Beware of Lead Generation Scams

If you are looking for new leads this season, keep your eyes peeled – apparently, there are lead generation scams going on across the United States.

Here’s what we know: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you’re ever second guessing a sale, go with your gut. We’ve compiled a list of tips to help keep you on your toes:

1. Software companies generally won’t contact you first.

If you’re receiving an email from a software company regarding new deals, especially a company you’ve never heard of before, it could be a scam. This could be their way of getting information out of you. Software companies usually won’t go out of their way to contact random people – they typically get their business from interested clients who come to them first. If a software company is contacting you, it may be a red flag.

2. Read each email very carefully.

Some scammers are clever – they have been known to use email addresses or phone numbers that are very similar to credible companies, thus tricking their victims into trusting them. If you’re receiving any email from a real estate software provider, make sure you double check the contact information – chances are, it may be slightly different from what the actual provider’s information is.

3. Don’t send money through PayPal.

Many of these scammers will request money through PayPal since they’re not a real company and therefore do not have a legitimate payment portal set up. If a software company asks for money via PayPal, you should go back and check your sources thoroughly – because more likely than not, you’re walking into a scam. It is also important not to give any sensitive information out either, such as your bank account information or social security number – the vast majority of places won’t need that kind of information, and if you find someone asking you about it, your best course of action would be to report them and run in the opposite direction.