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Referral Scams and Annoyances

By
Real Estate Agent with MacMillan Real Estate

Who else is wasting cell phone minutes with these calls from places trying to sell us leads? I am getting 2 or 3 calls a day lately. I guess they feel that we are desparate in this market.

Anyway, here's what they do. They throw up some web site that allows internet searchers look for properties in any given area. They collect their names and email addresses and try to sell them to us. No strong leads, just anyone who is willing to submit their information on their site.

Here's what I do now; Phone rings, I answer (of course). They start, "Hi Todd, this mr./mrs. friendly name from so-and-so-location..." I say, STOP. "Are you a referral service?" "Yes" they state. I say, "Are willing to be paid at closing if I sign a Compensation Agreement or are you looking to be paid upfront?"

CLICK!

They usually hang up before I can ask to be removed from their list. Try it. If they are willing to be paid at closing, they are a legitimate company with real people looking for homes.

 

Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
I've also been getting quite a few calls from people wanting to know if I am interested in a SECOND source of income, not just real estate.  Don't know what they want but I say "NO".
Nov 29, 2007 10:40 AM
Anthony Stokes-Pereira
Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty - Nanuet, NY
Realtor

Hi Todd,

I do not take those calls anymore.. because it is a scam.

Nov 29, 2007 10:42 AM
Anonymous
Anonymous
I have been getting these calls and e mails.... The other day I received two in one hour. YES its slow and no I don't have money to throw away.
Nov 29, 2007 10:48 AM
#3
Erby Crofutt
B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY
The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Hey Todd,

Timely post.  The lead aggregators do the same thing with home inspectors.  Frustrating that they are stealing leads that should naturally come to us, without cost, if they weren't stealing them with their high powered websites (black hat SEO??).

Sounds like you've got a reasonable question to determine legitimacy or not very quickly.  Good for you!

I just tell them I'm not interested and hang up.  Doesn't stop the calls but uses minimal cell minutes.

Was that a slickk new vehicle I saw your sign on the other day as I was leaving Harbor Village?

Dec 23, 2007 08:54 AM
Todd MacMillan
MacMillan Real Estate - Georgetown, KY
ABR, GRI, SFR

Erby, you talking about the Ferrari? I would never put my signs on that! If you are talking about the white van, not new, just a car wash! (Okay... I don't have a Ferrari!)

T

Dec 30, 2007 10:58 PM
Erby Crofutt
B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY
The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Nah, I thought I saw a MacMillan, LLC sign on a flashy white & brown SUV type vehicle, but it went by pretty fast.  Maybe I was just imagining things.

Keep it up and it won't be long before you can afford the Ferrari wether you buy it or not.

-

Dec 30, 2007 11:02 PM