Real estate bad cheque scam using the name Yasuyuki Okamura
Date First Reported: March 2014
Primary Name Associated: Yasuyuki Okamura
Description of Potential Fraud:
Thirty lawyers from all over the U.S. tell us they’ve been contacted by the purported Yasuyuki Okamura with regards to what looks like a real estate bad cheque scam. For details of how this scam works see our Confirmed Fraud page. Our Fraud Fact Sheet lists the red flags of a bogus legal matter that is really a fraud.
Here is the email:
From: Yasuyuki Okamura [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 2:29 PM
To:
Subject: property to purchase
Good day,I will like to know if you have property to purchase with 2-3bedrooms, 2 bathrooms,garage with the price ranges of $300,000-$500,000USD,I will like you to furnish me your listing.
Yours Sincerely,
Replying to the email brought this response:
I am not too familiar with the area that is why I need your help as the real estate professional, please send me some property to chose from in a very nice & quiet community I am going to live in this home with my family, please send me some of your listing to choose from, a single family home, 2-3 bed 2bath 1,500sqft, price range starting from $400,000 to $650,000 in a nice & quiet community. Please no short sales and no foreclosure property
Regards,
Yasuyuki Okamura,
How to handle a real or suspected fraud
If you have been targeted by any of these frauds, please forward any of the emails and supporting documents that you have received to [email protected].
If you suspect you are acting on a matter that might be a fraud, call LAWPRO at 1-800-410-1013 (416-598-5899). We will talk you through the common fraud scenarios we are seeing and help you spot red flags that may indicate you are being duped. This will help you ask appropriate questions of your client to determine if the matter is legitimate or not. If the matter you are acting on turns out to be a fraud and there is a potential claim, we will work with you to prevent the fraud and minimize potential claims costs.
If you have been successfully duped, please immediately notify LAWPRO as there may be a claim against you. Instructions on how to report a claim are here.
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Fraud Fact Sheet More fraud prevention information and resources are available on the practicePRO Fraud page, including the Fraud Fact Sheet, a handy reference for lawyers and law firm staff that describes the common frauds and the red flags that can help identify them.
April 12, 2014 at 12:13 am, Jacqueline Bone said:
I am a realtor I was just involved in two different scams I would like to be put on your list so I know how to look out for these.
April 14, 2014 at 11:29 am, TimLemieux said:
Hi Jacqueline. You can sign up to get an email when we post a new blog entry. Click on the top right corner on the ‘subscribe’ button.
April 23, 2014 at 3:40 pm, Roby Robertson said:
Yasuyuki Okamura contacted me and has been moving forward on purchasing a home. He refuses to wire funds and will only mail a check. We found him on this site and are terminating all transactions unless he actually wire funds, which I am sure he wont. Make sure to only take wired funds….