Finding a way to tap in to an agent/loan guy/appraiser partnership that would enable us to buy properties using fictitious names/documents/etc. and documenting the entire experience to share with media outlets.
Kind of like the London real estate agent scandal of last year.
It is only a half-baked idea at this point but I am sure we can think of something cool that could even serve as a deterrent to fraudsters, if they knew someone might be out there trying to catch them in the act.
Kind of like a “mystery shopper”.
I’ve got the time and the interest so I’d be interested in hearing what others have to say, either online or offline.
Whatever do you mean? The Nigerian e-mail thing is a scam?!?! Are you kidding me? Shoot. I just wired $50,000 overseas thinking I was about to become a multi-millionaire in return. Are you sure? C’mon. Say it ain’t so;-)
Don’t worry about being off-topic either. It was a somewhat manic topic to begin with, in my somewhat manic opinion.
You have to be very careful with this type of thing because you could easily end up being accused of fraud yourself. Shows like “Dateline” work with local authorities. If you set up your own “unauthorized” venture and approach an honest broker, etc. with some shady deal, they might report you to the police. Then you are left trying to explain to skeptical authorities that you didn’t really intend to rip anyone off.
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