in this country against this type of harassment and I want it reported.
ALSO IMPERSONATING THE US GOV'T / SEVERAL GOV'T OFFICES AND PERSONS....BEWARE !!!
- they are also impersonating DEA officials / IRS / FAKE LAW FIRMS etc.... with threats to arrest you unless you immediately send money via wire transfer / western union to some offshore country !!!!! obvious scam !!!
some are landlines...many are cell phones...some are spoofed and linked to offshore foreign call centers / countries !!!!
we've traced back most of these numbers to offshore foreign call centers mostly in INDIA / THAILAND / AFRICA / JAMAICA ETC....
here's a few other numbers posted from the same area code offering a wide variety of scams / fake emails and scams after posting something on craigslist ( old scam ) ...... collecting for non existant " payday loans "....free money / scam giveaways / calling on behalf of a humane society..... $1,000's in free gov't money......... etc etc.....stories change out all the time......and the usual nonsense!!!
** mysteriously call to claim they have several thousand of dollars to send you / give ....just provide your bank account and credit card right away etc etc.........scam scam
several of these are the usual long ongoing scams such as : you have won a free walmart / bestbuy gift card....or you have won a free ipad etc......all long ongoing scams............