The "free money" scam has been around almost as long as the human species. It has more variations than a bulldog has wrinkles but you can count on one thing: the government (any government) does not simply give money away to individuals. Anyone who tells you differently has larceny in his heart. If you give him your bank account number, he will soon have your funds in his pocket.
Below is a tiny sample of the hundreds and hundreds of complaints we receive about the many versions of this scam. It does no good to list all of the names used by these bunko artists because a.) they change all the time and b.) every single free-money government-grant offer is a scam. Period.
Jacqueline of New Kensington PA (03/21/09) I applied for a government grant to pay off some bills. I never received any grant money, it was a scam, money from my checking account was takenw ithout my permission
Sandra of Tumwater, WA March 20, 2009
Sandra of Tumwater WA (03/20/09) Applied for grant info and was charged 58.61 and this is a scam.
I am disabled and was used in a scam.
Casey of Bowling Green, KY March 19, 2009
Casey of Bowling Green KY (03/19/09) I paid 1.95 for a CD on grant resources. A couple days later I received a charge for 58.91. I did not agree to any other charges. I said that I did not want the instant access option. The customer service person said that I was paying for instant access. I was scammed by this company and want others to know about them. They have several different names. I want this charge refunded, but they were not willing to do this.
58.61 and it said I would receive charges from other companies as well. I want to prevent these charges from accruing.
Johnnie of Haworth, OK March 18, 2009
Johnnie of Haworth OK (03/18/09) MY bank flagged several suspicious transactions on my account using my debit card. The bank was able to retrieve some of the money back and I was able to reverse several of the transactions using the phone numbers on my transaction statement. There was one for 49.90 by Your New GrantsYour New G. I called the number listed. The phone was answered was by a female who told me in a very rude manner, that I was screwed and wasn't getting my money back and hung up. I called back and a male answered the phone and I demanded to speak to a supervisor. He told that I just spoken to the head of the operation,Jennifer and what she said was irrefutable and don't call back.
I did a search of the toll free number directory and came up empty-handed. I also spent many hours trying to find a website associated with what little information I had. Again, Nothing. I have never received any product or service from this rip-off. They charged 49.90 to my bank account using my debit card fraudulently and laughed about it. (My card was immediately canceled). Thank you for your time and I am willlingly to help in any I can to put these shysters out of business and into a cell where they belong. I just wonder how many other people these evil people have scammed.
I am a career teacher (21 years) and lost my job May 16, 2008 due to lack of funds for operation. The annexing district did not hire any certified pesonnel to fill vacancies in their district (although, they were required to by Oklahoma School Law). I have been searching for work and receiving unemployment to subsist. Even though, I am in a precariuos financial position, I decided to sponsor a needy child through the Christian Children's Fund for my grandson's seventh birthday. I felt helping a needy child on his behalf would teach him to always help others less fortunate. I want him to grow into a caring, humble human being.
I think it was through this transaction that the scammers got my banking information. What kind of low-life would exploit a loving legacy, I wanted to pass on to my prodigy? It's just unjustifiable and ungodly. They have taken what should have been a wonderful loving lesson to a litttle boy into a nightmare. Words cannot really describe how disgusted I am by their lack of any remorse. It is torturing my mind.
Amitra of Monroe, LA March 18, 2009
Amitra of Monroe LA (03/18/09) I received a phone call advising me that I had been approved to receive 7000 dollars by the US Government, I was then asked for my bank account information, after providing the info, I was told someone to call back to follow up. A few moments later, I received the call back, I was then instructed to say yes to a series of questions, after the questions I was given a confirmation number after a few more questions, I was given another confirmation number.
The next day, I received another call stating my bank would not allow a transfer to my account and the only other way to receive the funds would be to wire a 100.00 dollar service fee. The funds were wired and the representative was given a transfer control number. The representative stated I could not receive the grant money because my name was misspelled on the western union transfer. The representative stated I would then need to send an additional 100.00 dollars, when I asked for my money back that I had already sent, these people became irate and one representative disconnected the lline while I was speaking.
The previous rep (S. Smith) called back and was very persistent on me sending the other 100.00 even offering to loan me 30.00 to go along with the 70.00 I had left to send another 100.00. All of the reps had foreign accents and were very rude along with never listening, while constantly speaking over me.
The money that I was used to send these people has taken away from my household expenses and as a result I'm unable to take care of my monthly expenses
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