I fell for the deception of housevalues.com. Quality leads for Real Estate agents. I caught on very quickly. After being hounded by a cold calling sales rep, who was told to stop calling and didn't, I checked them out. It sounded good. 3 guaranteed quality leads a month in my designated area for less than a monthly mailer. So when he called back again (I knew he would) he pressured me with the old line “hurry we only have 3 leads left in your area and they will be gone and I really should be selling this area”, got snappy when I told him you are pressure selling, said I had no time to think on it, and there was no trial or guarantee because the leads are quality and guaranteed. I accepted and signed on at almost $3000 for 1 year. There was no trial period nor a money back guarantee. I was about to find out why. Coming from the Tech field and involved with software, hardware and using internet auctions for years I am wise to tricks and tactics people use to cover or hide illegal and bogus activities.
Setup took 10 minutes and my account was generated through software which they charge $198 for. Within 1 hour of signing on I had a lead. Here's where it gets good and investigation pays. First red flag! The “lead” wanted a 1500 sq ft detached single family home, 3 bedrooms between $200,000 to $300,000 in areas where median home prices are well over double that. The areas were all outside of the lead area I bought in areas where median prices are $800,000 and up. I sent the listings I found for a few small condos to this lead, who by the time and date stamp had just requested listings.
Red flag number 2. I checked the next day and the listings weren't read so I followed up. Well again no response. I called and guess what? You got it! This number is not in service. I did a people search. Yup, you guessed it, no such person exists. Red flag #3. This is a yahoo.com email account. Anyone can set up hundreds of free email accounts with yahoo and they are especially used by scammers. So any system you are paying for could check to make sure the numbers and emails are genuine before they are sent as a viable lead.
Now the best part. I believe this lead was generated by housevalues.com and the sales person himself possibly in order to keep the commission. My reason? I get a lead in an hour and am only getting 3 leads a month and the lead is bogus. Under the consumer laws in the state of California a consumer has 30 days to cancel any internet sale providing the contract has not been fulfilled. Therefore a lead has come in fulfilling their contract. Amazingly there was an instant lead. Something is fishy here. How do we know where these leads come from? Anyone can setup an free email account and generate info.
Then I research about bogus leads and come up with hundreds of complaints on this company. Hmmmm… interesting. All the same, pressure sales, promises of quality lead generation, then bogus leads with dead numbers, fake email accounts, unverified person and threats of collection agencies and credit damage.
So go ahead and make my day housevalues.com. you hounded me, sold me a bogus product and I will not pay you. Threaten me and I'll see you in court and expose your practice any way I can. By the way the consumer protection law for internet transactions requires this in any contract and must be signed by the consumer: "You are not obligated to pay any money unless you sign this contract and return it to the seller."
Craig
Concord, California
U.S.A.