| Nationwide REO Group |
| Nationwide REO Group This company tries to sell you a house that is an empty lot in Detroit Pembroke Pines, Florida |
| 6th of Jun, 2011 by User936082 |
| This company tries to have you buy a house from a bank saying they will help you resell it to a foreign buyer for double the money. Then another person (in another state) will try to sell you more before the first transaction is done. The first property turns out to be an empty lot. |
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This happened to me too!
David Weise called me from the New York office. I bought one home, then I started getting calls from Joe Epstein about selling the 1st property and buying more.Then they "sold" it for me (actually selling it to another of their entities) and putting the money toward 5 more properties.
They were adamant that there are foreign buyers coming in June. After I sent my money in in May Joe Epstein never returned my calls.
They also work under the name Prudential REO Group.
Another guy by the name of Ken Frue tried to get me to buy 2 more properties, to which I said no. (I was feeling suspicious about the 1st ones) This made him very angry and he tried to intimidate me, calling me baby and said I was disrepecting him.
I have been contacted by more people that have been victims of this same scam by the same people.
I will be Tracking this report... |
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| The very same thing happened to me. The names were different such as Shawn Michaels, Chris Hammond, Tom Martin, etc... the one name that is constant between your experience and mine is Joe Epstein. I bought the first property and refused to buy more until the first one sold and the check was in my account. This pissed them off royally but I didn't give in... Then a month went by and Chris Hammond called and said that Shawn Michaels had been fired for "Non Performance" and he was now going to handle my sale. He assured me that he had lots of owners with only one home and he'd get it done.. I got a call back in a week from their man on the ground, the real estate agent name Steven Diamond and said he had on offer on the house. I told them to sell it and he agreed. 3 days later Hammand called back and said the money was in escrow and it should be a done deal. He also had another 3 home deal that was too good to pass up. The story just started over again... now it's been 3 weeks and I can't get anyone to talk with me about what's going on, No sale, No Escrow money, and so on. This is a complete scam and these guys need to go to jail. I know there is an actual real estate agent in Detroit with the name Steven Diamond but I have no way of knowing if it's the same guy. If it is, there certainly must be some law against what they're doing. I would be really interested in talking to anyone else this has happened to. Please contact me on this post and we'll compare notes. I'll check back soon. |
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I'm back again.
They had sales contracts for us to First Trans Global. I had them to some changes to mine and then I signed it.
My first downpayment was due on September 1st.
I have not seen any money yet. They (at Tom Martin's office) keep blaming it on the title company First Metro Real Estate in Detroit. I've called there and haven't really got anywhere.
If anyone has dealt with these guys Stephen Diamond, Joe Epstein, Tom Martin, David Weise, Chris Hammond, Ken Frue, Shawn Michaels please send your info to [email protected]
Again if you want to compare notes send your contact info to [email protected] |
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| I have been ripped off by these guys as well. I have filed a complaint with Florida Attorney General's office. I am in the process of filing a complain with Michigan Attorney general's office and in New York. If any one wants to send more information to facilitate putting these people behind bars, please feel free to send an email to [email protected] |
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| please forward the details of your cases to [email protected], and i will be happy to forward those to the investigator from Florida Attorney General's office. Again let;s help each other put to put an end to this scam!! |
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| Did anyone get a copy of the property deed? |
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| What is the status of the investigation with the attorney general'ls in the three states. Do you think they will be able to make a case against these criminals. Can you please keep us posted. I discovered that they have been using fictitious company's names such as first trans global llc(a Hartford co.), us mortgage specialists llc(a Delaware company), prudential Reo group(New york co); none of which is registered thru the secretary of the state. That by it self is illegal and we can get them for fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering. I also found out that the properties they sold was purchased by them first for $10, $200, $500; then they turn around and make people believe that they are the facilitators between the banks and the investors. They also mentioned that they make money only when they sell the properties to their clients to the foreign hedge funds companies overseas, or locally thru their "cold well banker broker Steve Diamond". Please keep us posted and forward this statement to the investigator handling the case. |
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| I also got ripped off by Joe Epstein on 3 properties in detroit that are worthless.He will not answer any phone calls and says he still trying to sell them. Back taxes, fines and many other problems continue to escalate.Tom Martin is the only one that will take my call and lie to me, telling me their still trying to find investors to buy these properties wen they have no intention of ever selling them.Once you stop sending them money their done with you. It's a total scam. |
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Surprise..surprise..they are not back in business under the name First Metro Real Estate Services LLC. They are affiliated with Continental Reo Group (888-816-1590). These days they are soliciting investors to buy homes in Detroit, Michigan for 10K or so..and then they ( Reo Group) will sell the house "quickly" at auction. where the investor will gain a profit.
Of course after your initial investment you will be hounded to invest more...10k is just the catch.. They apparently have offices in New York and Florida (Boca Raton).
I received several investment/telemarking calls from this operation and they don't have a website.. ( or one that creates any sense of legitimacy).. I believe that one of the salesmen mentioned something about Safe Harbor reality being a parent company? which further clouds the already murkey waters. I would certainly stay clear of this operation. It me some time to find to do due diligence on this outfit and I didn't find much. |
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Surprise..surprise..fraudsters are back in business under the name First Metro Real Estate Services LLC. They are affiliated with Continental Reo Group (888-816-1590). These days they are soliciting investors to buy homes in Detroit, Michigan for 10K or so..and then they ( Reo Group) will sell the house "quickly" at auction. where the investor will gain a profit.
Of course after your initial investment you will be hounded to invest more...10k is just the catch.. They apparently have offices in New York and Florida (Boca Raton).
I received several investment/telemarking calls from this operation and they don't have a website.. ( or one that creates any sense of legitimacy).. I believe that one of the salesmen mentioned something about Safe Harbor reality being a parent company? which further clouds the already murkey waters. I would certainly stay clear of this operation. It me some time to find to do due diligence on this outfit and I didn't find much. |
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The phone number traces to Continental REO Group. They've called me several times over the last 3 weeks. Their pitch is that they represent several small lenders who hold notes on houses in Detroit. I can buy one for $12k and 'their terrific real estate agent Dan Foster has been on fire - getting at least 3 offers on every home with most selling for $25k to $35k.'
They are running a scam. There is no Dan Foster or Daniel Foster with a current Michigan State real estate license. The company they insist you use for escrow is one of their own. The 'small lender', Hartwell Mortgage Group, LLC, supposedly based in Detroit, doesn't exist. The paperwork they send is vague enough and has a ton of caveats that ensure any lawsuits will be tied up for years in court, certainly long enough for the fraudsters to move on before the police catch on. I haven't sent them any money. I've repeatedly asked them to send me a copy of Dan Foster's Michigan State real estate license and for the street address, phone number and contact name of the owner of Hartwell. They promise they'll get those to me right away but, of course, they never do. I haven't sent them any money. If you send them any money, you will lose everything you send them. |
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| I also was misled by joe Epstein and Tom Martin everything that you guys talk about it true. I invested 11k and 1 year later property is worth 3k and property taxes are over 2k. The minute you stop investing they don't return call. I filed a complaint with the FBI in California. |
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My company was totally scammed by Nationwide REO group also. I am out over $100, 000 and I am stuck with 11 worthless properties in Detroit that I cannot even give away to charities. Tom Martin at Nationwide REO out of Aventura, FL suckered me in with one property that I bought for $10, 000 in November 2010 and they immediately sold to one of their other entities (the said they sold it to Japanese investors) for $13, 700 and deposited my part of the “profit” ($2, 960) into my business bank account. Then the famous Joe Epstein (probably a false name) called me and convinced me to invest in a 2nd property (Flint, Michigan) using the original $10, 000 that they still had from my the first property. They claimed they sold this Flint property for $16, 800 but I never saw the signed Quit Claim deed and I still get property tax statements for this property. So the sale was definitely a ruse. Then Joe Epstein talked me into buying 7 more properties ($11, 000 each) using the profits and my original $10, 000 from the Flint sale and another $61, 560. At this point I received several phone calls from a “real estate” agent named Steve Diamond (I can find no record that this agent really exists) in Detroit who said he was actively pursuing the sale of these properties to Japanese investors. Then before the sale of those properties a “colleague” of Joe Epstein named Tom Rowan (another false name) called and talked me into buying 4 more properties at $12, 500 each (total of $50, 000 more). I made several phone calls to Nationwide after that transaction was complete, but no one would return my calls and that was the last I heard from anyone at Nationwide REO.
It was only after hounding Devora Hirschfeld at Madison Title Co. in New York (they handled the sales and quit claim deeds on the first batch of properties) and the folks at Seagull Title in Florida (they handled the sales and quit claim deeds on the second batch of properties) that I was able to get official copies of the Quit Claim Deeds to the properties. I do own these worthless properties but I will never be able to sell them. My company keeps getting tax bills for some of the properties which we cannot pay. I have contacted a legitimate real estate agent in the Detroit area and he has been very helpful in taking pictures and assessing the value of each of the properties. However, there is no way that any of these properties will be sold as they are completely worthless. I even contacted the DVAR Institute and the Joy Southfield Community Development Corporation in Detroit to see about donating these properties to their charitable organizations and they turned me down. My company has no choice now but to let them go to the city of Detroit for back taxes.
I have filed formal complaints against Nationwide REO with the Florida Division of Consumer Services (Complaint #101859, submitted 7/29/2011) and with the Florida Attorney General (filed November 19, 2011 by e-mail). However, other than some canned comments from the Florida Consumer Services Division and some generic monthly e-mails from the Florida Attorney General's office nothing is happening to help me seek restitution. If anyone has any information on any of names listed above or any other information on Nationwide REO please contact me by commenting on this web site. Thank you, Mustang Mesa |
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Mustang Mesa and every other defrauded investor.
These people are committing criminal activity by defrauding investors, through fraudulent inducement,
specific intent to defraud, and wire fraud. Each person convicted of wire fraud could face up to 100 years in prison.
Their ill gotten assets are subject to forfeiture and will likely be seized.
We all need to file criminal complaints with as many agencies as possible. There is power in numbers!
I highly suggest contacting your nearest FBI office regarding major white collar crime. Also your state
Attorney General Office.
Florida State Attorney General Pam Bondi won't mediate individual complaints but did provide some good resources: for criminal complaint - Broward County Sheriff's Office - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Also: Florida Dept of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) - Orlando FL
Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) - Tallahassee, FL
Securities and Exchange Commission - Washington DC
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) - Rockville, Maryland
Wayne County has a Deed Fraud Unit, but hard to get a hold of.
Let's all take action and put these fraudsters out of business so they don't continue to scam citizens,
and to also give them the just punishment they deserve. |
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I am posting the reply i received from the Florida Attorney General. You can see the AG office will not get
involved with individual complaints. However, i think this is really a "criminal complaint" vs "civil complaint" and i am making that clear in all future correspondence. The Florida AG provides other agencies to contact including Broward County Sheriff's office, which i sent to their Office of General Counsel, Judith Levine, general counsel.
(Don't forget to also contact Attorney General in your home state and the nearest FBI office to you).
I suppose FBI office in NY, FL, and MI may be good too. More the better.
See below for details on agency contacts. Complaints can be online and via mail.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi received your email regarding
Nationwide REO Group. We appreciate that you have considered the Attorney
General's Office as a source of assistance, and Attorney General Bondi
asked that I respond. I am sorry for your difficulties.
The Attorney General's Office is concerned with all potentially unfair and
deceptive trade practices, and we will keep your information in our
consumer files. However, our office does not mediate individual
complaints, nor are we at liberty to give legal opinions or advice to
private individuals. I have reviewed your correspondence to determine the
best resources for you, and hope the following proves helpful.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR),
Division of Real Estate, Bureau of Enforcement, is the state agency which
licenses and regulates the real estate industry in Florida. Please
contact the DBPR for any information or help that agency may be able to
provide to you:
Florida Department of Business
and Professional Regulation
Division of Real Estate
Consumer Complaints Section
400 West Robinson Street, Suite N801
Orlando, Florida 32801-1757
Telephone: (850) 487-1395
Fax: (407) 317-7245
Websites: http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/
https://www.myfloridalicense.com/complaintlist.asp?SID=
If you wish to file a criminal complaint, please contact the local law
enforcement agency and state attorney's office where you live or where the
alleged violation occurred. In Florida, the local police or sheriff's
office and elected state attorney investigate and prosecute criminal
violations at the local level. Those authorities operate independently
and are not a part of the Attorney General's Office. You may contact the
Broward County Sheriff's Office at:
Broward County Sheriff's Office
Post Office Box 9507
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33310-9507
Phone: (954) 831-8900
Non-emergencies: (954) 765-4321
Website: http://www.sheriff.org/
I also encourage you to contact the Office of Financial Regulation (OFR),
which is the state agency with primary jurisdiction over security related
matters. We recommend that you contact the OFR at:
Florida Office of Financial Regulation
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0370
Telephone: (850) 487-9687
Website: http://www.flofr.com
Complaint Forms: http://www.flofr.com/Consumer/Complaints.aspx
Two additional resources are listed below:
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street Northwest, Mail Stop 11-2
Washington, DC 20549
Phone: (800) 732-0330
Fax: (202) 942-9634
Website: http://sec.gov/
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
FINRA Investor Complaint Center
9509 Key West Avenue
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Telephone: (301) 590-6500
Broker Check Hotline: (800) 289-9999
Fax: (866) 397-3290
Main website: http://www.finra.org/AboutFINRA/index.htm
Online/downloadable complaint form:
http://www.finra.org/Investors/ProtectYourself/p118628
Finally, please consult a private attorney if you need legal advice. An
attorney can provide the legal guidance which our office is not at liberty
to give private citizens. If you need help finding a lawyer, The Florida
Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service which you may contact toll-free at
(800) 342-8060.
Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns. I hope this
information proves helpful to you.
Sincerely,
George Martin
Office of Citizen Services
Florida Attorney General's Office
PL-01, The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
Telephone: (850) 414-3990
Toll-free within Florida: (866) 966-7226
Website: www.myfloridalegal.com |
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Dear Coyotelad,
I live in Gilbert and see you are in Sun Lakes. My E-Mail is [email protected]. I would love to speak with you. My Uncle lost about 250K with Joesph Epstein. I just started working on this today. 9 of the 15 properties he bought have been foreclosed on and are owned by Wayne County. The other 6 have the names of the old owners on the tax records. I dont know who owes the back taxes????This is crazy! Please E-Mail! |
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| I was scammed by a company representing itself as American Real Estate Advisors out of Florida. Same story line as many above. They solicited me to purchase a SFH in Detriot for 15k for which they would facilitate the resale for a profit. I purchased a property from Hartwell Mortgage Group, LLC which appears to be a shell company. After I purchased the property they attempted to have me purchase more. When I refused they stopped returning my calls. A few days later I discovered the home I purchased was a complete shell with little to no value. I suspect the persons behind this fraud are the same as those mentioned above. The one party to the transaction that seems to have any legitimacy is the company they used as the "escrow agent" Northwest Real Estate Services owned by Mathew Golden and affiliated with First Metro Properties a licensed real estate brokerage in Ohio. I think they're culpable and may be the best link to catching the crooks involved. I have names and phone numbers that may be useful in an investigation as well. Anyone pursuing this may feel free to contact me. I will be happy to be involved and contribute whatever info I have. [email protected] |
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Looks like they are now in business operating under the name of Cambridge Real Estate Group with a sales office in New York and Cambridge is in Hollywood, FL. They want you to send your money to Access Property Services in Detroit, but the name on that building is First Metro Real Estate.
The story is that they will sell you a home for $15, 000 and the next week you will sell it at auction for $21, 000. The agent keeps a 20% commission and wants to do a bunch of these with you. They say the properties are from bankrupt banks. The property they tried to get me to buy was being sold by US Mortgage Specialists, LLC.
The agent from NY trying to sell the property went by the name of Chris Adams and claimed to be from Switzerland, where his wife and daughters were while he tried to make some money. He talked about a Michael Shore as a real estate agent and an individual by the name of David Weinstock as the auctioneer would call me to accept an offer to sell the property back at auction.
Thanks for all your comments on this and other sites to save me from investing! |
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I just got their brochures today. He said that he will call me next week and see how I like it. This is the guy.
Scott Hutton
Cambridge Real Estate Group
www.cambridgerecompany.com
4700 Sheridan St, Ste J
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: 866-764-3202
Fax: 954-839-9011
I tried to google the address and see the tenant but the company’s name is not showing up. I will try to see what I can find on the Secretary State of Florida. |
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| If you call Urbis Executive Offices at 786-272-5400 and ask about the Cambridge group, they only come on a daily basis to pick up there mail, another words this is a "address service only" |
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