Tips On Avoiding Advance-fee Loan Scams

Scrub · #1 04-03-07, 11:50 PM

TIPS ON
AVOIDING ADVANCE-FEE LOAN SCAMS

Real Estate Club Offers March 29th Seminar on Opportunities and Pit Falls in the Michigan Real Estate Market
Livonia 3/20/2007 11:05 AM GMT TransWorldNews

March 29 seminar is part of National Real Estate Network LLC thanks to its embers. Ralph Marcus (Mark) Maupin, Jr, National Speaker, will be showing members and non-members how to make money in the declining Michigan market Mark Maupin know as Mr. Lease Option, first became involved with real estate in 1981. By 1984, he had turned to real estate as his full time occupation. Since then, Mark has been working with real estate, and has purchased in excess of 3,500 single family homes and many multi family properties.

Mark has a strong foundation in real estate, covering a wide range of topics from marketing and finance to construction and remodeling. Mark is able to view real estate from a unique perspective that allows him to identify and grasp the potential in real estate and developed new and creative ways to maximize it's potential. Real Estate is Mark's passion and he is always learning and developing his knowledge in this area. In addition Mr. Maupin will make his products and mentoring program available to public.

Topics to be discuss at March 29, 2007 event will be:
*Buy and hold as either Rental or Rent-to-Own (lease options)
*Subject To/Deed off- Foreclosures in Michigan Housing Bubble
*Wholesale Properties (finding tax foreclosures, worn out landlords, ugly houses, find and sell motivated sellers homes, great investor buys
*Advertisement Agreements
*Option/Sandwich/Option--New Technique to Michigan Market
*Current Examples in Which Money has been made in our Market

Mr. Maupin to Address Topic at Seminar: Wallets Get Fat from Risky Business:
Wheeler-Dealer’s Pitches leave some empty Handed. Big Money Is Pocketed In Schemes. Don’t Get Duped. Well-known area Investor Ralph Marcus(Mark) Maupin, Jr. ,creator of Detroit investment homes will address " CONSUMER ALERT- ADVANCE-FEE LOAN SCAMS" to Detroit real estate investors at the National Real Estate Network, LLC AT MARCH 29, 2007. Mr. Mark Maupin.

Ralph Marcus (Mark) Maupin, Jr., provides Consumer Alerts to inform the public of unfair, misleading, or deceptive business practices, and to provide information and guidance on other issues of concern.

Wallets Get Fat from Risky Business:
Wheeler-Dealer’s Pitches leave some empty Handed. Big Money Is Pocketed In Schemes. Don’t Get Duped. Well-known area Investor Ralph Marcus (Mark) Maupin, Jr., creator of Detroit investment Homes provides Consumer Alerts to inform the public of unfair, misleading, or deceptive business practices, and to provide information and guidance on other issues of concern.

CONSUMER ALERT ADVANCE-FEE LOAN SCAMS
Advance-fee loan or credit card scams are often targeted at people with bad credit. The scam may start as an ad in the paper, "Bad credit no problem – loans available by calling 1-###-###-####." The consumer is told, "You are qualified, but you must send a fee to process your application/pay a security deposit/pay for insurance." The victim pays the money, and no loan or credit card is issued.

Quote:

RECOGNIZING THE SCAM

The ads offer easy access to loans, regardless of credit history.
The advance-fee scammer may use a false business name and address, often with toll-free 800, 866 or 877 phone number that is difficult to trace or rings into Canada.
Sometimes the scammer will even use a legitimate company's name or physical office address in the ad.
Placement of an ad in a recognized media outlet does not guarantee that the company placing the ad is trustworthy.
Consumers calling in response to such ads are taken through a phony application process, sometimes over the phone or through faxed application forms, and later may receive fake loan approval documents.

In order to receive the approved loan, applicants are directed to pay money up-front, under the guise of an application fee, a security deposit, for credit insurance, some other collateral payment, or other service fee.
Often, the applicant is directed to send the payment via wired money transfer, payable to an individual rather
than a business.

Consumers filing complaints with the Michigan Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division have been directed to wire payments to Canadian addresses. After sending payment, the loan is never received, and refund attempts are futile. Making matters worse, some scammers have used the information collected from advance-fee loan victims to commit identity theft.

PROTECT YOURSELF:
TIPS TO AVOID ADVANCE-FEE LOAN SCAMS

Do NOT pay for the promise of a loan.
While legitimate lenders may charge you a small amount to process your application and cover the cost of checking your credit, the fees generally are taken from the amount borrowed.
Legitimate offers of credit do not require an up-front payment.

Ignore any Ad, or hang up any caller, that GUARANTEE A LOAN in exchange for an upfront fee.
Legitimate lenders NEVER GUARANTEE that you will receive a LOAN before you apply or before they have checked out your credit status or contacted your references, especially if you have bad credit or no credit record.

Be wary of anyone who tells you that they can provide loan approval by reviewing information you give over the phone without a credit check or who says you qualify for a loan at a competitive rate regardless of your credit history.

Thoroughly investigate loan offers from unfamiliar companies. Ask for the company's physical location.

Check the company's number in the phone book or from directory assistance, and call it to make sure that you are dealing with the company you think you are.

CHECK THE LENDER OUT with the Better Business Bureau.

DO NOT WIRE MONEY OR SEND MONEY ORDERS FOR A LOAN.
You have little recourse if there's a problem with a wire transaction. Legitimate lenders don't pressure you to wire funds. Refuse to do business with anyone who encourages you to send money or act immediately.[/b]

DO NOT MAKE PAYMENT TO INDIVIDUALS FOR A LOAN A LOAN.
Legitimate lending institution would make such a request. Steer clear of advance fee offers that promise a credit card with a pre-approved limit and lowinterest rates for a fee. To pay the fee, you will be asked to give your bank account information and authorize an electronic draft to pay the fee. In most cases, the credit card never materializes, and the consumer's bank account is quickly drained.

FILE A COMPLAINT
National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch, a service of the nonprofit National Consumers League, at "NCL's National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch" or. That information will be transmitted to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Consumers who fall victim to an advance payment loan or credit card scam should contact the media source that advertised the bogus offer. Responsible advertisers will terminate these ads and contact law enforcement. Since most advance-fee loan scams involve a victim in one state and a scam artist in another, report the problem to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at: Consumer Protection Division Toll Free: AG - Attorney General

(online complaint form)

Location: TO BE SET CK Real Estate Investment Club | Networking | Investing Articles | REIA | Michigan REIA

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