Investors hoping to buy homes and resell them at a profit are getting creative in their tactics. WRAL 5 On Your Side found several instances of various investors sending fake checks to homeowners in the Triangle offering to buy their homes outright.
STEALING BELONGI >> SKYROCKETING RENTS STAGNATING. HOME SALES AND CLIMBING MORTGAGE RATES. THE HOUSING MARKET IS A STRESSFUL PLACE TO BE. RIGHT NOW. THERE’S ONE THING YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF CHECK SHOWING UP IN THE MAIL FOR LARGE SUMS OF MONEY OFFERING TO BUY YOUR HOME OUTRIGHT BUT DECIDES KEELY ARTHUR DISCOVERED IT’S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN OUR AREA. >> I WANT TO WALK UP TO THEIR MAILBOX OPEN IT UP. AND FIND A CHECK WORTH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. WELL, IF THIS ALL SEEMS A LITTLE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, YOU’RE RIGHT. >> SEWARD, JOHNSON LIVES IN A 2 STORY HOME NEAR THE NEUSE RIVER IN RALEIGH IS A GOOD SIZE HOUSE LIKE THIS COULD SELL ITSELF OR 2 AND A HALF BAD. >> WELL, FENCED IN BACKYARD. >> AND THE PROBLEM IS IT’S NOT FOR SALE. NOT RIGHT NOW. SO JOHNSON WAS STUNNED TO OPEN OR MAIL-IN. FIND IT CHECK FOR $290,000 OFFERING TO BUY US. AND IF YOU WANT TO GET PROPERTY, HERE’S YOUR MONEY. WE HAVE MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM. REAL ESTATE BROKER MONIQUE EDWARDS KNOWS OF AT LEAST 3 INSTANCES OF THIS ALL TARGETING DIFFERENT KINDS OF HOMES IN RALEIGH AND DURHAM. ALL 3 OF THE INDIVIDUALS HAD VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. EDWARDS ADVICE DO NOT CASH THAT WHATSOEVER. SHE WASN’T SURE IF IT WAS LEGITIMATE, THOUGH. SO WE TOOK THE CHECKS TO A TURNING KARA GIBBONS. SHE HANDLES RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE AND SEES A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS THAT YOU THINK YOU CALL A PREVIOUS THING AND THEN. >> HOLD MY BEER THAT THEY ALL THAT RIGHT AWAY. SHE TOLD US THE CHECK IS FAKE. HERE’S WHY. THERE’S NO BANK NAME ON THE CHECK. NO SERIAL NUMBER ACCOUNT OR ROUTING NUMBER. THERE’S ALSO THIS BARCODE, WHICH IS NORMALLY USED TO BE SCANNED FOR MAIL OUT OF THE LITTLE THINGS YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CHAT. SO WHAT IS IT? WELL, IT’S A MARKETING TACTIC BY INVESTORS TO PIQUE YOUR INTEREST IN GET YOU TO SELL YOUR HOME TO THEM QUICKLY. SO THEY CAN TURN AROUND IN LIKELY SELL IT FOR MUCH MORE. THE LESSON HERE, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SELL YOUR HOME DON’T TAKE THE BAIT. YOU REALLY ARE THE MARKET WITHOUT. >> DO THE RIGHT THING TO GET THE MOST ANGRY ABOUT THE END OF THE ICE ARENA. JOHNSON ISN’T IN THE MARKET TO SELL HER HOME AND GOT RID OF THE CHECK, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. ANOTHER REASON. >> TO NOT DEAL WITH THIS IS BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE IT TO A BANK AND TRY TO CASH IT, YOU COULD BE ACCUSED OF TRYING TO CASH A FRAUDULENT CHECK. KEELY ARTHUR, 5 ON YOUR SIDE. >> YOU HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR EVERYTHING HE SPOKE WITH THE OWNER OF OAKES CITY, HOME BUYERS OVER THE PHONE. THEY SENT JOHNSON HER CHECK AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT. YES, IT WAS AN ADVERTISEMENT TO CURRENT PHARMA SAYS THE APPROACH WASN’T AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY HOPED
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