I just received a call from a lady with an accent telling me I was selected to receive a $9,000 grant from the government. She gave me a callback number and an alternate to call if the first one busy. She also gave me an approval code.
The government doesn't just give out money.
Call from man, gave name of Robt Morris in message. I called number got Gloria Smith, Morris not available. I couldn't understand what she was telling me because of her accent. She slowed her speech but I still couldn't understand her. Mainly there was a problem with my income tax. I could be arrested and she was a govt employee. She hung up after the arrest threat.
Thank you for returning, and letting us know that you will protect yourself.
There are a lot of telephone scammers out there, and many do prey upon the elderly. Please tell your friends and acquaintances about what you learn here. You might even consider printing out the following, and giving a copy to friends:
Things to believe:
• "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."
• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• You have not won big bucks from a benign benefactor, a pot of pesos from PCH, dinero from a doctor, a car from a caller, or a grant from a gracious government
• The tooth fairy really does not exist
• Everything you read on the internet or hear on the phone is not necessarily true.
• It is illegal to ask for money for a loan or prize, before awarding the loan or prize!
• "Free Trips" are loaded with mandatory & costly extras, and you usually must give them your card number after listening to a loooong spiel at a hotel.
• Microsoft or a different famous software company, or one of their agents did NOT cold call you to fix your computer.
• The moon is not made of green cheese.
• The IRS will snailmail you, rather than phone you, if there is a problem.
• Jackalope milk is not an aphrodisiac.
• If you Vanilla Card, GreenDot, MoneyGram, Western Union or use any gift/money card to send money to a scammer, the money is gone.
• You should beware of Geeks bearing gifts, specially if the gift is a wooden horse with termites, or a statement that your computer is infected.
• 876 is NOT your lucky number, and it will cost you money to call that area code!
• The number you see on your Caller ID may not be the number of the person who called you!
• The Do Not Call List works as intended. It is NOT a call blocker!
More information on those facts (and others) may be found at
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/facts.html
Remember to return here, to 800notes.com, after you look at any of the information at that site, either to post more information, or to let us know you avoided the scam.
Only caught part of this on my machine as I walked in. Basically, it was a person speaking in English with a heavy Caribean type accent (mentioning the name Robert Morris) telling me that I'm going to be arrested for a criminal matter. I should call back right away, as it was my only way to get help. I have never been in trouble for anything, and it's so nice of some random person to call to let me know that the police will be showing up to arrest me! Is that how it works now? Someone calls to give you the heads up? Wow.....that's nice! Anyway, I'm going to go wash my black and white striped shirt to wear in prison, because I don't look good in orange.
Really......I hope there is a hell, and I hope the people who try to pull these scams rot there.