Tyler-Area Realtors Say Scam Artist At Work - ZIMBIO
http://tyler-group.blogspot.ch/2012/07/tyler-area-realtors-say-scam-artist-at.html /nTyler Realtors are warning local home buyers about a woman posing as a Realtor to scam people out of their money.
Debbie Ezzell, broker/owner of RealEdge Real Estate and president of the Greater Tyler Association of Realtors, said a black woman about 25 to 30 years old, last seen driving a silver Ford Taurus, allegedly has been posing as a Realtor. She has reportedly taken information from Realtor websites and placed advertisements in other trade websites for property posted for lease, Ms. Ezzell said.
The woman meets with the clients and tells them she is an agent with a company and asks them for money to hold the property, Ms. Ezzell said, adding that the scammer has even had some of the victims wire money to Nigeria to hold a lease space.
Ms. Ezzell learned of the scam Wednesday when a Tyler police detective called her about her company, RealEdge Real Estate, being used by the woman to scam a man into wiring $2,000 to Nigeria, she said.
Her client’s property and her business name were used and somehow the woman opened the house to show the client, she added.
After sending a notice to other local Realtors, Ms. Ezzell heard from three others that claimed the woman had scammed their clients.
“True Realtors will always be glad to provide proof of who they are when asked,” Ms. Ezzell said. “When we post properties, we must always identify ourselves and our company as Realtors.” She said they also post their phone numbers, which can be easily accessed online to make sure the number matches the one in the advertisement.
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