(Tips for Recognizing and Avoiding Fake Check Scams)

Tips for Recognizing and Avoiding Fake Check Scams

Submitted: 12/10/2006 3:53:33 PM
Modified: 12/11/2006 12:55:00 AM

Capital Grants Association Ripoff- Told me if I gave them $299, I would recieve a grant in the amount of $5,000 to expand my business Champlain New York - Canada *EDitors Suggestions on how to get your money back into your bank account that was wrongfully taken from you!

Company
Capital Grants Association
Address:
1320 Route 9
Champlain New York 12919-3329
U.S.A.
Phone Number:
888-842-7772
Fax:


My name is Richard Hampton and back in late July 2006 I was online contact agencies that were awarding grants. The company that responded to my request was Capital Grants Associations. A woman by the name of Jill Jones called me at the telephone number I provided and told me they would be able to assist me. She explained to me that the processing fee to assist me was $299. She wanted to know when the monies would be available in my account so they can perform an ACH. An ACH payment was debited from my business checking account in the amount of $299 on August 3, 2006 by Capital Grants. On September 11, 2006 I mailed a copy of my business plan for them to review and reward me the grant money. After several attempts of trying to contact Capital Grants, no one has returned my calls. I became suspicious after making attempts to contact them and no one returning my calls. I feel a company like this should be held accountable for their actions and be sent to jail and prosecuted to the extent of the law. Their taking hard earned money from individuals like myself and others like me trying to improve their lives and ripping us off. I'm in need of my money back and would like to know how or who I need to speak with to pursue. I've selected to be contacted by a lawyer to do whatever I need to do to get my money back.

Richard
Snellville, Georgia
U.S.A.

Ripoffreport.com

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hello, my name is Rene Tapia

I went through same issue. Please feel free to contact me at renetapia@cableone.net to compare notes. I had a direct line to a supervisor and now the line goes to new company but basic message on line is the same and references another number. The new main number to this company is very similar to the original number for Capital Grants Association. Also my agents number was answered after the first of the year by a gentleman who said "Grants office" when he answered the phone. When I started talking to him he said he just got the number and didnt know what I was talking about. He said to call the main number. How would he know I had a main number? I did, and got nothing so I called him back. He answered "Pizza Hut"... funny huh? I didn't think so either. I would like to get my money back and maybe some for believing and planning on the minimum 5000.00 and 250,000.00 to start my business. Also, another amount close to 300.00 hit my bank account from another company, I think they tried again. If you have any further info please contact me, lets get these sorry b*st*rds back!!
Rene Tapia
Meridian, Idaho

Category:
Financial Services Submitted: 3/29/2007 2:54:19 PM
Modified: 3/29/2007 2:54:00 PM

Capitol Grant Association ripoff This company scams people out of their money Internet *EDitors Suggestions on how to get your money back into your bank account!

Company
Capitol Grant Association
Address:
captiolgrantassociation.com
Internet
U.S.A.
Phone Number:



Capitol Grant Association contacted me by phone. The woman I talked to told me the association worked for the government her name is Marina.

Marina told me I was guranteed to get $5000 to help pay off bills. This was great news because I am a student and every little bit helps. She then mentioned a fee of 299.

To clarify I asked her if she said $2.99, but she informed that it was $299. I told her I didn't have that kind of money. She then told me the money was scheduled to be taken out March 22nd, 2007. However, if I called two business days prior to this the money would not be taken out.

She left me with the impression that they would wait until I got my $5000 to take their fee out. I called March 20, 2007 and no one answered. I waited a bit then called back. Still no answer so I left her a message with my name phone number, and the recording number she gave me. I then called again that day and still no answer.

I called back once agian the day the money was scheduled to be taken from my account. They still did not answer so I left another message with all the information the same as the last begging them not to take the money out.
Well March 28, 2007 $299 was taken out of my account. I have spent all of today March 29, 2007 trying to get my money back. Marina told me that she had answer, but could not tell me until tomorrow morning at 10am.
My rent is due Monday and I don't have it all now. I don't know what to do. If anyone has any information on how to get my money back asap please let me know.


Christina
Oakdale, California
U.S.A.

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Canadian Cross-Border Scams to Americans Submitted: 3/29/2007 10:41:21 AM
Modified: 3/29/2007 10:41:00 AM

Express Financial Group Ripoff I recently received a letter from Express Financial Group notifying me that I won a lottery over seas in Canada Winnipeg Manitoba

Company Express Financial Group
Address: 1240 Dawson Blvd. Suite 400
Winnipeg Manitoba
Canada
Phone Number: 204-887-5537

I received a letter in the mail notifying me that I was a winner in a lottery over seas by Express Financial Group. They sent me a check for $2,996.90 and was told to send $2,835 to cover the international fees and the agent fees. Once this was done, I was to receive a check by UPS in the amount of $114,000 Tuesday, March 22,2007. I sent the money back by western union and it was received because I called and was told that the money was picked up the same day at 3:10p.m. My agents' name was Kathy Douglas. Another name on the paper I received was James Langley. The reference number on the paper is DNT500321Z030. The date on the paper is March 14,2007.

Ronald
Richmond, Virginia
U.S.A.

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Christina, I also heard from the same woman MARINA today, 4/7/07. I had applied for grants online. My husband has MS, we are on a third floor apt., have debts and need to get him into a house...I found it odd she called the eve before easter but she said she had backlogged work....She told me I qualified for this grant, it was free money of $5000 which would be deposited in my bank by the l8th of April. If it was not deposited by then I was to contact her within two days...She told me they would deposit the 5 grand and then take $299.00 for taxes. I was so ecstatic, I couldn't believe I was finally getting help. I was stupid! I gave her the last four numbers of my social security, my bank acct. number, I can't believe I was so insane. I told her I only had a savings acct which was fine by her. She didn't need driver's license' or state ID, she did ask for them, but I didn't have them to give to her and she was talking soooo fast I let it go by...Told me I needed to save all reciepts for bills I had paid, because the government would contact me at tax time NEXT year and want to know what I did with the money. Also told me I could use $350 of it towards my rent AND she was sending papers in the mail for me to sign and send back to her. SURPRISE I also was qualified for a $25,000 to $75,000 FREE grant towards housing, could I find a house to purchase in three months, she asked. I told her I could find one in three weeks....She has so much information on me I'm afraid of identity theft. I told her I did not have much money in the savings acct. and she promised she would not take any out until I called and told her the $5000 was in. I also told her I was changing banks on the l8th of the month and she just said "well you call me and give me that new information in case you haven't received your grant yet, plus we will have that information for your housing money!!!! Also told me to ask her any questions, when she found out I was not insured medically she promised to call me back on Monday the 9th with information on how to get free insurance and free prescriptions or did I ever think of buying prescriptions from Canada? Which I found strange..............She then said she was going to record what she read to me and I was just to answer yes or no to questions. Which I followed but she read so fast you could barely understand what she said. She gave me a number to save on my phone so I could listen to the recording....When I got off the phone I started to get sick, I knew something was wrong. I talked to my bestfriend who knew this was a scam, why didn't they identify the government agency they were working with? Why did they need $299.00 for taxes asap? And other important questions I didn't think to ask, it happened so fast. I actually argued that I had applied for this, how would the person know. What a fool I was. My friend looked it up on this site and sent it to me. I have been throwing up for hours over how stupid I was, I don't have a penny to spare, especially with medical bills......I am outraged, I don't know what to do. Luckily, today is now Sunday, Happy Easter, tomorrow I can call the bank first thing and alert them and change my savings account number......I don't know if there was a way she could have taken the money out before hand. It was CAPITAL GRANTS, the main number for her office was 800-606-0087 which I called and the man sounded like he was reading off a piece of paper, didn't even identify the company.....Her (

Hi all,
I again apologize if I am not posting the right way, I will have to go over everything---I didn't know at first. I wanted to give you all an update. Today is April 9th, Monday......................MARINA actually called me back just now after I left an honest, angry reply on her voicemail....................OKAY, new information----she became quite angry when I told her I had to close out my bank account this morning. She changed the money of $299.00 that was to be taken for taxes to a CHARGE FOR DOING A PROPOSAL FOR THE GRANT..........................................I told her she called me, telling me I had RECEIVED A FREE GRANT OF $5000, and the $299 was to go to taxes.......................................

She started yelling, yelling (I don't think the government agencies are permitted to do that HAH) that I could try and get a lawyer but she had my voice recorded saying I agreed to the grant and knew that the 299.00 was for taxes.....................That I would never get a lawyer to take the case..........................................I interrupted her and asked her WHY would I need a lawyer if they were the real thing? And why did she all of a sudden change from what she had just said, the money was for a Proposal--and now it was for taxes...........She said they would put my name down and I would never qualify for a government grant again!!!!!

She also said she worked for STELLAR SERVICES AND NOT CAPTIOL GRANTS, so I was wrong in saying her name was on the scamfraudalert. She couldn't wait to get off of the phone......................Very angry, very angry.............I have a paper of what she said to me when she first called and she did say CAPITOL GRANTS BUT SHE WORKED FOR STELLAR SERVICES. I find it ironic that she called me immediately back, minutes after I called her voice mail 646-216-8160 (which is weird because it's in the name of Monica Carpel or
Carpal) and informed her I had closed my bank account and I had addresses of where to write for fraudulent grants, which I intend to write to after I post this. If anyone wants the url, you can contact me at dbr3ark@yahoo.com

I actually became afraid for a minute, but I will not let fear from these people dictate me. My bank said this is so common it is sad. They receive so many calls from places like this, other money making schemes. Unfortunately, I had to close my account and now have to change so many things. So much unneccessary work--ALSO, MY BANK SAID, NEVER, EVER GIVE OUT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER FOR ANY REASON. If it was a REAL grant this is not how it would be handled, not over the phone asking for information. SADLY, THE BANKS ARE PERMITTED TO GIVE OUT MONEY TO ANYONE WHO HAS YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER IF THEY HAVE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION ONLY YOU COULD HAVE PROVIDED.-----I've learned a hard lesson, have a lot of work to do because of it. I was lucky though, I was able to stop them in time, because of my friend sending me to this site.......It's a great place, I have been sent so many other fraudulent emails on lotteries, someone asking me to open bank accounts for them etc.................Are they all vultures out there waiting for an honest person who believes in the goodness of mankind, a mark so to speak, so they can prey upon us? Thank you so much for helping me out, I pray you all get help somehow, someway. It's a tough lesson to learn.
Debra Ferrier
dbr3ark@yahoo.com