WARNING SCAM using InterNACHI Lead System

ALL InterNACHI MEMBERS BEWARE OF THIS SCAM! I received an email from (no-reply@internachi.org) for a Home Inspection request and quote through the InterNACHI lead system on Sunday 8/20/17. The person identified herself as Emily Murphy. I replied asking for details about the home so I could determine a price. The person replied saying she was in poor health and in the hospital (location not identified), and she offered to pay my fee with a credit card. She said the home was For Sale by Owner. And, the home would be vacant after the weekend of 8/20/17 and that she had a Caretaker / Termite Inspector (unidentified) that would bring me the keys. She scheduled a Home Inspection with me for Wednesday August 23, 2017 at 8:00AM. She also said the Caretaker / Termite Inspector was having the utilities turned on and transferred to her name. And, she asked if I could add his fee to my invoice and she would pay me with her Credit Card, but the Caretaker requested payment from me by direct bank transfer. She wanted me to send her my Contract for her signature and send her my invoice for $2054.00 which included the Caretaker / Termite Inspector fees and my Inspection Fees! (suspicious huh?) I asked again for the description of the home, and she provided the address, and the Home was definitely “For Sale By Owner” and listed on Zillows’ website. I explained that if I paid the Caretaker, he would be treated like a sub-contractor and it would create a lot of accounting and tax problems for me. I also told her I would have to charge her a handling fee if I agreed to pay the Caretaker. I told her to send me an itemized invoice from the Caretaker/Termite Inspector and to call me to discuss the payment process. She did not call nor give me her phone number which I requested earlier. On Sunday evening she sent a brief email insisting that I send her my total invoice of $2054.00 including the Caretakers fee. She also attached a copy of the Caretaker/Termite Inspectors Invoice (attached) with his fee which was $1600.00! (outrageous)! I did not send my Contract or an Invoice to her. So, Monday morning 8/21/17, I called the phone number on the BOGUS invoice and the phone was disconnected and out of service. I searched for the name of the Termite Inspection company “Gritty Termite Inspections, LLC Tulsa Oklahoma”, nothing came up on the Internet. I searched the State of Oklahoma website to see if the company was registered. Of course, there was nothing registered in the name “Gritty Termite Inspections, LLC”. I sent her an email to her address (marveldrh@gmail.com) telling her I was cancelling the Home Inspection and there would be no more correspondence from me. I went to the address she gave me, and spoke with the home owner, I asked if he had a contract with Emily Murphy. He said NO! So, I explained that someone had tried to SCAM me and was using his Home as the bait. He was very concerned and thanked me for the information.
Mike Grant
Ameristar Home inspections,LLC
Owasso ,OK
918-378-9448
mike@ameristarhomeinspectionsllc.com

old scam. We all know about it and its many flavours. If you want to know all the different flavours of the month on these do a search in the forum for scams. They do mke interesting reading and the hits just keep on coming.

Does anyone get legitimate business from ‘Find an Inspector’?

I actually have gotten a few so to me it is worth it.

I received an email from Yasmin Taylor in Oregon for an inspection, from the lead generator. Scheduled day and time, even received a signed pre inspection agreement. Began inspection promptly, upon nearing completion of exterior. I decided to call the home owner to see who was letting me in. They said there were no offers on home. To add to odd situation, a home inspector lived next door. We spoke for a while and he said he received same email and did not get a signed agreement. Not sure what this person had to gain from this scam except wasting my time.

Mike,
Two years later just receive the same request
A total scam.

From: Emily Murphy <marveldrh@gmail.com>
Date: October 15, 2018 at 5:51:09 PM EDT
To: Home Sweet Home Inspections, Inc.
Subject: Re: Home Inspection

Hello ,

I am sorry for the late response I had to make sure everything is in place about a better date for the inspection so we decided on Saturday 27th 9am,please check your schedule and let me know if the date is convenient with you. I am OK with the quote and i would have everything put in place for the inspection,first of all i will like you to know that the house is an off market sales and it is been sold by the owner and not by Realtor,I would like you to know the house will be vacant this weekend,I want you to know that the caretaker will send me the code in the contractor lock box and you can go there for the inspection and I might be present during the inspection,I will like to know what kind of credit cards you accept for payment so i can make the payment asap,I would have to seek a little favor from you and i would be happy if you can be able to grant me the favor i seek from you.Due to my present health condition,i would provide you my credit card details for you to charge for the total cost of the service and also i would like you to charge an extra sum of money which would be sent to the caretaker who would take care of getting utilities transferred over, termite contract for the house,I am sorry if i am asking for too much but i would have forwarded the balance to him myself but i am held down with health issues right now and am still at the hospital and the caretaker stated he wants the balance by bank transfer that's why i am seeking your favor on this,i would be willing to compensate you if you can assist me on this.

Your urgent response would be appreciated.

Warm Regards