Did you receive an unsolicited text message claiming to be “We Buy Houses” or another reputable home buyer?
Well, we are here to answer all of your questions about We Buy Houses SPAM! Where it comes from, what it means, and what you should do about it!
Reputable companies do not send mass text messages (it’s illegal). If you receive an unsolicited text messaging claiming “we buy houses”, “sell your house fast!” or “let us make an offer on your house”, you’ve been targeted by a scammer.
While there are many legitimate cash home buyers out there, never respond to an unsolicited phone call or SMS/text message offering to make you a cash offer for your house. You never know who is on the other end, and they often pretend to be reputable companies like WeBuyHouses.com, We Buy Ugly Houses, Fast Home Offer, or others in order to trick you – and have absolutely no association with those companies. They hide behind fake phone numbers and looking for a victim who they can take advantage of.
Reputable companies don’t break the law, they have a phone number published online where you can reach a real person, they have a physical office location you can visit, and they have a website with reviews so you can check them out. If someone “claims” to be associated with a company, always visit that companies website and call the direct number to verify their claims.
How did they get my number?
Real estate scammers will use public property record information to identify home owners who have property they want, and then use online databases to find your phone number or email address. They’ll send sms/email to thousands of people, hoping just a few respond.
How do I identify a we buy houses scam?
- You are contacted out of the blue about your home without any prior communication
- They contact you from a fake phone number (often a local area code/prefix) that doesn’t reach a real business when you call it back
- They don’t have a physical office location that you can visit
- Their website (if they have one) is generic, doesn’t have info on the owners, doesn’t have a real office address, and is a “template” site that looks like thousands of other websites
- They use “Ringless Voicemail” (RVM) to call you and leave a voicemail about buying your house
- They use mass text messaging / SMS to ask if you want to sell your home
- They pretend to be associated with a company (We Buy Houses, Fast Home Offer, 1-800-CashOffer, We Buy Ugly Houses, etc.) but are not actually connected with them in any way.
What Should I do if I get a spam We Buy Houses text message or call?
- If you are on the Do Not Call Registry, report it to the FCC
- Block the phone number to prevent further harassment (although scammers change their numbers often)
- Do your research – go online and contact the company the “say” they represent to see if there’s any association or if it’s a lie to get your trust
- Google search the phone number to see where it appears online – does it lead to a real company, or is it a fake phone number used for marketing / trickery?
As mentioned, there are many trustworthy, reputable home buyers that will legitimately make a cash offer for your home and follow through if you accept the offer. The vast majority of spam text messaging and phone calls are from scam artists hiding behind fake phone numbers, pretending to be well known companies. Be a savvy home seller and always do your research before contacting anyone to sell your house!
