Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 pre-qualified real estate lead

Today I received a text, looked at it, and it was a lead from REDFIN. I'm a Realtor with Diverse Realty in Sacramento.

The message is asking me to pay $10 for the lead with a variety of systems such as Paypal and credit cards. That way I could see the full name, phone number, and address of said lead.

Some people are reporting receiving Realtor.com scams which look exactly the same. So beware!

There is a picture of the webs page. You may receive the link in an email or a text message. Following the link gives you that image. If you are not with the Realtor.com lead program, it's definitely crap. Realtor.com is NOT going to send you any leads in an uninvited manner. They will try to get your business, though.

The REDFIN scam is the same thing. REDFIN also offers leads to its agents, but you have to be a REDFIN agent before you can join their lead program.

There is a picture of the REDFIN website scam, so that way it looks exactly how I see it.

REDFIN, Dear Realtor, Congratulation! You received a lead... gimme $10 and have fun!

As we can see, the lead is not only going to include a phone number and an email address, it is said to be pre-qualified and I'm in Sacramento and the address is correct (that is, it's someone in the area.)

The message is very close, in content, to what someone would receive from Realtor.com or REDFIN. I'd bet that Keller Williams and Coldwell Banker, Berkshire Hathaway, and Remaxx, well, all the big ones, have exactly the same sort of thing. Oh, and especially the eXp Realty company which is very big in offering everything Internet.

So if you are with those companies, you obviously wold receive a lead with all the information, not one where you have to pay 10 bucks to get access to the data! (i.e. you somehow already paid to get this data.)

I certainly hope that as an agent you will search the Internet about that incredible lead (so incredible, it's like too good to be true) and find a page that talks about this scam. The fact is that it's not real. They'll get your cash, they may even send you the complete info from someone who has never mentioned the idea of becoming a home owner and is likely to hang up on you as soon as you start talking... but you know that once in a while a so called lead will do that anyway, so maybe that one was not that good afterall.

Notice how the email was carefully crafted including a copyright, having Terms of Use and Privacy Policy links (the links work, and they even send me to the real REDFIN Terms of Use and Privacy Policy pages! So they definitely look real—only they probably don't have anything about how they would send emails to random people and since these policies are pages long, you probably won't read them...)

The message also includes the correct address. The 1099 Steward St is the address of REDFIN's head quarters in Washington state.

And at the top you have a lead identifier and a date.

The whole thing really looks like a professional has done it. So it's a pretty sofisticated scam. At $10 a pop, it's not much, but if these guys are able to hit thousands of agents every day, it could still add up nicely. Who wouldn't want a pre-qualified ready to buy lead?! (even if you define yourself as a listing agent.)

Just in case, I made a search with that name on Facebook. The name Greg Humphrey returned someone, but infortunately for the scammer, that's also a Realtor with Coldwell Banker. (Oops!) So in my case, not too worry about too much. But many people do a little research like that, so scammer are not unlikely to use real information from Facebook to create their scam now a day! It's so easy to do, after all. Only if automated, you can end up with the wrong dude as we can see in my case. The other results did not match my area (Sacramento.)

Just remember, first you have to have an account with one of those companies before they send you leads. Second, they are not going to ask you to pay extra for each lead. Third, if they are trying to get you on the program, they would not send you a teaser lead. They would instead send you a bill because those programs you have to pay upfront in most cases and not just one lead. Also, most of the large companies will have a way to log in their website to check out your leads. So if you wonder whether this is one of yours, go to your account instead of wasting your money on some random scammer.

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

Got the exact same one this afternoon. Same name, different 'Interested In' address. Great scam, $10 for a lead, if there are agents paying up, this creator is making some great money. I am in Dallas, TX and work for Keller Williams office. Was trying to upload the screenshot but do not know how.

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

I just received it too.  I'm with Berkshire Hathaway San Diego.  It looks real but when I called the lead a voice recording answered as Professor Williams...it also came on too quick.  The text I received also showed Preapproved through Wells Fargo and the format looked exactly like the screen shot above.

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

Maybe they should change their buyer's name.  It looks like Greg Humphrey is also buying property in Los Angeles California. I have to admit, I was suspicious when I saw this lead. I do work with other, reputable, lead generation sources, but thought it odd that Redfin would be selling leads to agents outside their referral network. 

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

I agree that changing the person's name would be best. It shouldn't be that hard either since you have access to many social media websites with millions of names in there!

 

Also, REDFIN is definitely a red flag (pun intended) since they would indeed keep their leads for their members. Realtor.com, though, if you're a Realtor... it could sound legit.

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

I am with Remax and recieved the same one today for a property in arden oaks (currently listed) Googled before I deleted as felt wrong and dont wotk with refin

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

I received the same thing few days ago, same name, saem bank but with a Miami area address, I live near Miami Beach.  It looked like a scam...so its good I looked into it and found this. RELTORS BEWARE

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

Hmmm ... just received the same ... good 'ole "Greg Humphrey" seems to be interest in the Ft Myers, FL area, as well!!!   First time receiving such a text therefore decided to research prior to taking the next step as I immediately thought it was a scam!   BINGO!  Thanks for posting this, saved me $10!!! 

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

Got the exact same text today . I’m in Sarasota FL. 

As you said , if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. 

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

Just now (4/11/2018) at 12 noon I received this same exact text.  I've now blocked the text number which came in under number 81787...whatever that is. A%#wipes!

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

Funny!! Same guy still looking for houses but now in Tulsa. Came in under shortcode 81787.  

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

Just received a "REFIN" text same as above only difference was buyers email was outlook and looking to buy in Greensboro, NC! When something seems to good to be true, you should always check. Never go into anything blindly in this industry.

Re: Realtor.com, Redfin and now MOVOTO scams offering a $10 ...

I'm a Realtor with EXP Realty in Tucson, AZ and "Greg Humphreys" is looking to buy an $800k house in the 85742 zip code.  In my case, the company is "MOVOTO", and for only $10, the lead is mine.... and apparently hundreds / thousands of other Realtors across the country too!  I have never set up a profile on REDFIN, REALTOR or MOVOTO, but my MLS does syndicate our listings to them.  So, I have to wonder how many Realtor's they are able to scam... especially new and desperate ones.  Has anyone turned these in to their MLS so they can be reported?  That is my next step.

Re: Realtor.com and REDFIN scams offering a $10 ...

I just got the same thing from Zillow.  It did feel like it was too good to be true.  Thanks so much for putting this information out there!!!

All the best

Michael Johnston

Argo Real Estate

Port Saint Lucie, FL