May 2008, I was conacted by a company about helping me get a grant for my small business. National Professional Filings, Inc., promised me a grant so I wouldn't have to close my small business. I was struggling in business, had tried small business loans, etc. Nothing was working out for me. When I got the call about a grant for my business, I was so excited, I was blinded by the promise.
In August 2008 a Mr. William Garrett called me with a great story (I fell for) if I could come up with $2500. I was matched up with a company looking to give away money as a tax right-off, their fiscal year ending in August. So of course he made everything sound so good, talked about his kids, his family, other people he had helped get grants etc. Really made me feel like all this was really possible.
At the end of August 2008 I heard nothing. I called, faxed, emailed everything. I still heard nothing. Sept. 2008 I fianally got ahold of someone on the phone, he forwarded my call to this Mr. Garrett, he then told me I didn't get the grant. He couldn't tell me anything else, when I kept questioning him he hung up on me. WhenI got back through on the phone old Mr. Garrett took the rest of the year off.
I started doing a little more research. When I first signed up with this company they faxed me a list of foundations they worked with. Well I got that list out and started getting phone numbers and address', I wasn't able to get ahold of all of them, but the ones I did contact had never heard of NPFilings, Inc., and none of them gave grants for small business'. They gave to non-profit org. One of the people I talked with told me to contact the FBI. She couldn't believe that NPFilings, Inc., had used their name.
I did contact the Nevada Consumer Affairs Division, I took several months but they sent all my info back with a letter they didn't find anything. The NPFilings, Inc. did not call or respond to their letters. So Consumer Affairs told me they couldn't find any deceptive trade practices. I couldn't understand why.
I have tried some of the foundations again and they are still not working with anyone from NPFilings, Inc., and still do not grant money to small business, only non profit.
Anyone out their looking for a grant, and you get a call and they promise you they can get that grant for you, Please look into it really thorough. I did but still got taken. I checked the Secretary of State in Nevada, Business License in Nevada, I thought I checked it all out. Not until they got my money that I was able to check the foundations.
I am still considering the FBI. It is just so frustrating to think they are still taking innocent peoples money and getting away with it. I was also told that since I done a wire transfer of the money that might help me, but I don't know who to contact to do that.