Same scam for me, said unknown on cell phone, then said to call back at this number, $290 for $7,290 swap.  when asked straight up if it was scam they claimed it was not.  when asked repeatedly if they were affiliated with the us govt they claimed they were, even after being asked why the US Govt was going through the moneygram store... just a blatant scam, how are they not in jail?

Just got the same call but did not call them back went on lone and saw these posting next call was to my local police department

same thing happened to me but luckily i now put an alert system on my just incase they take. whatever you do don't give out your account #!!!!!!

They just called me this is crazy how they trying to full everyone

I got the same call, IT IS A SCAM!!! AND IT IS OUR DUTY AS CITIZENS TO STAND UP AGAINST THEM BY REPORTING THEM TO FIRST THE FBI, THEN TO FTC (FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, FBI CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH NUMBER), THEN REPORT TO YOUR STATE ATTORNEY (FTC CAN PROVIDE THAT NUMBER). IF YOU GET A CALL FROM WHO YOU SUSPECT TO BE A SCAMMER, DO NOT GIVE ANY OF YOUR INFO, BUT DO PLAY ALONG AND GATHER WHATEVER INFO YOU CAN GET TO PROVIDE TO THE OFFICIALS. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THESE GUYS TO STOP IS TO STAND UP AS A WHOLE AND REPORT ALL SCAM CALLS TO THE RIGHT AUTHORITIES. NUMBERS THAT CALLED ME ARE (222) 222-2245 AND (661) 748-0240 AND THE NUMBER THAT THEY WANTED ME TO CALL IS (253)205-8311.

and the calls continue, totally agree, if it sounds too good to be true..it is! I listened to this man and wondered how in the world this would be close to real, I asked him, he could not answer me, I asked where he was calling from, he said from the US Government..whatever. I asked him where this number that I was suppose to call was at, he said Washington DC!!
so not a number anyone wants to call, really they just call and give you money! Right!!! if it were that good, I would have just got a check in the mail!!! LOL

this guys call and told me the same thing,  but i caught them.....i new it was a scam

I got a call from this number, and the person has a funny accent, not American. he told me to call this number because the Government has selected me to receive a grant of seven thousand dollars.

This number called saying they were fedral and called a number they gave it was same person. And now i get a call fron 1002 &002

I received a call from someone with the thick Indian accent telling me my approval number for my government grant, that was only good for today, for the  amount of $7000. I told him I had not applied for a grant and I wanted to talk to his supervisor. At which time he told me he was the supervisor. This number was on my missed calls list four other times today, that's why I decided to take the call, it seemed urgent. He told me 1700 people from my demographic area had been chosen to receive this grant to pay their bills and file their taxes on time. I'm really pissed because my 19 year old son called me to see if I could let him receive the same amount of money into my bank account for his friend, for a grant, and it had to be done today. I think it's a very evil plot to steal from those who are already vulnerable. I myself am unemployed waiting for a pending issue to be resolved with my unemployment and have been online desperate to figure out how I'm going to make it. I'm guessing that's how they got my full name, address, and cell number. The guy told me his name was Peter Watson, Laugh out loud! I really hope someone does something about these people preying on innocent victims this way. Please send them back to their own country. I thought I lived in America. What's up? All the the spyware going on with the government and these people are terrorists. Their methods are just milder than some others. Hello Big Brother!? Where are you now? A little help please?? Do SOMETHING. This is ridiculous.

I,m so glady to do search on this gov. Grant dept. To check it out cause I did receive fedral aid. For sandy ,  but saying that I thought for a min it could be true, but now I know it,s not. Looking it up now and reading. These notes of the scrans,, the person names was patrick and he told me to go to west union also ,, I told him why should I paid a fee when the gov could take it out of the 7,000.00 dollars. So I told him. I,ll give him a call back tomorrow ,, he said okay and dnt give nobody my code number which is de5732 that,s the code and he said my grant will be. No good if I do ,,, wow. Omg , smh ,, thank you god ,

I received a phone call from an Indian accented male saying that I have been selected to receive a government issued grant for $7000. To make sure I spend the money wisely and not gamble it or else I would not receive this grant ever again. All I needed to do was go to Walmart and buy a money pak card and put $290 on it and send them the confirmation and I would receive my $7000. Fortunately, my husband has friends in the Secret Service and I told him that I would contact them and have them research this and if they were legit then I would send the $290. Needless to say he didn't have much to say after that.

Someone just called me with this offer and I didn't buy it for  a minute. I'm glad that this post was here to confirm my suspicions. I go by the old saying,   if it is sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Thank you all for posting your experiences.

Laura

I also just received a call and I am so glad I looked up this number because they were trying to get me to and I am upset that they have my name and address so so somebody please contact the government officials to have these people arrested.thank you guys for all this help you just stop me from being a nut. thinking I was going to get something for nothing.

Right away Robert Johnson'  who is claiming to be a russian with a some sort if middle eastern accent like maybe from  somewhere from part of africa, holding office in 200 Independence Avenue, Washington DC 20201, telling me  out o f two hundred persons I was selected to get  7000 d ollar grant for any usage  I  egt it  without  repay. That I should confirm the 'aproved grant' by calling  253-205-8311, for accep. tance of the grant.
(This out fit has my name,  b/day, SS#, h/phone# address  This is  NOT too Good, or safe)

SCAM, SCAM, SCAM, SCAM... You never have to pay money to receive a government grant. They tried telling me I needed to send them $290 for a security deposit. I asked how is that for my "security"? Then he went on a rant that I couldn't understand because his accent. Then the guy got upset when I told him through money gram, the limit for individual transfers is $899.99, Wester Union is a little higher, but for an individual transfer it's no where near $7,000. He came up with another rant and started raising his voice. I waited for him to finnish, and then read him some reviews that this number has on this site and a few others and got pissed off. Then I just told him I wasn't interested and to erase my information because this is clearly a scam and hung up.  

There is a SCAMMER alert. Someone called my boyfriend from a 253-205-8311 number, they are claiming to offer some sort of grant that the federal government is issuing out for $7000.00. The guy had a middle eastern accent. Here is the catch, You have to SEND them 290.00 by way of Western Union. You will get your 290.00 back once you SEND them the money, $7290.00 will be sent back within a few minutes after you send the 290.00. They knew his DOB, address, and SSN. After I told the guy that this a scam, he wanted me to deposit the money on a money scratch card. This appalled me...I am in New Orleans... Thanks to you guys for this blog we caught it and now I want to share my story with you all. Good luck!

they just called me too

I got a call from some number and asked to contact finnace department. I just checked this blog. Thanks for information. Thats surely a fraud

These guys are about dum try and pull some stupied scam like this why isint the goverment stoping this im come on really

they have been calling ,me for a week now with different numbers. So today i decided to entertain them and listen. They told me the same story. I just received a phone call from 222-222-2245. They knew my name, address and birthday. They said they was from the US Grant department and I have been selected because I pay my taxes and bills on time. They said I would receive 7,000 that I would not have to pay back but I would have to make a safety deposit of 290 at a western union to get the money and it would be refunded back to me to make the total 7,290. If I didn't know any better I would believe this s***. I don't like the fact that they know my name, address and birthday... I think the government should get involved in this because they are impersonating government officials...  

I got the call too. Got suspicious when they asked for money.
Thanks to everyone who posted. now I KNOW it is a scam. Sorry for all of you who didn' t make the catch. The call came out of Auburn, Washington for any
one who may wish to pursue it.

I went online to and looked at some grants so believed the whole thing,sent the money and got ripped off we need to come together and get this guy...

He call and gave me that exact  statement about the federal government  grants. I sented the money and now he's trying to get me to send him $750.00.But I can't figure out how he knew I had went online to see about a grant. I told him I'm calling the police and news problems solver channel's.4 He said he didn't care who I told.

Your money's gone.  Did you apply to the government for a grant?  Your first clue is when someone calls you and says you were selected to receive a grant and you never applied.  Secondly, you never have to pay money to receive a grant.  If you're asked to pay money to get money, it's a scam.  

Sorry you're in this situation.  You'll have to consider it an expensive lesson leaned.  You can report the scumbags to the FTC, FBI, and your state's Attorney General, however, there's not really anything they can do to help.

I just received a phone call from 222-222-2245. They knew my name, address and birthday. They said they was from the US Grant department and I have been selected because I pay my taxes and bills on time. They said I would receive 7,000 that I would not have to pay back but I would have to make a safety deposit of 290 at a western union to get the money and it would be refunded back to me to make the total 7,290. If I didn't know any better I would believe this s***. I don't like the fact that they know my name, address and birthday... I think the government should get involved in this because they are impersonating government officials...

To report the fraud, go here:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/general-support/grant-fraud.html
Their number is listed , along with an email address, at the top of the page.
Also here:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0113-government-grant-scams

Please do file reports with the FBI, your state attorney general and Department Of Justice,FTC & FCC..

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
http://www.fbi.gov/
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Its illegal to ask for money up front period!
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0078-advance-fee-loans
http://www.fraud.org/scams/direct-marketing/advance-fee-loans
Payday loans
http://www.paydayloaninfo.org/state-information

they took my money I believed they was giving me a federal student grant that I don't have to pay back now they wont answer my calls after they took my money what can I do the number is 2532058311 names are Patrick and Guy

hello I made a huge mistake and sent them 290 dollars now they wont give me my money back what should I do or what can I do I need help

East Indian accent man called several times from 222 222-2245 claiming to represent the Departmen of  US Government grants offering 7,000 by western union by paying a 290 deposit that would be returned. An easy 290 for this scammer that is located in WA and should be in jail for fraud. His number is 253 205-8311. A reminder that if it appears unreal, it is. Be careful.