TO GOOD TO BE "TRUE" SCAMS

The following information is posted as a community service.  If you have information about what you consider to be false, misleading advertising, or out-and-out scams on the internet related to real estate or directed at you due to your involvement in buying or selling a home, please send it to us at: info@fsbolocator.com.  If possible, we'll provide a link to expanded information.

REPORTED PROBLEMS:

Caution: Open House Scam
 

What will agents think of NEXT?
Some of our advertisers have been approached by real estate agents and told they will list them on the MLS; and, they can still sell by owner and not pay any commission. Sounds to good to be true and it is. The contract our advertisers sign specifically says that they cannot list their home on the MLS (except with our sister company - Mach 1 Real Estate). It further states that if they do so, advertising with the For Sale by Owner & Builder Magazine will cease immediately. So, again it's a case of agents not being honest with the homeowners; or worse, not being informed about how business is done in the modern world of real estate sales.

Is This Ethical Conduct?
As reported by some of our advertisers, an attorney in the metro area makes a regular habit of bashing our company. Why does he do it? There are a number of reasons, none of which have anything to do with the highly successful advertising value we provide private home sellers. The number one reason is that we have refused to let him advertise with us based on his reputation and conduct. Another is that he tries to directly compete with the services we offer and believe that he can only do so by denigrating our successful assistance programs.  We still have been steadily averaging 6 to 12 home sales per week. At the very least, we regard the negative comments and actions to be unethical. After all, why would you need to bash a competitor if your services are superior? As always, we recommend you use the services of companies advertised on this web site. As we have for the past 15 years, we will discontinue any service advertiser who doesn't meet our high standards in dealing with our home seller advertisers - this attorney being a case in point.

Mortgage Company Scam
When a company offers to help you for free, be very afraid.  It seems there are mortgage companies offering to help you by putting a free sign in your front yard with their phone number on it.  Their "pitch" is that they will help you prescreen buyers and make sure they are pre-approved.  What has been reported to us is that, instead of pre-approvals, what they are really doing is steering the buyer to their preferred real estate agents; and, if you as a seller are represented by an attorney, they are advising the buyer to bypass the attorney.  DON'T PUT ANYONE BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR BUYERS.

Misrepresentation Scam
Under the heading of False & Misleading Advertising, a real estate agent with For Sale by Owner Realty (NOT affiliated with our company) has reportedly been contacting advertisers with our company and offering to put them on the multiple listing service (MLS) for a fee.  He has been reported (by 3 of our advertisers) to claim affiliation with For Sale by Owner & Builder Magazine when questioned.  In the reported contacts, all were listed on the National Do Not Call Registry and his calls constitute a violation of the law with a possible $11,000 fine per call.  If you are contacted, please make a note of the conversation (time/date/names) and call us at 402-331-3293 for assistance  in filing your complaint.

Internet Fraud Report - More Information
This link takes you to a fraud site dealing with an e-mail sent by someone allegedly from Liberia interested in buying your home.  The e-mail seems to be directed at For Sale by Owner sellers.

Information provided here is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

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