ALERT! Scam Surreal Buyer Targets Realtors Sellers

As our new landscape of real estate becomes more solidly online, the opportunities for scam artists appear to increase by the minute. This morning I received an email from a buyer who wanted to purchase a $300,000 to $600,000 home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At first glance, it sounded normal until after my lst cup of coffee when I noticed several of these flags - cash, swimming pool, attorney in Canada. Then, I remembered the name from a Trulia inquiry last year. Mr. Horai Noraiki had surfaced again and this time at the end of the Santa Fe Trail landing in my email. A quick Google search of his name in quotation marks revealed his electronic trail of scams and damage. Better to search then be sorry!

He appears to attempt to convince a willing Seller and/or NON-Alert Realtor to accept his cash offer on a property and then terminate with the plan that his substantial insufficient fund deposit check will go undetected until the title or escrow company returns his money. Sadly, it appears he has been successful.

Given our new landscape of real estate online, the last thing any Seller needs is a scam artist posing as a surreal buyer. Kindly pay it forward and alert the Realtors in your company, Board and community including any For Sale By Owners you may know that Mr. Horai Noraiki and his Canadian attorney, Eric Thompson are back online looking to scam anyone in real estate who believes them.