I initially got a call from 188.252.9921? Based on the background noise it sounded like a call center. I don't remember the caller identifying himself or giving a company name (the call woke me out of a dead sleep) but he said that I had been chosen to receive a $5000 school grant. As a returning student this woke me up but always suspecting unsolicited calls I asked how much this would cost. The agent said, "Nothing, we don't charge anything, this is a free service." He then said he would give me a call back number and confirmation code all I needed to indicate was how I wanted to receive the money: credited to my credit card/debit card, deposited directly to my checking account or cash. I chose cash, the agent verified my current address, I corrected him on my place of birth and gave him my age. He said to call the number he gave after his call ended. I called the number and the message I got stated the "Magic Jack Customer you are trying to reach is not available, please leave a message after the tone..." I hung up and tried again, same message. About 10 minutes later I got call back from the number and spoke with a woman who identified herself as Janet Morris, the same name the previous agent gave me. She also gave the name where she was calling from but when I asked her to repeat the name of the company she said, "This is not a company, this is the federal government." At this point I was wondering: a) since when does anybody from a company, much less the government call back a missed/dropped call and b) since when does the government share a phone number with Magic Jack? This woman Janet then went on to state in order to receive my grant all I had to do was got to the nearest Western Union, call her before I went to the front desk and she would give me a confirmation code to receive the funds and stay on the line with me during the entire process. The only thing required was $190 to release the funds. When I told her the other agent had said there was no charge for this service she stated this was merely a security deposit to release the funds and was fully refundable once I got my grant. She asked how long it would take to get to the Western Union. I told her about an hour and we ended the call. Instead I went to my branch bank which is located in the same grocery store as the Western Union and verified that this was in all likelihood a phishing scam and also verified that with only my name, age and birthplace my accounts and funds could not be accessed and identity theft was also not likely since they really had no information that can't be accessed from internet. If you are contacted in a similar fashion you can either hang up or go along with them but maybe without giving your true place of birth and age, tell and then tell them you want cash. Either way, then file a report with the Department of Education which is what I am going to do. Include any names and phone numbers you get and hopefully these people can be brought to justice.
I initially got a call from 188.252.9921? Based on the background noise it sounded like a call center. I don't remember the caller identifying himself or giving a company name (the call woke me out of a dead sleep) but he said that I had been chosen to receive a $5000 school grant. As a returning student this woke me up but always suspecting unsolicited calls I asked how much this would cost. The agent said, "Nothing, we don't charge anything, this is a free service." He then said he would give me a call back number and confirmation code all I needed to indicate was how I wanted to receive the money: credited to my credit card/debit card, deposited directly to my checking account or cash. I chose cash, the agent verified my current address, I corrected him on my place of birth and gave him my age. He said to call the number he gave after his call ended. I called the number and the message I got stated the "Magic Jack Customer you are trying to reach is not available, please leave a message after the tone..." I hung up and tried again, same message. About 10 minutes later I got call back from the number and spoke with a woman who identified herself as Janet Morris, the same name the previous agent gave me. She also gave the name where she was calling from but when I asked her to repeat the name of the company she said, "This is not a company, this is the federal government." At this point I was wondering: a) since when does anybody from a company, much less the government call back a missed/dropped call and b) since when does the government share a phone number with Magic Jack? This woman Janet then went on to state in order to receive my grant all I had to do was got to the nearest Western Union, call her before I went to the front desk and she would give me a confirmation code to receive the funds and stay on the line with me during the entire process. The only thing required was $190 to release the funds. When I told her the other agent had said there was no charge for this service she stated this was merely a security deposit to release the funds and was fully refundable once I got my grant. She asked how long it would take to get to the Western Union. I told her about an hour and we ended the call. Instead I went to my branch bank which is located in the same grocery store as the Western Union and verified that this was in all likelihood a phishing scam and also verified that with only my name, age and birthplace my accounts and funds could not be accessed and identity theft was also not likely since they really had no information that can't be accessed from internet. If you are contacted in a similar fashion you can either hang up or go along with them but maybe without giving your true place of birth and age, tell and then tell them you want cash. Either way, then file a report with the Department of Education which is what I am going to do. Include any names and phone numbers you get and hopefully these people can be brought to justice.
I just received a call telling me to call this same number because I was chosen to receive a government grant of $5000. All I had to do was go to western union and send them $190 and it would be returned to me within 5 minutes including the grant money. I asked her name and she told me it was Janet Morris and she was calling from the United States Federal Grants Dept. Then I asked her for her government ID # she said it was MD95149 and then she hung up on me?
I jus got the same exact call from a guy can't remember his name but he told me to call Janet Morris wit my confirmation number and so I did she said she wud call back n 10mins 15mins came n left I called back to get a machine saying something about monster jack but then she called right back basically saying I had to pay !90.00 in order to get $7,000 worth of grant money THIS IS A SCAM!!!