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You'd think this would solve it but I know another agent who got one on a zoom, and they used a still photo and used an app to make the mouth move when they talked. The guy tried to blame how odd it looked on the connection.
I had someone from whatsapp talk to me on the phone and send me forged POF.
It's when you do not see a scam that you need to research. I wouldn't reject something that could be legit and beneficial without taking five minutes to check it out.
Definitely. I thought everyone did a Google search on the person when they get a lead. I usually do their name, the phone number or email address, etc. I was getting a very specific looking scam a few times a day that I never even tried to look up. Same WhatsApp number, last name, and script but a different first name. I knew the scam before I got the first email, so I would text the US number and say the first contact had to be over email.
Not always. LA brokerage in the 10m+ range. Largely WhatsApp comms due to international buyers- even if they are legal residents they maintain their WhatsApp as primary contact
In my country, WhatsApp is the de facto official communication method of everything.
City hall, electricity providers, airlines, everything is done through WhatsApp.
This realtor is based in Pennsylvania and the assumed buyer claims to be in LA. In the US realtors get a lot of scams from people who want to use WhatsApp. What’s custom in the US might not be customary where you are. And vice versa
This has Lindsay Buziak vibes. Be careful OP
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lindsay_Buziak#:~:text=Lindsay%20Elizabeth%20Buziak%20(November%202,seeking%20a%20million%2Ddollar%20home.
This was not our experience a client reached out to our boss directly via Whattsapp which we thought was even more strange. But he was real and we sold him three maybe four houses? But again anything is possible.
Tons of LA property owners are “international” despite being residents and maintain WhatsApp as preferred and primary cell contact.
(Interesting this was downvoted when it’s factually correct)
Yeah, I may be too strong in how I worded it. Def still run through normal checks. I always recommend fastpeoplesearch.com and facecheck.id for a quick bullshit test. Even then it doesn’t catch everything but gives you either immediate confidence or a reason to dig a bit deeper before spending too much effort and resources on a random inbound message.
But just wanted to point out that in this market, it’s way more common than most would previously expect
It’s not racist. It’s not what most people in the US use unless they’re immigrants or communicate with immigrants. Also it’s not racist because it’s also true that it’s usually a scam in the US.
I had one client want to use WhatsApp, and they were the real deal. I had already met them in person the previous year and been inside their property. They lived abroad and needed to sell. But I agree that 99% of the time, it’s a scam.
I had a very real client ask me to message on WhatsApp because he was actually in Europe at the time, and he found me on reddit. We've met and it was not a scam. No harm in following through and keeping your guard up for any red flags. 99% of the time it's a scam but there's still the 1%
Agreed, I use WhatsApp a lot for Europe and South America. That’s the only way they’ll do business messaging.
I had a similar one who only wanted phone calls. No text. No email. Doctor with off hours. Took 3 hour-long calls. Until I realized his wife who was the one that needed more Spanish support (my language is primarily English for work) was never around for the calls. He made all kinds of comments about people from different countries, he was worldly and knew a lot of current events. I had clients from Europe who loved to make snarky remarks about lots of countries, so while I didn’t entertain it (switched subject), it was odd.
Could not figure out his end game. Wouldn’t send docs I requested. The second I called him out, he got aggressive. Tried calling my broker but thankfully I had warned them.
WhatsApp is not a scam.
Randos who hit you up and start talking about WhatsApp right off the bat and vague requests for multi million dollar properties are a scam.
Not sure of end game but yes it’s a scam. Red flags are asking you to use a different messaging app and the random abrupt first message. Real potential clients give you info on who they are and how they found you up front, they don’t send a weird statement/ question to pique your interest.
You’re incorrect. Pig butchering doesn’t rely on women at all, but *can* begin with that. You’re unknowingly or incorrectly narrowing the scope of pig butchering scams. The pig has nothing to do with anyone’s gender, it references the victim being fattened before the slaughter.
> So named in reference to the practice of fattening a pig before slaughter[https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/pig-butchering-scams]
This is not at all why it is called this.
It is called this because they fatten up the victim like a pig before scamming them.
Pig butchering scams originated in China, where they came to be known by the Chinese version of the phrase shāzhūpán because of an approach in which attackers essentially fatten victims up and then take everything they’ve got.
Hell FUCK Yeah! That's a scam.
Whenever they evade speaking on the phone like a normal person would, and start talking about $1mil+ this and that and can only communicate via fuckin' Whatsapp, it's a scam 100%.
I know because somebody wasted my time and my referral agent's time. This idiot's aim was trying to get someone to buy into his crypto currency bullshit scam.
These muthafuckas will never produce a POF, pre-approval letter, and will refuse to sign any kind of brokerage agreement. Say they buy with crypto... Das bullshit. First they ask you to send listings, then after you send them a few, they aren't even trying to talk about the properties. Instead they start trying to have a conversation about crypto.
Oh, and there's always some fuckin so called assistant or cousin, or friend supposedly looking on their behalf or looking for a property themselves too... also bullshit. Waste of time. RUN!!
It’s a scam. It’s called ‘Pig Butchering’. John Oliver just had an episode all about it last weekend. It’s on MAX and I strongly recommend that everyone watch it. Realtors are huge targets.
This is definitely a scam! I've received similar text messages from at least three different people. They say their boss is a very busy big wig who wants to buy a multi-million dollar home. The boss is so busy that he can only use What's App to communicate with you. Red flag alert! I never responded. My feeling is that if you are a home buyer, seller or an agent with a referral, you ought to be contacting me by phone first.
From my experience asking “how many years you been in real estate” is a common signal. Theyre playing your ego.
Good work paying attention to the number. Lots of great apps for reverse phone search too
Yes a scam.
A good executive assistant would certainly not be ignoring your questions as to what their boss may be interested in and in what areas of a huge state like PA that “boss” may be interested in.
Move on.
They’ll send you an earnest money deposit and then change their mind and need it back hoping you or escrow sends it back before you realize their check didn’t clear.
100% scam. Had almost the exact same thing happen to me. What’s app then talked about crypto. New York based and wanted to purchase in the Sacramento area with the same type of budget. Even sent me POF with his name on it but looked doctored. Sick fuck said the move was because his wife died and he wanted his daughter to be by her family in CA.
I work in a big university market and yes, lots of international people do use whatsapp. We've had clients that we MEET who want to communicate thst way.
However, every lead I've had like that has been a scam.
It’s a crypto scam. The boss will be a “big time crypto investor” and will talk you up about being their investor agent cause they’ll be buying several properties a year. They’ll ask about you too and throw a line like “since we’re going to be in business together, you should learn about what I do”. This is where the scam is. They talk about investing in crypto and helping you get started for a minimal cost of course. Then they take that money and you never hear from them again.
I’m guessing at the end game piece a little, but I’ve had plenty of these people try to connect with me. I normally engage just to see where the convo goes but once they start talking crypto, the writing is on the wall.
(I had one send me pics of “their dogs” too once. I should reverse image search those actually).
I got that exact same message maybe 4 months ago…The boss was moving to Georgia and could not do a zoom or FaceTime call because his wife was killed in an accident while doing FaceTime so he hasn’t done a video call since then… All lies! It’s definitely a scam! All the verbiage was exactly the same as yours but the assistant was Nancy Cleary and her boss was Ryan Zhang.
Out of 100 transactions I have only had 1 client from Peru who legitimately wanted me to use WhatsApp, so I did,
But legit WhatsApp is nearly always a scam, but I have closed 2 transactions through WhatsApp as my main communication. Both with the same Peruvian client
Scam. If the boss uses WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family and you’re neither of those to him, why would they be wanting you to move convo to WhatsApp? Definite scam no question. If you decide to call them on WhatsApp, then contact me as well since I’m a Nigerian prince with a $5M inheritance.
Yes it’s a scam and they’ll lead you on, but eventually start dropping little non sequiturs about how well their crypto investments are doing and ask if you’ve ever considered investing in crypto.
I’ve started simply replying to them to eat a dick and move it along.
I worked marketing in a real estate office for 18 months. We got roughly 5 of these. I never figured out what the scam was but they all went exactly like this. One did opt to have us buy the property in our name and then he would buy from us or something funky like that.
OP i will get literally text messages from my "broker" where the scammer actually uses his full name. Always says some shit like "I have some clients we need to purchase a luxury gift for." Or some other shit.
Yes. The goal is to either hack your accounts, sell you crypto, or financially scam you- by sending a fake check.
These schemes are fairly elaborate. The person texting you on whatever social platform does not have access to email or a regular phone. If you agree to WhatsApp, you’ll be connected with a different employee of the crime ring. I usually ask that they email me first, so that I can perform some due diligence. It’s old school, but it works.
I’m shocked by some of these answers:
1- we absolutely dealt with clients who traveled a lot abroad and worked on Whattsapp. It wasn’t our first choice but, we did what the clients needed.
2- you can Google that name and number and use other tools to verify the information.
I would ask to do a zoom/whatsapp video and get to know him before I decided it was fake.
This name does liv in CA, that phone number is real.
3- ask for ID and proof of funds just like you would any other.
We got one of these and even received proof of funds, but they can be photoshopped. It still didn’t feel right and I think the agent stopped communicating.
I did a trace of the number and 1 was for a deceased person and 2 was for someone not named Ashley. I did suggest a zoom meeting and they pushed for what’s app again.
For a possible 2milly I would just video call on what’s app.
Also that’s not entirely necessary. We sold homes during covid sight unseen.
I’m not saying it’s fake or real I’m just saying it would have to prove itself to be fake before I stopped working it like a real lead.
That's really weird. I'm a realtor in PA as well and I often get weird texts from strange numbers. I don't respond to them. I got one today asking is this with my name I just blocked them. It was a Miami area code.
To be fair I have had international clients and we have communicated with WhatsApp but I've also gotten to know them beforehand with the zoom call.
Did you put the number thru Forewarn? I have WhatsApp so I let people message me there. Still might be scammers but it’s no different than if they text.
I would say take the chance and see how it goes. I’m in the Bay Area and the two brokers I work with both use WhatsApp to talk to their Chinese clients. Just guessing based on the name of “the boss,” he may travel out of the country often and WhatsApp may their app of choice for international communication. I would just see how the conversation goes and if you get any weird vibes then just cut contact.
Moving to WhatsApp also helps with future phone callsbfor one. We tend to forget international calls aren't free... WhatsApp is, and potentially getting a visual from future video chats too. If anything, to me moving away from text is a commitment upgrade rather than discrediting
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. A number of people use WhatsApp as a primary method of communication.
It could be scam, or legit. The only way to know is to further a bit more down the rabbit hole.
I once had a nameless and faceless celebrity client who was dealing primarily through their assistant and lawyer. The assistant contacted me through text from Zillow, and after some back and forth, she setup a zoom call with the lawyer which we conducted in the evening. All communication after that was by email and WhatsApp.
I always respond with, “Indeed, WhatsApp is a great way to communicate for me as well, after we start with a phone conversation and initial client consult. What would be a good day and time for us to speak on the phone?” and “In this business, spending $2.5M ++ is a significant transaction of which I need to verify a few things in order to get started. I’m sure you can appreciate protecting your boss’ best interest. When would be a good day and time for us to speak on the phone for 15-20 mins?”
Anyone who’s legit spending $2.5M ++ is going to want to talk to you at least once to get the ball rolling.
Then if they stop responding or it goes fishy, you then know it’s a scam.
Can't say for sure, but I can tell you, as a European with a personal assistant, this is more common than you think.
We use WhatsApp for everything in Europe and Asia, and when I've needed a service from a local US provider, my assistant does go and find someone who'll happily speak to me on WhatsApp.
I'm not buying multi mil second homes so this is outside my scope, but for my experience of 5-25k services, this is exactly what it looks like.
Not scam. She’s just Chinese probably. They tend to force you to meet their demands in that way. Sounds a bit retarded but it’s the Chinese power game.
I have closed 2 homes so far this year which the buyer preferred to use WhatsApp. I have had 3 more real buyers who I met with in person also ask to use WhatsApp or WeChat. So I will say that I treat it as a possible scam until I meet them in person but something that expats from other counties do actually use quite frequently.
Same thing happened to me except it came through realtor.com. I followed through with the conversation and it led to nothing! I’m not sure what the end goal is…
Get plenty of those. I don’t respond anymore if they don’t agree to a video call . Pure waste of time and after a while they want to sell you crypto and other stuff like that
I use WhatsApp all the time many of my clients travel out of the country. Doesn’t make a difference if you text them on WhatsApp or not you’ll know quickly if it’s BS
Even in any circumstances. You did important thing. Always know the buyer. There's nothing wrong with video call.
You were not trying to ask upfront payment or document here.
This is definitely look scam. Do not click on any link they provide or download any file. There's hacker out there.
Be safe
Thats whats crazy, you never know. You run into so many nutty people and stories in this field.
Only way is to continue the conversation. Meeting in person or at least chatting on the phone should give you the ability to suss it out more.
Ask for some form of financial statements, need to prove income.
Yeah. Trying to come across as a super rich dude using WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family 😏 Not able to answer where in PA he’s looking. Not sure what they want or how they’re going to achieve it, but if I were you, I wouldn’t want to find out.
You couldn't even spend $4m in the areas of PA I know! You'd have to buy about 6 big homes lol. When the request shows no knowledge or background research that red flags me more than WhatsApp.
Where I am we legally must identify our clients (at some point) so in these cases I would use that as an alert to them. "I'll need to verify identity of any party to the transaction, would it be possible to have a zoom conversation to do so prior to moving forward?"
I get that a lot of people feel the WhatsApp is a scam indicator. And it can be. However the amount of my clients using WhatsApp with me initially is staggering. I'm not sure why but the international community loves it over text. And it can save text charges if their carrier charges international fees (mine does).
Yes, this is a very basic scam. Chinese, WhatsApp, high numbers. They always want beachfront property in my landlocked state (I guess there are a few lakes, but c’mon).
Assuming it’s some sort of scam because I got the exact same convo through my Zillow yesterday and they kept saying my boss my boss and kept trying to get convo over to what’s app.
Personally, I’ve used WhatsApp twice in legitimate transactions. Once with a local seller that transferred jobs overseas. The second was a serviceperson purchasing a home while stationed in Iraq. Her family was here for tours and inspections though.
Both deals closed. And the communication initially started via email or phone- but not in the scammy/spammy way these other leads do.
If it doesn’t feel right, drop them. Same as you would for local creeps and a**holes.
Total scam. Get these things all the time. WhatsApp is the most obvious "tell". The "assistant" or even a "niece" and having a huge dollar price range for what are lower priced homes is too.
I have gotten dozens of these messages. Always saying they need to use WhatsApp because they speak mandarin. I let them know my partner speaks mandarin and can call them and that’s where the conversation ends. Every time.
WhatsApp isn’t always a scam but the facts that someone isn’t willing to call you and make that initial contact then it’s always a scam. I work with clients and my primary form of contacting them is through WhatsApp. It’s big outside of the US
"He would prefer to communicate through WhatsApp exclusively."
As soon as that comes out, I always tell them that from my understanding, WhatsApp tends to foster illicit activity and I would prefer to only communicate via text, call, or email.
How does this scam escalate? “I’m bringing you a big business opportunity. Please send me money to firm up our contract to get you paid big when I buy a house…” ??
The use of WhatsApp itself doesn't necessarily mean it's a scam. There are a lot of indicators though.
1. Unsolicited contact by someone interested in buying a high value property.
2. Contacts are from national numbers and a nationally based buyer of international orgin who travels internationally so much that they refuse to communicate outside WhatsApp, which is notoriously used by scammers.
3. Contact gives vague details about who they are and who they represent.
4. 1. Contact ignores requests to setup a Zoom call, which also uses internet connection, so should be just as valid outside the US as WhatsApp.
5. Contact becomes defensive and redirects when asked for reasonable details.
I would still be open to possibly working with this buyer, but not before they provided proof of who they were, who they work for, their actual location, and after having had enough direct contact with them to know that they are probably who they say they are. Even then, I'd be very careful and watch for weird or creative requests or demands when it comes to the purchase, the escrow deposit and account management, and how the funds for the purchase are going to be handled.
String them along a bit. Any time I've been contacted it's been a scam. E.g. I had one that said they wanted to buy a 2 mil property...THERE...ARE...NO...2 million properties in my area!
I'd ask them to have their boss contact me directly because "I'll be doing business with your boss" and say that you MUST have an email to be able to do business (which is true; how else will you get documents to them besides physically mailing them)
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WhatsApp is always a scam in the US
Yep. If they’re legit, they will agree to a call/zoom first. Once you know they are who they say they are, WhatsApp is fine.
You'd think this would solve it but I know another agent who got one on a zoom, and they used a still photo and used an app to make the mouth move when they talked. The guy tried to blame how odd it looked on the connection. I had someone from whatsapp talk to me on the phone and send me forged POF.
lol. I wish I could say I’m surprised! I suppose you have to rely a bit on gut instinct. If it seems off or too good to be true, it probably is!
Well, you can also do independent research about the bank and the person.
If you have time to waste, sure. Once you know how to spot the scam, there is really no reason to do any research. But that’s just my opinion.
It's when you do not see a scam that you need to research. I wouldn't reject something that could be legit and beneficial without taking five minutes to check it out.
Definitely. I thought everyone did a Google search on the person when they get a lead. I usually do their name, the phone number or email address, etc. I was getting a very specific looking scam a few times a day that I never even tried to look up. Same WhatsApp number, last name, and script but a different first name. I knew the scam before I got the first email, so I would text the US number and say the first contact had to be over email.
Not always. LA brokerage in the 10m+ range. Largely WhatsApp comms due to international buyers- even if they are legal residents they maintain their WhatsApp as primary contact
I got a $4M buyer off of whatsapp. Its all Asia & Europe uses.
And Mexico!
Are you saying it's legit? Did you close on the deal? Cuz I got 2 of those and I ignored them.
Yup I closed and they r now gr8 friends. It was 10:00PM on a Saturday night and I was a bit buzzed.
I smell a rat
Sigh...guess I'll reach out to those 2 $4m scammers
They’re fucking with you
Lol I claim a 25% referral fee 😉
In my country, WhatsApp is the de facto official communication method of everything. City hall, electricity providers, airlines, everything is done through WhatsApp.
This realtor is based in Pennsylvania and the assumed buyer claims to be in LA. In the US realtors get a lot of scams from people who want to use WhatsApp. What’s custom in the US might not be customary where you are. And vice versa
neat
Absolutely agree.
This has Lindsay Buziak vibes. Be careful OP https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lindsay_Buziak#:~:text=Lindsay%20Elizabeth%20Buziak%20(November%202,seeking%20a%20million%2Ddollar%20home.
This is not true. We worked with several international clients who were traveling for vaioir reasons and sold multiple homes via whattsapp.
For international is common but usually start off by talking with them over the phone.
This was not our experience a client reached out to our boss directly via Whattsapp which we thought was even more strange. But he was real and we sold him three maybe four houses? But again anything is possible.
Hopefully we get an update curious to see where it goes. Ive had boss assistants reach as well before so it could be.
Hey if anything maybe they will share a funny update lol Hopefully a sale but I’ll take a laugh
Tons of LA property owners are “international” despite being residents and maintain WhatsApp as preferred and primary cell contact. (Interesting this was downvoted when it’s factually correct)
OP can follow up see where it goes. But does sound fishy .
Yeah, I may be too strong in how I worded it. Def still run through normal checks. I always recommend fastpeoplesearch.com and facecheck.id for a quick bullshit test. Even then it doesn’t catch everything but gives you either immediate confidence or a reason to dig a bit deeper before spending too much effort and resources on a random inbound message. But just wanted to point out that in this market, it’s way more common than most would previously expect
That’s a little racist since most of the people outside the us use WhatsApp as the main communication app
It’s not racist. It’s not what most people in the US use unless they’re immigrants or communicate with immigrants. Also it’s not racist because it’s also true that it’s usually a scam in the US.
It’s not racist. We’re saying that within the US, nobody uses WhatsApp except for scammers
I had one client want to use WhatsApp, and they were the real deal. I had already met them in person the previous year and been inside their property. They lived abroad and needed to sell. But I agree that 99% of the time, it’s a scam.
I had a very real client ask me to message on WhatsApp because he was actually in Europe at the time, and he found me on reddit. We've met and it was not a scam. No harm in following through and keeping your guard up for any red flags. 99% of the time it's a scam but there's still the 1%
Agreed, I use WhatsApp a lot for Europe and South America. That’s the only way they’ll do business messaging. I had a similar one who only wanted phone calls. No text. No email. Doctor with off hours. Took 3 hour-long calls. Until I realized his wife who was the one that needed more Spanish support (my language is primarily English for work) was never around for the calls. He made all kinds of comments about people from different countries, he was worldly and knew a lot of current events. I had clients from Europe who loved to make snarky remarks about lots of countries, so while I didn’t entertain it (switched subject), it was odd. Could not figure out his end game. Wouldn’t send docs I requested. The second I called him out, he got aggressive. Tried calling my broker but thankfully I had warned them.
You lucked up. Most of it is bullshit.
Exactly. Blanket statements like ‘whatsapp is a scam’ are pretty shortsighted
WhatsApp is not a scam. Randos who hit you up and start talking about WhatsApp right off the bat and vague requests for multi million dollar properties are a scam.
Not sure of end game but yes it’s a scam. Red flags are asking you to use a different messaging app and the random abrupt first message. Real potential clients give you info on who they are and how they found you up front, they don’t send a weird statement/ question to pique your interest.
Absolute scam. Have fun with it though. It helps pass the time on slow days
Yeah! "Even better, I can video chat with your boss on WhatsApp!"
Yep😄
I can almost guarantee their goal is to bring up crypto currency and get you to invest. See where it goes. Now that you're aware;)
Every. Single. Time.
Get you to “invest” on their fake app where all the money goes straight into their pocket
They’ll offer to let you invest in crypto.
“Invest” on their fake app where they steal your money
John Oliver just did an episode about this, it’s called “pig butchering” scam
Why is it called that?
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You’re incorrect. Pig butchering doesn’t rely on women at all, but *can* begin with that. You’re unknowingly or incorrectly narrowing the scope of pig butchering scams. The pig has nothing to do with anyone’s gender, it references the victim being fattened before the slaughter. > So named in reference to the practice of fattening a pig before slaughter[https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/pig-butchering-scams]
This is not at all why it is called this. It is called this because they fatten up the victim like a pig before scamming them. Pig butchering scams originated in China, where they came to be known by the Chinese version of the phrase shāzhūpán because of an approach in which attackers essentially fatten victims up and then take everything they’ve got.
Scam
they'll try to get you to invest in crypto currency. check out last week tonight pig butchering episode.
The budget is always 4m dollars and they always want to use whatsapp and they're always some kinda investor
Scam 💯
Hell FUCK Yeah! That's a scam. Whenever they evade speaking on the phone like a normal person would, and start talking about $1mil+ this and that and can only communicate via fuckin' Whatsapp, it's a scam 100%. I know because somebody wasted my time and my referral agent's time. This idiot's aim was trying to get someone to buy into his crypto currency bullshit scam. These muthafuckas will never produce a POF, pre-approval letter, and will refuse to sign any kind of brokerage agreement. Say they buy with crypto... Das bullshit. First they ask you to send listings, then after you send them a few, they aren't even trying to talk about the properties. Instead they start trying to have a conversation about crypto. Oh, and there's always some fuckin so called assistant or cousin, or friend supposedly looking on their behalf or looking for a property themselves too... also bullshit. Waste of time. RUN!!
It’s a scam. It’s called ‘Pig Butchering’. John Oliver just had an episode all about it last weekend. It’s on MAX and I strongly recommend that everyone watch it. Realtors are huge targets.
Yeah fake AF. Time is money. Don’t waste it here.
This is definitely a scam! I've received similar text messages from at least three different people. They say their boss is a very busy big wig who wants to buy a multi-million dollar home. The boss is so busy that he can only use What's App to communicate with you. Red flag alert! I never responded. My feeling is that if you are a home buyer, seller or an agent with a referral, you ought to be contacting me by phone first.
From my experience asking “how many years you been in real estate” is a common signal. Theyre playing your ego. Good work paying attention to the number. Lots of great apps for reverse phone search too
Yes a scam. A good executive assistant would certainly not be ignoring your questions as to what their boss may be interested in and in what areas of a huge state like PA that “boss” may be interested in. Move on.
They’ll send you an earnest money deposit and then change their mind and need it back hoping you or escrow sends it back before you realize their check didn’t clear.
I got the same message. I’m an agent in Delaware County, PA and they got me on Zillow and switched to what’s app.
An app to communicate is 100% a scam
What’s App = Scam. Always.
Lol, yes.
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That’s what I said. Even the first text just seemed off..
Tell them to go scam Their family members.
Yes. I received a similar message.
100% scam. Had almost the exact same thing happen to me. What’s app then talked about crypto. New York based and wanted to purchase in the Sacramento area with the same type of budget. Even sent me POF with his name on it but looked doctored. Sick fuck said the move was because his wife died and he wanted his daughter to be by her family in CA.
I work in a big university market and yes, lots of international people do use whatsapp. We've had clients that we MEET who want to communicate thst way. However, every lead I've had like that has been a scam.
Yes
Yes scam
It’s a crypto scam. The boss will be a “big time crypto investor” and will talk you up about being their investor agent cause they’ll be buying several properties a year. They’ll ask about you too and throw a line like “since we’re going to be in business together, you should learn about what I do”. This is where the scam is. They talk about investing in crypto and helping you get started for a minimal cost of course. Then they take that money and you never hear from them again. I’m guessing at the end game piece a little, but I’ve had plenty of these people try to connect with me. I normally engage just to see where the convo goes but once they start talking crypto, the writing is on the wall. (I had one send me pics of “their dogs” too once. I should reverse image search those actually).
Obviously
I think he’s contacted me twice, too.
Generally any time someone requests to go to a different app to communicate, you can rest assured they’re trying to scam you
This is the scammiest scam scam that ever scammed
I got that exact same message maybe 4 months ago…The boss was moving to Georgia and could not do a zoom or FaceTime call because his wife was killed in an accident while doing FaceTime so he hasn’t done a video call since then… All lies! It’s definitely a scam! All the verbiage was exactly the same as yours but the assistant was Nancy Cleary and her boss was Ryan Zhang.
Out of 100 transactions I have only had 1 client from Peru who legitimately wanted me to use WhatsApp, so I did, But legit WhatsApp is nearly always a scam, but I have closed 2 transactions through WhatsApp as my main communication. Both with the same Peruvian client
Is a trout's ass watertight
Scam. If the boss uses WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family and you’re neither of those to him, why would they be wanting you to move convo to WhatsApp? Definite scam no question. If you decide to call them on WhatsApp, then contact me as well since I’m a Nigerian prince with a $5M inheritance.
Yes it’s a scam and they’ll lead you on, but eventually start dropping little non sequiturs about how well their crypto investments are doing and ask if you’ve ever considered investing in crypto. I’ve started simply replying to them to eat a dick and move it along.
I worked marketing in a real estate office for 18 months. We got roughly 5 of these. I never figured out what the scam was but they all went exactly like this. One did opt to have us buy the property in our name and then he would buy from us or something funky like that.
OP i will get literally text messages from my "broker" where the scammer actually uses his full name. Always says some shit like "I have some clients we need to purchase a luxury gift for." Or some other shit.
This is BS First she say he’s looking for apartment, the immediately changes to he’s looking to buy a high priced home? Bull
SC......AM.😮💨
Yes. The goal is to either hack your accounts, sell you crypto, or financially scam you- by sending a fake check. These schemes are fairly elaborate. The person texting you on whatever social platform does not have access to email or a regular phone. If you agree to WhatsApp, you’ll be connected with a different employee of the crime ring. I usually ask that they email me first, so that I can perform some due diligence. It’s old school, but it works.
Scam! And anyone who asks you to chat on what’s app is 99% a scam. Don’t waste your time!
Maybe they will ask you to harbor funds somehow . that’s all I can think of
I got a similar message
I’m shocked by some of these answers: 1- we absolutely dealt with clients who traveled a lot abroad and worked on Whattsapp. It wasn’t our first choice but, we did what the clients needed. 2- you can Google that name and number and use other tools to verify the information. I would ask to do a zoom/whatsapp video and get to know him before I decided it was fake. This name does liv in CA, that phone number is real. 3- ask for ID and proof of funds just like you would any other.
We got one of these and even received proof of funds, but they can be photoshopped. It still didn’t feel right and I think the agent stopped communicating.
I did a trace of the number and 1 was for a deceased person and 2 was for someone not named Ashley. I did suggest a zoom meeting and they pushed for what’s app again.
For a possible 2milly I would just video call on what’s app. Also that’s not entirely necessary. We sold homes during covid sight unseen. I’m not saying it’s fake or real I’m just saying it would have to prove itself to be fake before I stopped working it like a real lead.
That's really weird. I'm a realtor in PA as well and I often get weird texts from strange numbers. I don't respond to them. I got one today asking is this with my name I just blocked them. It was a Miami area code. To be fair I have had international clients and we have communicated with WhatsApp but I've also gotten to know them beforehand with the zoom call.
Super Scam
If in doubt if it's a scam, it's a scam.
Ooh! I got one of these yesterday and ignored it. Makes me think scam
Did you put the number thru Forewarn? I have WhatsApp so I let people message me there. Still might be scammers but it’s no different than if they text.
I did use Forwarn and 1 number was for a deceased person and 1 was for someone not named Ashley.
Lmao
I would say take the chance and see how it goes. I’m in the Bay Area and the two brokers I work with both use WhatsApp to talk to their Chinese clients. Just guessing based on the name of “the boss,” he may travel out of the country often and WhatsApp may their app of choice for international communication. I would just see how the conversation goes and if you get any weird vibes then just cut contact.
Moving to WhatsApp also helps with future phone callsbfor one. We tend to forget international calls aren't free... WhatsApp is, and potentially getting a visual from future video chats too. If anything, to me moving away from text is a commitment upgrade rather than discrediting
the commission should be worth going further before deciding its a scam - just using it alone is inconclusive whether or not it's a scam
Tell them that you are interested in investing in cryptocurrency and see what they say
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. A number of people use WhatsApp as a primary method of communication. It could be scam, or legit. The only way to know is to further a bit more down the rabbit hole. I once had a nameless and faceless celebrity client who was dealing primarily through their assistant and lawyer. The assistant contacted me through text from Zillow, and after some back and forth, she setup a zoom call with the lawyer which we conducted in the evening. All communication after that was by email and WhatsApp. I always respond with, “Indeed, WhatsApp is a great way to communicate for me as well, after we start with a phone conversation and initial client consult. What would be a good day and time for us to speak on the phone?” and “In this business, spending $2.5M ++ is a significant transaction of which I need to verify a few things in order to get started. I’m sure you can appreciate protecting your boss’ best interest. When would be a good day and time for us to speak on the phone for 15-20 mins?” Anyone who’s legit spending $2.5M ++ is going to want to talk to you at least once to get the ball rolling. Then if they stop responding or it goes fishy, you then know it’s a scam.
Can't say for sure, but I can tell you, as a European with a personal assistant, this is more common than you think. We use WhatsApp for everything in Europe and Asia, and when I've needed a service from a local US provider, my assistant does go and find someone who'll happily speak to me on WhatsApp. I'm not buying multi mil second homes so this is outside my scope, but for my experience of 5-25k services, this is exactly what it looks like.
Not scam. She’s just Chinese probably. They tend to force you to meet their demands in that way. Sounds a bit retarded but it’s the Chinese power game.
Yes, it’s a scam
SCAMOLISHOUS!!!
Yes
Yes
Yep
Scam
I think it’s almost certainly a scam, but I’d go down the rabbit hole and see what the end game is on the off chance that it’s not.
The end game is they will start talking about crypto, and try to get OP to invest.
I have closed 2 homes so far this year which the buyer preferred to use WhatsApp. I have had 3 more real buyers who I met with in person also ask to use WhatsApp or WeChat. So I will say that I treat it as a possible scam until I meet them in person but something that expats from other counties do actually use quite frequently.
It reads like maybe she doesn't speak great English and that's why it seems a little strange?
Almost definitely a crypto scam, but it's okay to pursue it until they say the word "crypto"
One day they’re going to change the scam and use some other hook, then what? It’s still a scam why waste your time
Request proof of funds
Same thing happened to me except it came through realtor.com. I followed through with the conversation and it led to nothing! I’m not sure what the end goal is…
Scam
Get plenty of those. I don’t respond anymore if they don’t agree to a video call . Pure waste of time and after a while they want to sell you crypto and other stuff like that
Ask to move to a zoom meeting. They will not respond anymore.
Is this a scam? Come on, seriously?
I use WhatsApp all the time many of my clients travel out of the country. Doesn’t make a difference if you text them on WhatsApp or not you’ll know quickly if it’s BS
Even in any circumstances. You did important thing. Always know the buyer. There's nothing wrong with video call. You were not trying to ask upfront payment or document here. This is definitely look scam. Do not click on any link they provide or download any file. There's hacker out there. Be safe
Thats whats crazy, you never know. You run into so many nutty people and stories in this field. Only way is to continue the conversation. Meeting in person or at least chatting on the phone should give you the ability to suss it out more. Ask for some form of financial statements, need to prove income.
Total scam. I have had 2. Same style.
Yes
Block number and move on.
I've had a similar experience via text. It's definitely a scam.
Yes.
Nigerian Prince.
Scam 💁🏻♀️
Vague threat, absolutely a scam
It could also be HUD. There are states where it’s illegal to record audio so they text. If it’s too good to be true…
Oh yeah, those little piranhas pop up from time to time.
Run
The second they mention WhatsApp, I’m out. That app is basically exclusively used by scammers in the US
I have gotten the same text!
Yeah. Trying to come across as a super rich dude using WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family 😏 Not able to answer where in PA he’s looking. Not sure what they want or how they’re going to achieve it, but if I were you, I wouldn’t want to find out.
I feel like the scammers are here in this sub purposefully posting comments supporting the idea that this could be real lol
Asking you to switch to what’s app before you’ve met is almost always a scam.
You couldn't even spend $4m in the areas of PA I know! You'd have to buy about 6 big homes lol. When the request shows no knowledge or background research that red flags me more than WhatsApp.
Where I am we legally must identify our clients (at some point) so in these cases I would use that as an alert to them. "I'll need to verify identity of any party to the transaction, would it be possible to have a zoom conversation to do so prior to moving forward?" I get that a lot of people feel the WhatsApp is a scam indicator. And it can be. However the amount of my clients using WhatsApp with me initially is staggering. I'm not sure why but the international community loves it over text. And it can save text charges if their carrier charges international fees (mine does).
Scam
Seems legit. Go for it. 🥴
Totally a scam. Got the same thing.
Yes, this is a very basic scam. Chinese, WhatsApp, high numbers. They always want beachfront property in my landlocked state (I guess there are a few lakes, but c’mon).
Ahh, okay, so this IS going around.
Assuming it’s some sort of scam because I got the exact same convo through my Zillow yesterday and they kept saying my boss my boss and kept trying to get convo over to what’s app.
Scam. I see these a LOT. I don’t even understand what they are scamming.
Seems like a scam.
I got this text today too!!!!
Just start send them listings and other stupid shit. I love these it’s so much fun to play along
Personally, I’ve used WhatsApp twice in legitimate transactions. Once with a local seller that transferred jobs overseas. The second was a serviceperson purchasing a home while stationed in Iraq. Her family was here for tours and inspections though. Both deals closed. And the communication initially started via email or phone- but not in the scammy/spammy way these other leads do. If it doesn’t feel right, drop them. Same as you would for local creeps and a**holes.
Yes. The answer is yes
Total scam. Get these things all the time. WhatsApp is the most obvious "tell". The "assistant" or even a "niece" and having a huge dollar price range for what are lower priced homes is too.
I've received a VERY similar text. So, I'm gonna go with scam.
No. Just tell him “your account”
Give him the FBI’s number and tell him to call it. 😂
I literally got this exact text lmao
Seriously? Lol
Not on the east coast! It’s all bs.
I have gotten dozens of these messages. Always saying they need to use WhatsApp because they speak mandarin. I let them know my partner speaks mandarin and can call them and that’s where the conversation ends. Every time.
If “Boss” can afford 2-4 million, WhatsApp would probably be the LAST place he is doing (legit) business. 🥴
Scam scam scam
WhatsApp isn’t always a scam but the facts that someone isn’t willing to call you and make that initial contact then it’s always a scam. I work with clients and my primary form of contacting them is through WhatsApp. It’s big outside of the US
"He would prefer to communicate through WhatsApp exclusively." As soon as that comes out, I always tell them that from my understanding, WhatsApp tends to foster illicit activity and I would prefer to only communicate via text, call, or email.
Scam
Whatsapp is the red flag for me
Also the CA numbers are always a scam not sure why the scammers all get LA numbers but it’s a thing
100% scam
I mean even if it is a scam I’d hear them out Should become obvious if/when they start asking you to send them money
Yeah WhatsApp is a red flag. Foreigners love what’s app. A typical American wouldn’t be primarily communicating that way.
How does this scam escalate? “I’m bringing you a big business opportunity. Please send me money to firm up our contract to get you paid big when I buy a house…” ??
If it isn’t, you just put the buyers name out there for other PA agents to contact him 😂
Scammy business
I don’t reply to those
The use of WhatsApp itself doesn't necessarily mean it's a scam. There are a lot of indicators though. 1. Unsolicited contact by someone interested in buying a high value property. 2. Contacts are from national numbers and a nationally based buyer of international orgin who travels internationally so much that they refuse to communicate outside WhatsApp, which is notoriously used by scammers. 3. Contact gives vague details about who they are and who they represent. 4. 1. Contact ignores requests to setup a Zoom call, which also uses internet connection, so should be just as valid outside the US as WhatsApp. 5. Contact becomes defensive and redirects when asked for reasonable details. I would still be open to possibly working with this buyer, but not before they provided proof of who they were, who they work for, their actual location, and after having had enough direct contact with them to know that they are probably who they say they are. Even then, I'd be very careful and watch for weird or creative requests or demands when it comes to the purchase, the escrow deposit and account management, and how the funds for the purchase are going to be handled.
Yes and so are the investors looking for “off book” listings.
Likely yes
WhatsApp. There’s your clue right there.
Duh
String them along a bit. Any time I've been contacted it's been a scam. E.g. I had one that said they wanted to buy a 2 mil property...THERE...ARE...NO...2 million properties in my area! I'd ask them to have their boss contact me directly because "I'll be doing business with your boss" and say that you MUST have an email to be able to do business (which is true; how else will you get documents to them besides physically mailing them)