Consumer Encyclopedia
HUD Tracer scam
In this work-from-home offer, consumers are told they can make money by tracking down people who are owed money by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is true that HUD keeps a list of people to whom it owes money, and it often has trouble finding those people.
There are companies that compile lists of people owed money by HUD, then recruit "tracers" to find them. The companies claim these tracers can make commissions on the money. To be a tracer, you have to pay a fee to the company to get a set up kit and a list of people owed money. But HUD does not pay a commission on this money. So if you find someone who is owed money by HUD, that person will get a check directly from HUD. It is then up to you to try to convince the person that you deserve a cut of the money.
For advice on avoiding this scam and others similar to it, see our entry on work-at-home scams.
