Real Estate Spam - First Edition
Author: Joshua Dorkin • URL: http://www.biggerpockets.com/February 27th, 2007 •
You would not believe the amount of SPAM I get for everything from sex to drugs, and so on. I thought it might be interesting to share with you some of the wonderful targeted SPAM I get from people looking to SCAM others out of their money.
In today’s edition, we have an email from a man named Kalid Mohammed, who found my email through the US Chamber of Commerce (SURE)! He wants my contact information (why didn’t he just pull it from the Chamber of Commerce’s info?? Oh yeah - there is none!), and he promises to pay me for properties that he needs.
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
My name is Kalid MohammedI just came about your email address and your brief profile through an email listing affiliated with the US Chamber of Commerce and I would be very interested in offering you an investment deals.Am dealing with a group of property investors,we are looking for houses to buy or develope.my prices is between $100,000- $ 2000,000.00.please i would be needing the properties at good time and also send your quotations.i would advise you on the mode of payments.please give me your confidential contact phone numbers.
Please get back to me with this email address:{ EMAIL REMOVED }
Thanks.
Kalid Mohammed
What do you think? Are we working with the real deal here? Is this just another SCAM looking to take advantage of me?
Anyone else get this one?
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Joshua Dorkin
Charles Feldman
Ted Karsch.
Troy Schuricht
Anwell Tsai
Richard Warren
Jim Watkins
Not that particular one, but similar ones often enough. They are as I understand it pretty real world dangerous to fall for these ones.
Hasn’t been seen down-under yet, but I’m sure it’ll come, I’ll keep an eye out for it, and post it on my blog to let others know! Cheers…
Ha! Josh, you must be on the same mailing lists that I am on.
Send him the money via Moneygram. This is a legit offer. After that, you can send me a cashier check for a bridge I own in Long Beach, very nice and worth millions.
People are falling for many things including buying overpriced homes
So I wouldn’t doubt folks fallign for these scams. They did a show on this on 20/20 and folks are always looking for a quick buck.
Dr. Housing Bubble
I just read an article in the local paper here. The Naples real estate market saw a scam recently where “buyers” were going to for sale by owner homes in the $2M price range and making a great offer. They were handing over a cashier’s check from the local bank for $200,000 or so and signing a contract to buy the house. The next day, they come back and say they unfortunately found a better deal and want their deposit back. Of course, the FSBO seller cuts them a check for $200,000 and moves on. Later, he finds out that cashier’s check was counterfeit and he just gave away $200,000.
Very, very scary stuff.
We get these emails fairly regularly. They are usually from Nigeria or Ghana. Some even have the nerve to call you. Scams will always be out there and you just have to be careful.
Kalid and thousands like him will continue to pry on millions of unsuspecting Americans as long as we have people in this country that remain “stupid” enough to open their pockets and make many of them very rich. 20/20 did good expose on the Nigerians the other day and stated that Americans mail millions of dollars of checks every month to Nigeria. Unbelievable but apparently true.