We Buy Land and Homes-Scam Alert

We Buy Land and Homes posters have recently sprung up in the south end of the county--here's what to keep in mind to avoid getting ripped off or worse. In the video below, a lien or 'caveat' against property is shown to be like an expensive 'virus' which must be removed before a sale to a 'real' buyer can be finalized. 
The 'seller' failed to read a 'subject-to' clause in the contract--watch the video.

• An average individual in desperate need of cash may become a target of recent move-in smooth talking 'predators'... who are thrilled to profit from anyone's 'down and out' financial situation.
•  'Equity Skimming' is one of the most common ways used to rip you off -- it starts by the seller transferring the deed to the 'buyer'.
• At times, all the victim needs is a 'short term' loan leaving the original mortgage intact--after you receive a quick 'payment'...you may be notified to make payments to the alleged 'buyer' instead of the mortgage company you were formerly making payments to--the buyer who now has the deed to the property, may rent out the property instead of moving in--and now is getting money from you and the renter.
• The equity in your home can now be used to get 'home equity' loans or other forms of financing--or they can re-sell the property without paying off the outstanding mortgage.
• The scammer ultimately stops making payments on the mortgage, and allows the property to go into foreclosure since they never assumed liability for the mortgage.
• Another version of the scam is the buyer makes a verbal offer for your property and you accept it--a few days later you get a formal written contract--because you believe it is the same offer you agreed to, you simply sign on the dotted line without reading the 'fine print'--eventually you discover that the written contract is not the same as the verbal agreement--now you are entangled in a legal battle for months or years.
• There are several other ways 'fly by night' scammers use to cheat victims--a scammer in 2008 posed as an heir to a fortune and even convinced some area cops to 'retire' because he had promised them high paying security guard jobs--as it turned out, the 'smooth talking' drifter was a prison escapee from Michigan...who had used several 'promise to purchase' land agreements during a cross-country escapade, until he was finally captured in Arizona.

"Badge Bunnies" Target Cops and Firefighters

One of the most important duties of a training officer is to remind new recruits that engaging in certain activities can cost them their careers.

Former Tellico Plains Police Chief Arlie French (R.I.P) was clear in his warning: 'aberrant behavior can get your badge.'
He actually said "your badge can get you P_ _ _ _ but P_ _ _ _ can get your badge."

The badge bunny waitress in this picture caused a Texas trooper to get fired, after letting her sit on the patrol car while holding his assault rifle.

A Bronx fire station was known as "Animal House" because of its wild sex parties--the regular escapades caused two members to get suspended and fourteen others to get 're-assigned' after a group party with a known 'fireman groupie.' 
The woman initially told police she had been raped, but later admitted to having consensual sex with four firefighters...she also admitted to having sex with 200 to 300 firefighters since 9/11, and that she had herpes, and suffered from bi-polar disorder.

If you think this will never happen to you, think again--A 'cop groupie' in Chicago described her reasons for playful encounters with cops, she said:

• All the cops were married.
• The 'power' that cops had was a 'turn on' and she believed that the association could buy her favors.
• She also had a strange fascination with guns as 'sex objects.'
• New encounters often occurred at a public park frequented by cops.