What can you do to avoid SCAMMERS !

As Real Estate Agents we tend to expose our information to everyone - the technology allows us to reach the world - unfortunately BAD GUYS are more creative than ever., they use all kinds of technique.

They usually plays on the emotion (we should know this right ). They use the numbers game, they prospect to millions of people around the world mostly to the friendly USA and they always use technology to their advantage. (sounds like a Real Estate Agent ?) I think they attended one of those selling/marketing seminars.

Recently in Houston there were Tenants who were conned by scammers into leasing a property way below the market rate, and presumed that the person they are talking to is the home owner, after 2 weeks and payments made in cash, the Realtor shows up in their door surprised to see them… for a similar incident (CLICK HERE for the news Video)

I got calls all the time from UK, Canada asking me for investment properties, and presumably they are buying in cash., if ever you have this kind of calls simply do the right thing… you really can’t distinguish the GOOD and BAD prospect based on conversation alone.

In our office few years back - we were approach by a couple pretending to be investors and would be buying several properties for their relatives moving in to Houston, presumable they would receive money from the government and would be releasing soon..a new agent jump into this opportunity and happily told me about them, (after showing 10 houses) and all I ask is : “SHOW ME THE MONEY” or any documentation about the presumably Government grant. Of course they can’t produce so I ask for proper documentation, passports visas etc… you should see their face change and immediately made an excuse to leave… weeks later we saw it in the news they manage to scam another Realtor.

The old sayings of our parents and grandparents always hold true – if it is too good to be true – beware” it must be that.. so fellow agents and brokers more than ever simply do the right thing before entertaining your prospect and spending time on them – the word is –PREQUALIFY : - Get answers on their Motivation to buy, Willingness and if they are Able : simply asking them the normal question you ask for the homebuyer should be enough to trigger suspicion – NO …do not do this at random – do this to all no matter how they appear to be., some of us tend not to bother asking if we see a guy pull out of an expensive car and immediately assume they have money… you never can be sure – crooks drive expensive cars …

To file a complain go to www.ic3.gov this is an FBI site specifically for Internet Crime Complaint Center. For local scammers simply complain with your local crime task force.