Normally, we all recognize scam emails trying to swindle money. Typically, these mass emails claim to be foreign heads-of-state who want to deposit millions of dollars in YOUR bank account. We hit the "delete" button and forget about them. Well, my office was recently targeted for a more sophisticated real estate scam. In this case, it was not just a mass email. The culprit, "Dr. Chang Wong" filled out a detailed property search form that gave us pause:
NameAddress: Dr. Chang Wong
Banshan County, Gongshu Dct, Hangzhou Zhejiang 310022
PriceRange: $500,000.00USD to $900,000.00USD
Comments: Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Dr. Chang Wong The Chief Financial Officer for Cnooc Limited, China. We are currently looking to buy a house in any nice neighborhood for our Retering president of our company.
We are currently looking to buy a four (4) to six bed rooms house with the price ranging from $500,000.00USD to $900,000.00USD and we would want to retain your lawyer in all the process buying the property e.g. documentation and payment. Please if you have properties with similar description please contact me as soon as possible so that we can make arrangement for the payment and all paper work. My client is willing to make a full payment of any choosing property. Please contact me at my email: changwong_cnooclimited@asia.com
I was not sure if this was a fake, so we initially treated the lead as real. One of my team members sent Dr. Wong a list of homes, and he corresponded back by email.
He picked an $850,000 house in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and asked for names of attorneys to represent him. Again, communicating by email, he picked one of the local law firms and wanted to solidify a contract. All along, we were suspicious this might be a scam, but a bit optimistic. Dr. Wong could be an international jet-setter that just buys homes without viewing them, right?
The next clue that Dr. Wong might be a scam-artist came was undeniable. Read his email:
BUYER AND SELLER AGREE TO DEPOSIT $300,000.00 AGAINST THE PROPERTY, CHECK TO BE SENT BY STOCKBROKER. BUYER WILL ADD ADDITIONAL $200,000.00 TOTAL $500,000.00 THIS MONEY WILL BE USE TO BUY A NEW APPLIANCES FOR THE PROPERTY, ALL THE MONEYS IN THE LAWYER COMPANY'S TRUST ACCOUNT BUYER AND SELLER AGREE TO ALLOW THE LAWYERS TO DISPERSE MONEYS AT THE BUYERS REQUEST; A MINIMUM OF $300,000.00 MUST STAY IN THE LAWYERS COMPANY TRUST ACCOUNT UNTIL SAID TRANSACTION CLOSES. BUYER HERE BY REMOVE ANY ALL CONTINGENCIES ON SAID PURCHASE AGREEMENT
$500,000 for new appliances, Dr. Wong? With a "check" from your stockbroker, not wired funds? That some "bank" will verify as authentic? OK, hold on! Dr. Wong, appliances might only cost $10,000! Were you thinking the excess $490,000 would be wired back to you in REAL AMERICAN DOLLARS. BUSTED!!
The local attorney contacted the FBI, and we learned that Dr. Wong is really in Nigeria (where else?). Further, there is nothing the FBI can do, since it is practically untraceable and overseas.
So, be warned. I have since found Dr. Wong on other real estate sites, filling out forms and making inquiries. Don't be the one who sells him a house.
It's Wendy!
Wendy Rulnick, Broker, CRP, CRS, GRI, ABR Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Destin Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure Help.
Read Wendy's Destin Real Estate Blog
Call toll-free 1-877-ITS-WNDY (1-877-487-9639) or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com
Wendy is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner,to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County- Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field.
Wendy - I haven't seen this specific scam before. There were a number of flags before you even sent your first e-mail. Dr Wong stated that he/she is the CFO of a company and the retiring president wanted to buy a house. However, a paragraph later, Dr Wong made reference to "my client". Right there, it doesn't make any sense.
When we get these we hit -"delete" -- they are hitting everyone.
Wendy--it is amazing how lucky I am to have won the UK Lottery (6 or more times), the Irish Sweepstakes, etc. You get the idea!! But not once has the governor drawn my ticket for the Florida Lottery, now is that bad luck or what!!
On the serious side thanks for the update, I will be on the outlook for Dr Wong.
Just think of the possibilities if these people put that thought and creativity into something legal!!
Marc - I was thinking it was a translation issue, but I see what you noticed. Also, we verified CNOOK is indeed a huge Chinese corporation. And the fact that Dr. Wong is not listed as their CFO!!
Bob & Carolin - We'll be on the lookout for future emails similar to this, and hit DELETE!
Jimmy - The scary part is, these scammers are successful, or they wouldn't be doing it!
Laura - Your're right - all the research time they take!
Hi Wendy... as with many things in life, as we get smart enough to detect fraud and dishonesty, criminals become wise too and change the scam. It's a viscious circle. Caveat Emptor!
Truly amazing. I consider myself pretty smart but somehow I would never think of these things. At some level, I guess I respect their being smart enough to come up with these things and also despise them for their dishonesty. the world is a dangerous place sometimes.
Wendy -
How do you KNOW he's a fraud? China practically owns Nigeria. :-)))
Wendy, good catch. For those unaware, you can also try snopes.com to search for scams and urban legends.
We hope for you this very week that the "Real Dr. Wong" is Wite..Right and makes a huge cash purchase to retire in Florida happily ever after.
Steve - These guys are getting smarter and smarter.
Guy - The world is scary and there are victims who are being bilked as we speak.
Jim Hale - That is hysterical!
Gabe - Thank you for the hint!
Sally & David - We wook fowood to wit.
We just got one from an Oncologist in England who has an inspector who he needs to pay so he wants to wire his money for the inspector to our account so we can pay his inspector on a 2.4 million dollar listing we have, YEAH RIGHT! Bet he is from Nigeria too! It seems there is no enforcement of anti fraud laws there.
There was a great blog post about a week or so ago called paging Dr. Bonda (or something like that) here on AR. The scam goes as far as to say that the Dr. was detained at the airport on his way to see you (Ms. Realtor) and he just wants to wire you his cash and then he will be there. Could I please have your account number so that I could wire you this cash . . .need I say more.
I just got the same scam email here in AZ. The name was different but when I googled the address he signed in on the purchase contract, this blog came up... I knew it was too good to be true!!!
I will be anxiously awaiting his next email!!!! Account # ready to give him and all!
Got the same Email and made An offer here in vegas on a property now the problem is Mr. Lee Chang a scam wants to send a check and his broker will only write a check. Mr Chang didnt Know here in vegas escrow will not take any checks outside the us told him he needed to wire the money and since than I haven't heard from him so guys be warn of this guy he is a scam artist. watch out for this email leechangl@funcionario.com
Hi Kelly - Glad my post helped you get onto him!! It is a pretty good scam, isn't it?
Ryan - Yeah, that's the clue - THE CHECK!!! They do the same as the craigslist scam and want the overrage returned!
Dr. Chang is still hard at working trying to purchase home....I had an e-mail from him today. Thank God for Active Rain and people like you who expose these criminals. If it sounds too good to be true, it is! Period.
And the same scam - different name:
Dear June Stark,
I am Mr. Fukuhara Kazuhiko and i will be retiring soon and I will be relocating to the U.S.A for Good, after searching the Internet for a reliable real estate agent I found your firm and its rating was so high and I have decided to choose your firm to buy my permanent home.
I and my wife have went through your website and i am interested in this property MLS/ID: 1037340 located at 2747 Paradise Road #2401, Las Vegas NV 89109 in the amount of $595,000 and my offering price for the property is $585,000 Please note the property is going to be a cash buy because i have already discuss the purchase issue with my stock broker. Please kindly forward me a purchase contract agreement in docusign electronic way of signing ducoment format,i intend to be in your city in 4 weeks time from now.
Please i await the purchase contract agreement in docusign electronic way of signing ducoment format.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Fukuhara Kazuhiko
0034634035049
fukuhara@asia.com
Sincerely,
Mr.fukuhara Kazuhiko
fukuhara@asia.com
0034634035049
MLS ID: 1037340
$595,000
3 br, 2 ba
Condo
Mr. Wang is now Mr. Keigo. I googled the phone number and found numerous posts.