Some People Would Sell Their Grandmother!
Either that, or try and sell something to them. This was the first thought that went through my head when a fellow agent handed me a flier an elderly friend received with an offer to sell them a copy of the deed of trust on their home. As with most things…one should always read the small print and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
In all fairness, this particular notification did print in very large letters that the program was not endorsed by the government. In addition, they went so far as to say that one doesn’t actually need what it is they are selling, a copy of your deed, to prove home ownership. While their “fine print” was actually legible and clear, many offers don’t always come with such warning.
I’m thinking in particular of the FreeCreditReport.com commercials. While you are watching their catchy little commercial and listening to their jingle you might easily miss the very small print on the top of the screen that indicates you only get the “free” report when you buy what they are selling, credit monitoring. In addition to the free report you are entitle to every year, you can also do the monitoring yourself without forking over the $14.95 per month. They are counting on the viewer not fully understanding that they are entitled to the information without it costing them a penny.
In both of the above cases, at least the consumer is getting something in return. This is not always the case. I recently had the experience of finding a home I had listed for sale, posted as a rental on Craigslist. The scam, which has been going on for some time, involves posting a bogus rental using an address of a home for sale, ridiculously below the current rental market. When prospective renters e-mail the person who posted the ad, they are told there is a great deal of interest so if they want the place they better send a check immediately. Needless to say, the money is gone and the “rental” never existed.
It’s easy to find people willing to take your money. While not every offer is a rip-off and not every solicitation is designed to sell you nothing for something, it’s safest to approach it as if it is. If you look at every financial interaction with a bit of skepticism and make people earn your trust you could be saving yourself a few dollars and a lot of heartache.
These thoughts on Real Estate brought to you by Julie Cleland.
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4 Responses to “Some People Would Sell Their Grandmother!”
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Julie,
Thanks for the news about that.
We should always be suspicious of unsolicited “offers”!
Brian
People need to be aware … “if it sounds too good to be true it usually is!”
It is sad how many people are out to get over on others these days. Thanks for the info. Well said.
Joe
First of all, LOVE the title of your blog! How sad but true that there are people out there trying to scam others. It’s good to spread the word whenever we know of a certain scam, and take care to watch out for those who might be more susceptible. As Joe said, “well said!”
Jean