A Bladen County woman alerted authorities last week after she was contacted by a possible telephone scam artist.

Angela Davis said she received a telephone call from a woman last week who claimed to represent a government grant program.

"Based on my credit," Davis said, "the caller said I was eligible for a $5,000 grant from the U.S. Government."

To receive the grant, Davis said, the caller asked for her Social Security Number and bank account number.

Davis became suspicious when the caller refused to supply her with a number Davis could call to confirm the good news.

"Her excuses didn't add up," Davis said. "She said she had to have my information, then she could provide me with a PIN number and a callback."

Davis said she contacted the state Better Business Bureau, but was told since the caller did not give the name of the group or organization she was working for, they could do nothing.

"They did tell me it was undoubtedly a scam," Davis said. She contacted the sheriff's department Friday afternoon.

Davis said she was worried a trusting person might be taken advantage of, since the caller sounded very convincing.

"I'd hate to think of some older person getting caught up in this," she said. "A lot of people are very trusting. I had to tell somebody-I'd be upset if my grandma or somebody was taken advantage of this way."

The caller identified herself as being part of a U.S. Government grant program. No such positive credit grant program exists, according to a federal government grant website.

The Bladen County Sheriff's Department is investigating. Officials asked that anyone receiving a similar call get what information they can about the caller, and contact law enforcement immediately. Never give any personal banking information out over the telephone.

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