The calls from this number are annoying! I finally picked up the phone and told the guy I was recording our conversation and asked him to remove me from their call list. He said he was calling from the US Government. I told him I didn't believe his crap and again asked to be removed from his call list. He was and ignorant jerk! I put the phone down and let him talk away! I figured by letting him waist his time with me, I was saving someone else from getting his annoying call .... Jerk!
This area code (202) has called me so many times over the past few months. I don't normally answer calls not in or around my area code. If it's legit enough, they'll usually leave a VM. One day, I did just so I could see who it was. The guy said I received some grant in excess if $9000. I stopped him at this point and told him to remove my number from their call list because I wasn't interested in what they were offering. He hung up. I blocked the number. Since this incident a few months ago, I keep getting calls from this damn area code but different numbers. I blocked all of them. Today, this 202-685-2101 number called 3 times in a row. Got irritated and picked up because now I wanted to gather information.
Caller: Sandra Brown (what she stated, probably fake)
Calling from: Federal Grant Department
Instructed me to call: 202-657-4368 and speak to a Sr Account Officer. She provided me a "grant ID" to give him/her. She asked me if I was married/single; employed/unemployed.
I have gotten a couple of calls from this number and each time they tell me I have been awarded a govt. grant. They tell me that they need to confirm my personal information to identify me and they start telling me my name, address, phone number etc.. I could tell right off the bat that this is a scam and they are phising for info to use in identity theft. I just play along and give them a bunch of mixed answers to keep them guessing. One day last week I talked to them for about a half hour and by the end of the call I could tell I was really getting to the guy on the other end because he started cussing and speaking in another language. Finally he got mad enough to hang up on me. It worries me that these people have some of my personal info already but I am no fool so I hope they keep calling me so I can taunt them more. I have an hour commute to and from work everyday and its a fun way to pass the time just messing up their B.S.
P.S.
I am not PROFILING here but each of the callers sounds Middle Eastern to me.
I am currently recording all my calls. Woman said they were a Government Grant Program. I said I am on the DO NOT CALL LIST. The line got quiet for a minute, then she said "No you're not!" & hung up on me. For the record, I have been on the DNC list since 2003. What a B word!