The foreclosure scammers are out in force, and they’re coming at the “opportunity” from all angles. Not only are there unscrupulous people out there trying to dupe struggling home debtors out of their money, but now even the financially stable (homeowners or not) are apparently becoming targets.
Check out this spam I recently received:
From: 1 Day Dough
To: The Tim
Subject: Flip REOs With Proof Of FundsIt’s no secret that the biggest area of opportunity in Real
Estate right now is in For’eclosures. There is a tidal wave of
them for us to ca’sh in on.The rules of engagement have changed though.
The good news is I’ve cracked the code and so no there’s NOTHING
to hold you back.Join me Thursday June 4th at 8:00 PM ET /5:00 PM PT for a fr’ee
webinar where I will share with you the details on how you can
start flipping For’eclosure deals immediately with none of your
own mo’ney or cre’dit.Space is limited. Reserve your seat now here
[website address removed]
Here’s to you and me making 2009 our best year EVER!
W’ow. I should probably ju’mp on this opportunity right AWAY!
patient » Jun 3, 2009 at 11:20 am
One can only hope that these are distributed mindlessly and that it reaches someone at the Attorney General’s office and that someone decides to attend.
BillE » Jun 3, 2009 at 11:47 am
Better ca’sh in on the fr’ee for’eclosure mo’ney.
Acerun » Jun 3, 2009 at 11:52 am
Gr’eat now I have somewhere to invest my foreign lottery winnings!
softwarengineer » Jun 3, 2009 at 12:14 pm
IT’S THE SAME TYPE OF SCAM THE “GET RICH QUICK BOOK” AUTHORS USE
If it was such a good idea, why is this charlatan selling space at his conference and not just flipping repos? Believe me, the “free” webinar means buying his software or book to get in on the details of the take. The system is usually overly convoluted, so after the sap that pays him like $99 [a full refund within a short time period will be offerred of course] won’t be able to test it as a complete failure until the full refund date is passed.
Ray Pepper » Jun 3, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Sounds like some of the emails I get for rentals.
“Hello kind sir”
“My name is Oligario B Sandalazar from the Republic of Ghana”
“I will forward the the required funds immediately upon receipt of a valid bank acct #, phone #, address…..etc”
I always respond to these in my old junk aol acct and try to string these people along. Its fun to respond to them–”I accept your offer…please furnish me with an address to mail the check and your phone #. I also need a pet deposit..Do you have dogs or cats?”
Cheap South » Jun 3, 2009 at 12:48 pm
C’rap! Now you t’ell me it’s a s’cam!!!
First the wife of the Nigerian ambassador, and now this??
Dave Lincoln » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:01 pm
RE: patient @ 1 –
I don’t think they will advocate anything illegal at the meeting, so why should the Attorney General care? Not everything stupid is illegal, nor should it be. But, I am sure that the meeting will promote stupidity, unless people are just there for the free cruise*.
* What?!? No free cruise! I ain’t coming then. Y’all let me know what happened, mmkay?
Dave Lincoln » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:09 pm
RE: Cheap South @ 6 – and to Ray:
There is a group of Canadians that made a hobby of (I don’t know what other word to use, sorry) f__king with these people. I wish I could remember the exact web site. At least one of them got a few hundred or so bucks out of the Nigerians, which is by far not an easy thing to do. However, it took a lot of hard work over a period of months. You could probably do better flipping foreclosures or pimping out the Nigerian Ambassador’s wife out for tricks down in Tukwila.
Not that I would do that, of course. I want her to stay here and keep cleaning house, when I let her out of the basement. You’re probably wondering what that’s about, but I just answered the nice Nigerian guy’s email and we took it from there.
Slumlord » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Tim,
Your dire warnings about falling house prices have led me to conclude that it is time to stop paying my mortgage. I fully expect you to swoop in, buy all the foreclosures (including mine) and make a fortune as prices turn the corner upwards. The real idea behind Seattle Bubble was brilliant! [Joking, of course]
E » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:26 pm
RE: Dave Lincoln @ 8 –
You mean this one?
Http://419eater.com/html/sheldon_venture.htm
Beef » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:31 pm
http://www.419eater.com/
Lake Hills Renter » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Nothing gives a stamp of legitimacy like extra characters to avoid spam filters.
patient » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:33 pm
RE: Dave Lincoln @ 7 – If it’s a scam it’s likely illegal, no?
jon » Jun 3, 2009 at 2:53 pm
RE: Dave Lincoln @ 8 – http://www.419eater.com/
Dave Lincoln » Jun 3, 2009 at 3:03 pm
RE: jon @ 14 –
That’s it, John! Thank you very much.
Dave Lincoln » Jun 3, 2009 at 3:04 pm
RE: patient @ 13 –
No.
patient » Jun 3, 2009 at 3:08 pm
RE: Dave Lincoln @ 16 – Then I guess there is an even bigger reason for them to be there so they can make it so.
Mike2 » Jun 3, 2009 at 4:01 pm
By Dave Lincoln @ 7:
Spam advertising is illegal.
Dave Lincoln » Jun 3, 2009 at 7:26 pm
RE: patient @ 17 –
Patient, I don’t think of the word scam as meaning something that is necessarily illegal. For instance, this whole buying expensive diamonds for women thing is a major scam by DeBeers, but there’s nothing illegal about it. Yes, man-made diamonds are better, have fewer flaws etc., but you are apparently not a real man if you don’t spend 2 months salary on a natural diamond ring (that’s why I recommend getting engaged while you are between jobs) that is worth 1/2 the price if you return it next week.
I didn’t know sending email spam was illegal, Mike2. Maybe this was a personal message to The Tim, anyway. I sure didn’t get one. I feel kind of slighted. I wouldn’t go to their stupid free-cruise tupperware party anyway, those meanies!!
EconE » Jun 3, 2009 at 9:33 pm
By Dave Lincoln @ 19:
LOL!
Priceless.
Dave Lincoln » Jun 3, 2009 at 9:44 pm
RE: E @ 10 –
Just noticed your post, E. Thank you too.
Mike2 » Jun 4, 2009 at 6:35 am
By Dave Lincoln @ 19:
Perhaps it was a personal message, but whomever wrote it is apparently familiar with the techniques for avoiding boo’lean spa’m filte’rs.
neverabrogatedcommunity » Jun 4, 2009 at 9:14 am
They’re not making any more for’eclosures!
Lake Hills Renter » Jun 4, 2009 at 10:28 am
By neverabrogatedcommunity @ 23:
Actually, they are. =)
The Tim » Jun 5, 2009 at 7:35 am
Man, I must have gotten put on a bunch of these lists. Check this one I just got:
What I don’t get is how this junk is getting past Gmail’s spam filter.