Follow-on:

The phone number provided is the number of a legitimate business in the Sacramento, CA area and was likely given as part of the deception.  It is not likely that the call came from the legitimate business.

Received a call this afternoon from a woman with a heavy Philipino accent.  Identified herself as Sandra from the State of California Business Development Office.  She wanted to know if we were still planning to move.  I asked her to repeat her name, the name of her company - which she did.  I then asked for her phone number which she identified as 916-448-1980.  I told her I'd have someone call her back.  I did not verify any information.

I did take the time to look up this agency online.  The State of California Business Development Department is a legitimate agency of the Governor's Office of Economic Development.  I also sent an email to this agency letting them know about the call.  I have already received a response back from the agency.  The did not make the call.  They indicated that the have a growing list of complaints from people who've received these calls from Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Florida.  They believe they are being used to target businesses to get them to move out of state.

Fraud business calling from 882-014-0325 posing as "California State Business Development Office" - when pressed on who they are she hangs up. SCAM! How do we report these guys to the authorities?

They keep calling us, I am not impressed that they try to pass themselves off as part of a government office.  It is none of their business if we are moving, or how many employees.
I asked for their website while I had her on the phone.  When she could not provide one that I could find she hung up.  

Sometimes I get two calls a day from the California Business Development Office.  Lots of boiler room background noise.  They ask for the President of our company (by name) and say he's expecting his call. They get me, his assistant, of course.  They start asking questions about when are we moving, how many employees, etc.  Last time, I told her we were "moving to the moon."  Without missing a beat, she asked "And when do you plan to move to the moon?"  I said as soon as there was a rocket ship available.  It didn't phase her.  I've tried to get a phone number, but they always give some random 800 number that either doesn't connect or goes to a legitimate company.  My question is, what are they getting from all these calls.  They already have our company phone number and we're easy to find.  What's the point of harassing businesses in, what appears to be, every state in the country?

I received a call from Gail of the Ontario Business Office asking if we were still planning on moving or if we have already moved to a new office.  She had a heavy accent although I don't know from where.  If I had to guess I'd say indian.  I said that I didn't know what she was talking about and asked where she would be getting such information.  She hung up on me.  I don't have caller ID and so I am not able to verify the number.

Recieved THREE calls in the last two days. When I tell them it's third time they're calling, they just hang up. Irritating.

I receive calls from these people at least 2x per week. They claim to be from the Ontario Business Development Office. They ask if we are still at our old office address (they already have that info) and then if we are planning to move. When questioned they hang up. I've asked to speak to a supervisor and they hang up too. I had one guy say they were part I the BBB so when I presse him that if that were so, I'd be able to call them back, but he refused and then hung up. They are an annoying waste if time!

They use different numbers. Today it was 1-888-710-2013. Guess I should be thankful they don't call the fax number and waste my paper!

I just received a call today from a gal saying she is with the California Business Development Office. She wanted to know my address. There was a lot of background noise as well. It seemed like an odd call, and the call came from 889-777-1117. I tried calling the number back and it wouldn't work.

Got a call from a woman identifying herself as being from the "Ontario Business Development Office". Indian accent and loud conversation noises in the background. Started asking about the number of employees in the company. She tried to confirm if certain names of people were still in the company who never had been. She hung up after I asked to be put on their do not call list.

They just called me.  I think they were trying to solicit information about my business that has a listing on Google.  I asked them to never call me again and take me off their list.

Have received numerous calls (one or two month), "have you found new accomodations" - when you asks questions, there is a relay time response. They identify themselves as "Ontario Business Development Office - 800-974-8493.  When we contacted the Ontario Gov't they have said their have been numerous calls and concerns express.  We were told not to give details

889-777-0925

Claims to be from the "California Business Development Office."

The State of California has no office with this name.  But, the term is generic and California State results will display on a search of the term.

I got to this site by googling "Calfornia Business Development Office."  This is where the caller said he was calling from.  He had a filipino accent and there was background sound like a call center.

He said, "I'm calling to see how your move is going.  Have you found a new office?"  

He attempted to avoid my question of what the "California Business Development Office."  He attempted to present himself as someone from California State government.  When pressed on this, he gave up and ended the call.

I believe the call came from 889-777-0925, a logged incoming call number, which gives a disconnected message when called.

Same scenario except State of Arizona Business development.  889-777-0925 on caller ID, two such calls today.  Have had at least 10 such calls the past year, all "fishy".  Have asked to be removed from solicitation list.  I presume they want company/personal information of some sort.

they also call from blocked numbers (just says long distance on the ID), saying they are Ontario Business Development Office.  They always ask the same question:  "has your business moved to the new location yet"

Same scenario.State of California Business Development. Phone number 889-777-0925. Has been going on for over a year. No matter what tactic I take I cannot get any information out of these people, nor will they take me off their calling list. It is ridiculous that there is nothing we can do to stop this harassment and possible subterfuge. If anyone figures out who they are or how they have reported/stopped the calls please let it be known.

I just got a call from 1-800-254-8888 by a person with a Filippino accent claiming they were from the Ontario Business Development Office.  They asked if I was at a certain address which actually was our former address since we moved last year, so I said NO.  They asked if I would be moving.  I said, why would we, if we just moved?  Then they hung up.

I thought it was strange that a government agency's # would not show up as Government of Ontario on my call display.  I quickly called the 1-800 # but it was a dead line (or it couldn't connect).

So I googled Ontario Business Development Office and saw this site.

They have been calling for the past year. But, this time they blocked the call. After calling back 11 times from the Province of Ontario Business Development Office she told me I was terminated. Pardon? 'YOU ARE FIRED. And UNEDUCATED' she says to me. Haha i guess she (Claimed her name was Mike) did not like being told what she was doing was a scam.

I really want to mess with these people. I have been getting calls from them weekly for the past year!
I usually lead them around and laugh at them until they hang up once I ask for proof.

" Just a few questions ma'am there is no worry" sketchy.

LOL! The scammer got mad that you didn't play into her game. She was probably new at it -- getting scammed herself after pouring money into it LOL ....

Sounding like a broken record, but yes, this just happened to me just before noon today, at my downtown Toronto office ... "Blake Henderson, the Ontario Business Development Office, do you have plans to move this year or next, blah blah blah" ...

I told him the person to speak with wasn't available and could I have his information. He hung up the first time, called back, and tried to query me again. The number that showed up on the call display was 999-222-8808, but the number "Blake" left me to call back was 416-368-8499. Surprise, surprise -- no service at that number ...

I'm just very curious to know, what is the scam? How are they deriving money or useful info from this? Jennie (above) noted that if you give the info, you can expect to find charges on your phone bill. I suppose they would keep asking you questions until they get the full address, the key decision maker's name and other info so they can fraudulently create a billable account. Fortunately, I didn't past answering the phone and asking for their contact info!

I just got the same call at my business. A women named Elaine (with a strong middle eastern accent) explaining she was with The State of California Business Development Office and understands we are moving our business. I said "no and we aren't interested" and hung up. I received a call right back and decided not to answer. She then called back again just after and again one more time. I answered this time because i though this was over the top. She right away asked "why did you hang up on me?" I stated "I told you wasn't interested, I said I had to go and I can't hear you very well" she said, "yes you can hear me." Surprised with her attitude I said "Excuse me?" She said "You can hear me and you are a lier." I laughed and said "hello, is this a prank call?" She explained who she was one more time and told me "go to hell" before hanging up on me. I can't believe this conversation actually happened.

We've been getting the same calls to our office in Toronto, sometimes 4-5 calls a week. This has been going on for months. Same pattern of hanging up as soon as we start asking questions.

Same thing. We are in San Diego. We have been getting calls for a year now asking about our move (we're not moving). East Indain accent with boiler-room noise & voices in the background. Caller said she was from "The State of California Business Development Office." No such thing, as far as I know.  I asked her if that was a "real" government agency, and she just stated the name again.

Same spiel, but this one today called me and claimed to be with the "State of California Business Development Office." I said "you are with the government?" Answer was yes. What city? Answer was "Orange". May I have your office telephone number? Hung up.

Just got a call from them.  Claimed calling from State of Maryland. Maryland area code is 301.  I asked where in MD are you and caller hung up.

I just had a call from this phone number (10 minutes ago)
He was polite and claimed to be from "Business Development Office", He mentioned some address and asked if that is my business address. Well, I told him to call back in 10 minutes. Here I am after typin his 210 phone number.

WHO are these people and why no one can do something if they are not who they claim they are.

Just got a call from a woman (gave her first name, but can't remember it) claiming to be with the "Ontario Business Development Office" and calling from a 210 number, but not sure that it was 249-8808.  Seemed polite enough and went into virtually the same spiel as described by other posts here:  heard that we were moving, etc.  Seemed odd to me.  Beware, is my only conclusion.  Found this website by Googling "Ontario Business Development Office" and am passing on my experience and caution to others.

I received a call from 800-247-4047 from a woman named Anne with a very strong Indian accent. I asked her to repeat where she was calling from and she said The State of California Business Development Office and she asked to verify my business address. I informed her that I do not verify any information over the phone and asked for her employee ID number. She said she was in a confidential department, yeah right! So I told her I would be contacting the state to find out if this "department" really existed and if not I would report her to the authorities. She hung up on me. I have had very stupid employees in the past who verify our address then you get charges anywhere from $9.99 to $49.99 on your phone bill every month and they just hope that your business is so big you won't notice, which we didn't until the economy turned around and we had to cut costs. Once they get you to verify your address they record you and say that is their authorization. The phone company will stop charging you but they will not refund the money. You have to jump through hoops to get it done too. The authorities don't do anything about it either. Be careful.