Complaint Review: American Advantage Benefits

A person called my home while I was out. My roommate, believing it was someone contacting me about graduate school, gave her my cell phone so I could be contacted at work. I answered the phone and it was a woman on the other end telling me that I'd just received a grant for 12,000. As I applied for National Science Foundation money, I assumed this was it. I became very excited and subsequently was not suspicious enough. She told me that she would send me a check for $500. In exchange, she needed my checking information so that once the check was cashed she could deduct a processing fee of $49.95.

She said that I would also receive some Medical benefits. There were also some suggestions that I would receive free long distance calling for ten days.

After I hung up I became suspicious. I found it odd that she did not specifically mention the NSF, and also that her english was so poor and they recorded everything I said. I searched for the business by address and found a report filed at ripoffreport.com for a very similar story.

I immediately called my bank and explained what happened. I went into my nearest branch and closed my checking account 2.5 hours after I had been initially called. They were very kind and understanding, but not everyone is so lucky to have been warned. I felt completely stupid to fall for the scam and I want this business to be shut down!

Marisa
Palo Alto, California
U.S.A.