Steeleville woman target of possible phone scam
<span>A Steeleville woman has said she recently was the target of a possible phone scam centered around a government grant.</span>
<span>The woman, who asked not to be identified, reported she had received a phone call on Friday from someone claiming to be from the Human Service Office.</span>
<span>She was told she had won a grant for $7,000 after her name was randomly drawn along with 17,000 other names.</span>
<span>The woman said she was told people who are single parents, handicapped, disabled, had not filed for bankruptcy or had criminal charges filed against them in the last six months were eligible.</span>
<span>The woman said she had received that call from a number listed as 202-558-4766 and was told a "money gram" would be sent from either the Washington, D.C. or New York offices.</span>
<span>She was given a confirmation number and told to call 202-697-9964 and ask for "Sam Adams."</span>
<span>"She did ask me to verify my zip code and my age," the woman said. "That's all she asked me to verify."</span>
<span>The woman said she called the 202-697-9964 number and was told to go to a Walmart or Dollar General store and send a $160 money gram that would go to the Federal Reserve Bank in Washington, D.C.</span>
<span>"He said he would stay on the line through the whole transaction," the woman said. "After that, they would send me the $7,000, plus the $160."</span>
<span>The Herald Tribune called the 9964 number and a man who answered identified the location as the "Human Service Office."</span>
<span>After some preliminary questions, The Herald Tribune was told "the office is very busy now" and was promptly disconnected.</span>
<span>"The first lady said I needed to call the number back and in the next 30 to 35 minutes or they would call someone else," the woman said.</span>
<span>The woman said she has contacted the Randolph County Sheriff's Office and Steeleville Police Department in regard to the situation.</span>
<span>"We encourage people to report phone calls like that, even if they're not a victim," said Randolph County Sheriff Shannon Wolff. "That way we can put out a warning to everyone."</span>