Have not closed & the calls have started!!

[Anonymous]

You are not going to believe this!

I bought a property, while on vacation in MA.  The property is in MD.  I have not even closed on the property yet, and I am already receiving personal mail AND phone calls, asking if I want to list my property for sale!!!!  (It's under construction and I already paid cash for it.  Can't close on it until it's finished and signed off on.  I bought it to help someone else out who couldn't finish the deal.)

With the first phone call, I took a message for "me".  The guy asked if I knew if Penny was interested in selling her property.  I asked the guy, "What property are you referring to?"  He quickly replied with the property in MD and he gave me details about my purchase!  Mind you, he thought he was talking to someone else.

I called up the original real estate office and title company and asked how I could get them to stop selling my personal information.  I had been very clear when I did the paperwork that I would NOT share personal information and that they did not have permission to do sell it or share it.

The company replied that it's all public record so that must be how the other companies learned of my purchase.  I reminded the gal that we did the paperwork, but we have not closed on the deal yet.  Meaning, the paperwork has not been filed with the courthouse yet!  It is NOT public record!

She just said that it must be an affiliate company.  I asked her which companies they work with.  It turns out that the two companies that are bugging me have no relationship with the real estate office or the title company.

Any suggestions??

We will take it a step further...I bought a property in OR.  No joke, I started getting calls last month from the broker's office.   The guy said that I had such a high credit score and excellent credit, and wanted to offer me some sweet real estate deals.  Basically, since the foreclosure rate is so high, he could offer me a deal so that they would not have to officially complete the foreclosure process on these people.  I would have to bring the person's mortgage up to date, then refinance the balance to have it paid off in ten to fifteen years.

I have not closed on this property either.  I have paid all the money (for closing, purchase, etc) into escrow.  (Again, it was to help someone out.)

Who the heck gave them permission to share my credit report with strangers???  Who the heck gave them permission to call me up and sell me someone else's home???

I am sorry.  I understand about foreclosures, but don't ask me to expedite the process (some people were only two months behind, some were seven months behind) and save the company some money! 

I don't get it.  I am so careful about making sure I say no to all sharing information etc.  

Does anyone have suggestions on how to

1.  Deal with these inconsiderate people?

2.  Get my credit report out of their hands?

3.  Protect myself in the future from this kind of misconduct?

[Junejer]

So, you are saying that you have paid $ into escrow and the title is in whose name on this MD property? Is it still in the previous owner's name? Are you sure they didn't transfer the land into your name? It doesn't make sense to me that a builder will build for you, without the contract being consummated. They have to be able to receive draws on the money in escrow, and if that's the case, then the deal is consummated.

The likely source to look at for the breach is the builder. Imagine this, construction is starting. There are guys on the site daily. Passerby comes along and asks who is the owner, worker gives information. Makes sense to me.

[Anonymous]

In the case of the MD property, the realtor and the builder are the same.  I have paid for the property in full, but we can not close on it until they complete the construction and it's been signed off by the state.  (State inspections, etc.)  There is no public record anywhere that I have purchased this property.

The company that has been contacting me has all the details of the transaction.  How much I paid, who I bought it from, etc.

The realtor assures me that no one has hacked into their computer system, broken into their offices, or been unethical.  When I pointed out the logistics -- how could someone have my information -- she said they would look into it.

As for the OR purchase -- I know who released the information -- it had to be the realtor.  Of course, they deny any knowledge of said offense.  Lol - yet another division of the company is calling me trying to sell me foreclosures.  Argh!!!

In the first case, I doubt it's the builder on site.  If anything, he's hurting in the market.  He'd be wanting more buyers, not recycled buyers.  He has not sold out....

Anyways, thank you for your response.

Any suggestions on getting these companies to STOP sharing my credit information?  Whether it's by consent (their's, not mine), hacking, or stealing, it's wrong. 

[Anonymous]

PS - Nothing is in my name yet.  I have the contracts that say I own both properties, but they have not been filed publicly yet.  The property (land and condo) is still in the original owners name (OR) and the builders name (MD).