Real Estate Blog - Southern California Wildfire Scam Alert

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Southern California Wildfire Scam Alert

With every tragedy, unfortunately Scam Artists come out of the woodwork. The Better Business Bureau has posted an article on the following scams that they feel might occur during the next few weeks.

Crooked Home-Improvement Contractors

Phony Charity Giving

Bogus Police and Firefighters Fund-raisers

Insurance Scams

Questions to ask :

Is it a Reputable Firm?

Are they asking for money upfront?

Is the phone number local?

If you or someone you know has been affected by the fires, please have them check the Better Business Bureau site so that they don't lose even more.

www.sd.bbb.org

Or you can call 1-800-600-7050

To check if a contractor is Licensed:

Call the State Licensing Contractors Board at 1-800-321-2752

If I can help you or someone you know with a lease or purchase of a home, please do not hesitate to call me.

Posted by Christi Stewart, Prudential Calif. Realty on 11/05/2007 10:21 PM

Comments (5)

orange county real estate information

This post has been included in California Information Orange County, CA Information San Clemente, CA Information

5 Comments on Southern California Wildfire Scam Alert

NOV

2007

Christi,

I hope everything can have a turn for the better soon. Fire can be such a devastating thing.

Sincerely,

Gail Braatz

You always have to be prepared for the adjustments the crooks will do. For real estate out here, we have idiots who are scamming people by getting them to pay rent and upfront money to them for stopping their foreclosure. Trick is the guy never pays the mortgage t keep the home current and pockets the rent money. Criminals always adjust...it is a shame.

-Jess Rankin, Pickering Group

lending in all 50 States www.pickeringgroup.com

Chris - thanks for the heads up on this. It is all too true that the trash of the earth will always be attracted to situations like this. I am glad to see that they are being proactive in this case.

Tragedies like this always bring the creeps out from the woodworks. This is a very smart reminder to keep an eye out for fraudulent companies.

All the best!

DPA Servicing

Gail-I hope so too!

Jess-I've heard about that scam as well and it makes me sick. Hopefully they will get caught.

Joe-No Problem. Knowledge is power in most situations :)

It's sad when bad people come out after a tragedy. Thanks for the post.

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