I've noticed a significant increase in street spam promoting free real estate seminars.
They use the typical hand-written, yellow coroplast sign. Anyone noticing these as well? They remind me of the Real Estate Investor Seeks Apprentice foolishness before that market caved in on itself. Seems like hundreds of jokers became "apprentices" by placing more signs to recruit others to do the same.

I am sure the real estate seminar signs are placed by recruits who watched infomercials on TV--the perfect target of the desperate, gullible and fraudulent of mind. My guess is that the seminar "teachers" have a real estate track record that consists of calling the number on the informercial screen the week before.

The copy on the signs I've removed varies a bit, however the handwriting and phone number is usually the same. Some say "Didn't Make $20K this month?" and tout a real estate seminar or statement about making a fortune in foreclosures. Other signs are for "part time event promotors," which I take to mean sign placers.

I've removed loads of these lately, and they go right back up several times a week--which makes me think the criminals behind this really want to make a lot of money fast and disappear. Interestingly, most of the signs are on freeway off ramps. However, after I removed so many of his/her signs, this spammer took to placing them way down on the freeway on-ramp. Even they must know that this is ineffective since cars mostly whiz by and an interested mark wouldn't have much time to make a note of the phone number.

My bet is the real estate seminar signs are nationwide, and if so, maybe the CAUSS team can help put a quick end to this latest scam campaign.

"It's 10 p.m. Do you know what Dumpster your street spam is sleeping in?"

Yep - there were hundreds in metro Denver last month, but they were very short-lived. Many did not see the light of day. (See the Colorado forum). After repeated and quick removal/sharking, it seems that the illegal spammer got tired of hand-writing signs.

This appears to be the latest national scam. You can call the number on the signs from a pay phone to find out more about it - please let us know what you find out.

Also, I suspect you can do a web search on the wording in the sign. Also check CraigsList.

DenverShark

This infestation has been a growing plague in Southern California since my last post on the matter. I just saw the signs installed on nearly every off ramp within a 15 mile radius. They were all hand-written and must have numbered close to 100. Odd that they didn't have these printed--but I'm glad they picked a labor and time intensive method.

The freeway on-ramp (not off-ramp) installation has the signs far down the freeway near the metered lights that control the flow. They are a clear distraction to drivers that could easily cause an accident. I'm guessing CalTrans won't let these last long. Just what California taxpayers need now as the state totters towards bankruptcy--a dunce spammer who is so aggressive that tax dollars are used to clean up their mess at a time when taxes are likely to be raised despite in a high unemployment environment.

"It's 10 p.m. Do you know what Dumpster your street spam is sleeping in?"

Have you called CalTrans?

Good idea. I reported the signs through the CalTrans on-line service request website. They actually have illegal signs and banners as a selection in the drop-down menu. I'll let you know what develops.

"It's 10 p.m. Do you know what Dumpster your street spam is sleeping in?"