Has anyone else Used Homeadvance - Homeowner's Advance

1reason

Super Genius
121
Wisconsin
Has anyone else bought leads from Homeadvance aka Homeowner's Advance for home and/or life leads?

I'm so frustrated, in fact, I hate to use the word "leads" in describing what I bought, or thought I was buying.

Have others found them to be good?
 
I'm glad to see others haven't fallen for their service, or in my opinion. lack of.

I did see two ripoffreports (and mine for three) that state the same issues I'm having.

Based on my experience, it appears they are hoping to wear agents down with their contract requirement that the agent contact each "lead" at a set time.

I think it's little more than a ruse in an attempt to skirt criminal exposure for lack of delivery of promised services and their refusal to refund payment. Sadly, I have to recommend avoiding them. I guess if the old saying that if it's too good to be true, it probably is applies for this company.
 
Does anyone have their phone number I am trying to call them to cancel and refund our money

I filed a dispute on my credit card.

I also sent several emails and left a voice message stating that they are in violation of the FTC do not call list requirements if they can't demonstrate compliance. That may have struck a nerve as I haven't received a "lead" since (but it may be because of the holidays also.

If I lose the dispute because of the contract language, I will re-dispute it based on their inability to fulfill the contract because of the DNC regulations.

Another agent advised me that he threatened to contact the CA AGs office, and that would be my next step as well. It doesn't take too many burned to show a clear criminal pattern, especially in the absence of legitimate business.

My last resort will be to file a lawsuit. I'll name paypal and godaddy as co-defendants so I can capture the real names and other contact information (through discovery) that they appear to hide. I have the ability to do it on my own, and leaving WI to stay with a friend in LA this time of year may be nice (it's -30 here today)

What a frustrating time waste they have been for me. Very ugly experience.

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Their number is (213) 928-7854
 
If I lose the dispute because of the contract language, I will re-dispute it based on their inability to fulfill the contract because of the DNC regulations.

Keep in mind, credit cards only allow 1 dispute on a charge, not multiple.

I had this problem myself once (with a lead vendor) where the bank basically allowed the vendor to change the reason for my dispute and they accepted the response. When I talked with the bank, they realized it was their error, but that a new dispute wasn't allowed. The banker actually credited my account back the disputed amount, which ironically, they could have kept the money if the lead vendor had to pay.

On mine, it was a case of where they charged me twice, slightly different amounts, for the leads. It was foolish on my part since the salesguy called me and said the original charge didn't go through and he needed to run it again. I should have looked first.

Dan
 
In no particular order:

Naming Godaddy and PayPal as codefendents is a waste of time and resources, there are much easier ways to find out who to serve.

Do you have a link to their site?

If you're filing a dispute, odds are you'll win. The argument about proving DNC compliance is rubbish and it's obvious you don't understand DNC compliance (which is fine). If you just file a dispute saying it's not what you expected, again, odds are you're going to win anyway and this is a lot of huffing and puffing over nothing. Worry is interest paid on debt not accrued. Explaining the situation on here (again, with a link or links) will hurt their business and that can help champion the cause more than trying to get government agencies to try to stop them.
 
We'll I was screwed over by them and my only position is to make sure other agents do not do the same. Please avoid this company at all costs!!!
 
Keep in mind, credit cards only allow 1 dispute on a charge, not multiple.

I had this problem myself once (with a lead vendor) where the bank basically allowed the vendor to change the reason for my dispute and they accepted the response. When I talked with the bank, they realized it was their error, but that a new dispute wasn't allowed. The banker actually credited my account back the disputed amount, which ironically, they could have kept the money if the lead vendor had to pay.

On mine, it was a case of where they charged me twice, slightly different amounts, for the leads. It was foolish on my part since the salesguy called me and said the original charge didn't go through and he needed to run it again. I should have looked first.

Dan

Hi Dan,

It may be semantics, but I filed my original dispute about three weeks ago, and today received a call from my credit card that they responded. As a result, the charge was again placed on my credit card.

So I will "dispute" the charge again, with greater information, including my opinion that they are a fraudulent operation. You may call that "one" dispute, I'll call it my second, or at least my second step (which we can both probably agree with).

After I file the second dispute, with added information I learned after the first dispute, the charge will once again be removed from my card until that investigation is complete, and assuming I win that dispute, forever.

I probably know the process better than most. I operated a mail-order business for a number of years and have seen both sides of the fence.

On a side note, their website appears to be down, as in all the way down. Good riddance with any luck.

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In no particular order:

Naming Godaddy and PayPal as codefendents is a waste of time and resources, there are much easier ways to find out who to serve.

Do you have a link to their site?

If you're filing a dispute, odds are you'll win. The argument about proving DNC compliance is rubbish and it's obvious you don't understand DNC compliance (which is fine). If you just file a dispute saying it's not what you expected, again, odds are you're going to win anyway and this is a lot of huffing and puffing over nothing. Worry is interest paid on debt not accrued. Explaining the situation on here (again, with a link or links) will hurt their business and that can help champion the cause more than trying to get government agencies to try to stop them.

I'm interested in knowing how to find out who someone is when there is zero contact or personal information on the site? (yeah, I know, big red flag that should have been spotted previously) Much less where to serve them... Whois didn't produce any results that I could find useful.

homeownersadvance dot com is the website (or at least was), and they used homeadvance dot net as an email address (and website too).

You're correct, I'm not an expert on DNC, but I did read actual regulations applicable to this situation, and based on my understanding, they're not in compliance. I do understand the chargeback process very well (from being a merchant for years), and I know that unless a buyer can show the service was significantly different than described, the merchant is likely to win. Simply saying "I don't like the leads" isn't enough.

Highlighting a failure to follow federal law in the delivery of service is.
 
I'll add my two cents to this conversation and gladly help with anything I can.

My agency purchased leads from Homeowners Advance on December 8th. We were promised the same things you all were, but had to send a check for $625. Our thought was to spread these verified leads to our agency owners in a effort to help them meet some goals for year end, and to get a fast start to 2015.

Ironically, I set up a call back with our friend Abraham Evans after his initial contact. I drilled him hard on his leads, which he maintained over and over were coming from banks that he had relationships with. These banks were sending "funded" loans that needed insurance. Both my partner and I came out of the mortgage industry, so we were confused on this point since loans can't be funded without insurance in place. He then told us that he misspoke and meant to say that they were approved for funding, and that the funding was awaiting homeowners insurance. His company would be compensated by the bank, and he would know the lead was sold because the bank would provide documentation. We drilled him his claims of using appointment setters, etc.

Upon receiving some leads, we called at the times listed. The few that answered had no idea why we were calling and had not scheduled any such appointments. Most voicemails that we got were the standard canned voicemails that the carriers use before the user sets up the phone.

We did some digging on through a Realtor friend, and found that at least one of the leads listed a home owner who didn't have any interest in the property address listed.

Their website, now down after we made some pretty direct threats, is registered under "Domain by Proxy", so no name, but we did find that the mailing address that they gave us is for a PO Box at a place called "Encino Mailboxes", which looks a lot like a UPS store. We also found that the number that they use is from Magic Jack, and has been recently disconnected..

I'm assuming with that info that they (or he) can be tracked down.

I'm left with two thoughts/questions:

1. Does the fact that they started requiring checks to be mailed rather than credit card/Pay Pal constitute mail fraud?

2. Does the fact that they are sending personal information out for people who have not willingly shared that info have anything to do with any privacy/identity laws?

I'm going to be contacting the MN AG's office to see if there is any recourse within our own state laws that may have been violated. Could make for some interesting interstate commerce situation...

If anyone wants to contact me, please feel feel: [email protected]

Let's get these guys!

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Did some research:

They are definitely in violation of mail fraud laws, so...

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Step one is in motion.

Looks like wire fraud is also on the table with the PayPal and credit card charges.
 
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