this number called me 8 times in a row! stop!!

They called and charged me 2.97 fo access to website grantclubgold.com. I am still waiting for my username and password. I am afraid because I (against my good judgement) gave them my credit card number. I can't afford to be robbed. I can't afford the 2.97 really but I wanted to apply for the federal grant money so badly. they called from 201-221-3818.

http://www.fbi.gov/news/podcasts/inside/tdos- ... of-service/view

Go to this FBI website to hear their podcast explaining the TDoS scam we are all victims of.

http://www.fbi.gov/news/podcasts/inside/tdos- ... of-service/view

go to the above FBI website to hear the podcast explaining this TDoS Scam we are all victims of.

Go read the FBI website for the definition of the TDoS scam-  Telecommunication denial of service.  By the time you start to get the calls, they already have your info.  They call you all day to keep you from being able to get a call from ypour bank that suspicious activity is happening in your account(s) by these thieves.  The company is Grant Club Gold in Hackensack NJ.  Do not answer any call from NJ ypou do notknow.  If they call you, report them to the FBI.

THESE  PEOPLE, GRANT CLUB GOLD HAVE A NEW PHONE NUMBER...609-853-0225!!!!!  This is called a TDoS by the FBI.  Newark, NJ has issued warning regarding this co. and others like it.  Do not answer this phone number or any unknown NJ phone numbers.

I started getting calls from this number starting early this week I believe. I never answered, but they called me from early morning every five minutes through out the rest of the day. Never answered until I got a voice msg. When I heard it, there was nothing but static in the background and I could barely hear anything the person said. Than I got my sister to answer it for me and she said no one ever answered her back and just hung up on her. Ever since, I answer to curse at them, and every time I try to call them back, no one ever picks up. Very annoying, and unwanted!

these calls are very annoying, and at the least harrassing to the people whom they continue to keep calling and hanging up.'''

EVERYONE has to be proactive if you want these people to stop calling from 201-282-6559, 201-331-7071, 201-399-3367.  In September it was Called GRANT CLUB GOLD IN HACKENSACK, NY 1-866-716-2354.  WWW.GRANTCLUBGOLD.COM. They may have changed their name by now. They use the illegal practice of ROBOCALLING their victims.  All they want is your bank info so they can rob you.  DO NOT ANSWER ANY CALLS YOU DO NOT KNOW FROM NJ (AREA CODE 201), You all need to turn in the nos. that call you to your Attorney General, NJ Attorney General, the FTC, The National Registry of the Do Not Call List, ther Better Business Bureaus, etc. Good luck

phone has rung 8 times this am, when answered, there is a pause, click and dialtone.  very annoying

they called an got $2.00 off my debt call and when I call and tried to log in my web account they told me after a long period of wait time that there was no agent available to answer my call and someone hung up the phone.

same thing here / they keep calling me / no one there / called back and you can't speak to any one / put my number on the do not call list , but they keep calling / I'm on the do not call list !  / I'm filing a complaint with the gov .......

I get calls ALL DAY LONG from these people.  Whether I answer or don't answer, no one responds.  They just disconnect without ever talking.

forgot to mention.  Everyone should also complain on the attorney general's website of New Jersey and also of the state you live in.  This all may take an hour or so but to get rid of parasites like this co., it is time well spent.

Use your caller id and do not answer. They call from various phone numbers in the 201 area code.   They are illegally selling government grants.  Turn them into the FTC, BBB in New Jersey, and if you are on the Do Not Call Registry report them there.  Make sure you report all the phone numbers they have called you from if you can.  Lastly go to the www.ripoffreport.com and put in your report.  The company is "Grants Club Gold" from Hackensack, NJ 0760  Phone is 866-716-2354. .If you have had money stolen rip off reports can help you get your money back at their site rip off reports revenge linked to their main site.

Keeps calling every 5 minutes running up my minutes on my cell phone and home phone.  When I answer right away they hang up...When they leave a message it is about signing up for diabetic suplies..no one in my house if diabetic...very harassing...

Government Grant Scams
Although government grant scams have been around almost as long as the government itself, the majority of the sites being advertised today didn't exist before the November 2008 election.

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.

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.

In one e-book, The Truth Behind Government Grants Exposed, the author (whoever he or it might be) admits that grants are not easy to get. The e-book goes so far as to say, "Now, I know what you must be thinking, but don't be discouraged because understanding that you do not qualify for the majority of Federal and Private Grants is the first step to actually getting a grant."

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/03/grant_scam_ads.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/scam_alerts/grant.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/03/ftc_stimulus_scam.html

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WEBSITE      
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt134.shtm

?Free Government Grants?: Don?t Take Them For Grant-ed
?Because you pay your income taxes on time, you have been awarded a free $12,500 government grant! To get your grant, simply give us your checking account information, and we will direct-deposit the grant into your bank account!?
Sometimes, it?s an ad that claims you will qualify to receive a ?free grant? to pay for education costs, home repairs, home business expenses, or unpaid bills. Other times, it?s a phone call supposedly from a ?government? agency or some other organization with an official sounding name. In either case, the claim is the same: your application for a grant is guaranteed to be accepted, and you?ll never have to pay the money back.
But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation?s consumer protection agency, says that ?money for nothing? grant offers usually are scams, whether you see them in your local paper or a national magazine, or hear about them on the phone.
Some scam artists advertise ?free grants? in the classifieds, inviting readers to call a toll-free number for more information. Others are more bold: they call you out of the blue. They lie about where they?re calling from, or they claim legitimacy using an official-sounding name like the ?Federal Grants Administration.? They may ask you some basic questions to determine if you ?qualify? to receive a grant. FTC attorneys say calls and come-ons for free money invariably are rip offs.
Grant scammers generally follow a script: they congratulate you on your eligibility, then ask for your checking account information so they can ?deposit your grant directly into your account,? or cover a one-time ?processing fee.? The caller may even reassure you that you can get a refund if you?re not satisfied. In fact, you?ll never see the grant they promise; they will disappear with your money.
The FTC says following a few basic rules can keep consumers from losing money to these ?government grant? scams:
    Don?t give out your bank account information to anyone you don?t know. Scammers pressure people to divulge their bank account information so that they can steal the money in the account. Always keep your bank account information confidential. Don?t share it unless you are familiar with the company and know why the information is necessary.
    Don?t pay any money for a ?free? government grant. If you have to pay money to claim a ?free? government grant, it isn?t really free. A real government agency won?t ask you to pay a processing fee for a grant that you have already been awarded ? or to pay for a list of grant-making institutions. The names of agencies and foundations that award grants are available for free at any public library or on the Internet. The only official access point for all federal grant-making agencies is www.grants.gov.
    Look-alikes aren?t the real thing. Just because the caller says he?s from the ?Federal Grants Administration? doesn?t mean that he is. There is no such government agency. Take a moment to check the blue pages in your telephone directory to bear out your hunch ? or not.
    Phone numbers can deceive. Some con artists use Internet technology to disguise their area code in caller ID systems. Although it may look like they?re calling from Washington, DC, they could be calling from anywhere in the world.
    Take control of the calls you receive. If you want to reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive, place your telephone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. To register online, visit www.donotcall.gov. To register by phone, call 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236) from the phone number you wish to register.
    File a complaint with the FTC. If you think you may have been a victim of a government grant scam, file a complaint with the FTC online at www.ftc.gov, or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
September 2006


Feds: Scammers Falsely "Guaranteed" Government Grants
Court halts operators' deceptive pitches for grant writing book and services


By James Limbach
ConsumerAffairs.com
July 24, 2009

A federal judge has stopped an operation from falsely claiming that it could help consumers secure a "$25,000 Grant" -- guaranteed -- from the U.S. government.
The case is part of a Federal Trade Commission crackdown on scammers trying to capitalize on the economic downturn by targeting people facing financial hardship.
In the complaint the FTC, jointly with the attorneys general of Kansas, Minnesota, and North Carolina, charged that Grant Writers Institute, LLC and its related entities (together, GWI) falsely told consumers that they were eligible for grants as part of the recently announced economic stimulus package .
According to the complaint, the false and deceptive claims by GWI violate federal law, state consumer protection laws, and the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule. The complaint seeks a court order permanently stopping the defendants' illegal conduct and forcing them to return money to consumers injured by the scheme.
"Stamping out grant fraud and other types of schemes that take advantage of consumers in dire financial shape continues to be one of the Federal Trade Commission's highest priorities," said David Vladeck, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. "There is no such thing as a guaranteed grant. But to consumers in financial trouble, the chance for extra income -- guaranteed or otherwise -- can unfortunately be a huge draw."
The FTC says since at least 2007, GWI has mass mailed postcards to consumers across the country falsely claiming that the consumers "are Guaranteed a $25,000 Grant from the U.S. Government." Consumers who call the number are pitched a $59 book titled "Professional Grant Writer 'The Definitive Guide to Grant Writing Success.'"
The company's telemarketers falsely claim that the book will explain how to get government grants  -- including the "guaranteed" $25,000 grant. GWI and its North Carolina-based telemarketers, also named as defendants in the complaint, then call consumers who have bought the book, trying to get them to pay hundreds of dollars or more for grant research, writing, or coaching services, falsely claiming a 70 percent success rate in securing grant funding.
In reality, few, if any consumers ever receive any grant money.
The Commission contends that in addition to falsely claiming consumers were "guaranteed" to receive grants, GWI used the current government stimulus package to make its pitch. For example, when consumers called the number on the mass-mailed postcard, they heard a recording that said, "If you've been reading the papers you know that recently our government released $700 billion into the private sector. What you probably don't know is that there is another $300 billion that must be given away this year to people just like you."
The recording continues, "And if you're one of the lucky few who knows how to find and apply for these grants, you will receive a check for $25,000 or more, and we guarantee it . . . If you don't get a check for $25,000 or more, you pay nothing."
The following were named as defendants:
? Affiliate Strategies, Inc.;
? Landmark Publishing Group, LLC (d/b/a G.F. Institute and Grant Funding Institute);
? Grant Writers Institute, LLC;
? Answer Customers, LLC;
? Apex Holdings International, LLC;
? Brett Blackman, individually and as an officer, manager, and/or member of Affiliate Strategies, Inc., Landmark Publishing Group, LLC, Grant Writers Institute, LLC, Answer Customers, LLC, and Apex Holdings International, LLC;
? Jordan Sevy, individually and as a manager of Landmark Publishing Group, LLC;
? James Rulison, individually and as president of Answer Customers, LLC, all located in Kansas.
The complaint also names the following North Carolina entities as defendants:
? Real Estate Buyers Financial Network LLC (d/b/a Grant Writers Research Network);
? Martin Nossov, individually and as a manager and member of Real Estate Buyers Financial Network LLC; and
? Alicia Nossov, individually and as a manager and member of Real Estate Buyers Financial Network LLC.



Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/07 ... l#ixzz0NENGCoRV


    Government Grant Scam Hits Ohio
Tried and true scheme is making the rounds again



    By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.Com
July 26, 2010

The "government grant scam" is one of the oldest tricks in the
schemer's book. But that doesn't mean it isn't still very effective.
The scam, in which victims are promised "free" money from the government, has shown up recently in Ohio.
"Since early June, my office has received more than a dozen reports of Ohioans who were targeted by scammers posing as grant officers," Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray said. "Many of the calls appear to originate in the 202 area code. This creates an illusion of legitimacy because 202 is a Washington D.C. area code."
The reported scams are reaching consumers through phone calls, e-mails and letters sent through the U.S. Postal Service. All use the term "grant" and most require the recipient to pay a percentage upfront before acquiring the "free" money.
"Scammers are targeting Ohioans who are in a weakened position. It's an approach that preys upon the desperation and hope of struggling individuals, and it is reprehensible," Cordray said.

Cordray offers the following tips to avoid the "grant" scams:
? Be wary of mailings that appear to be from federal, state or other governmental agencies. Don't assume that a letter or postcard is actually from the government just because it uses words such as "federal," "stimulus package" or "grant." Even if the sender's name sounds official or legitimate, the originator might be phony.
? To determine if a letter, e-mail message or service is really from the government, contact the government agency in question from a number you know to be correct. For example, log onto the agency's actual Web site, such as www.irs.gov, and use a phone number or e-mail address suggested on the site.
? NEVER send money to a stranger through a wire transfer service. Don't trust requests for advance fees or upfront payment.
Because of the recent bank bailout activity by the Federal Reserve, many scammers claim that new laws also provide little-publicized funds for individuals. No such laws exist.
Some scam ads feature a picture of President Obama, or say that Obama is providing federal money to individuals for certain uses. That's not true. Much paperwork is required to receive any government grant.

I received a call from these creeps today but thanks to caller id I did not pick up the phone.  I also received 6 calls from 201-282-6559 on Saturday.  Same gross bunch of spammers...trying to spam consumers with gov't grants...I read that the co. is called Grant Club Gold.  DO NOT SPEAK TO THEM!!!   They are located in Bergen county, NJ.  The 399 # is on the Xo telecommunications network and it is a landline.  The 282 # may be Sprint and a landline.  Avoid these thieves by not answering your phone.  If you answer a call from them, they will call you all day long everyday and you will probably be forced to change your number.  Just warning everyone out there.