NATIONAL ROGUE ALERT

Former "King Con" associate resurfaces

To read an update on this article (comment via e-mail), please click here.


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Jason Paris is a real estate con man. The former director of a company called Networth Planning Corporation, he has been responsible for the systematic fleecing of consumers in the Queensland marketeering scams.

Jason Paris is also a former associate of Dudley Quinlivan, the man known throughout Australia and New Zealand as 'King Con'. Paris has been well taught.

One of Paris's many victims is Mrs Pope, a widow in her early sixties who lives on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Mrs Pope's story opens the chapter called Investment Traps in the book, Don't Sign Anything!

In 2001, Mrs Pope was concerned about her retirement plans. She was approached by Jason Paris's company, Networth Planning. She was told that Networth Planning "do not sell properties". They claimed to help people plan for their financial freedom in retirement.

Mrs Pope was flown to the Gold Coast for an "expert consultation". She was met by a salesperson from Ray White Real Estate at Surfers Paradise. Despite assurances that she was dealing with companies that "embraced a commitment to client care," Mrs Pope was ripped off. They sold her an over-priced property and left her almost a hundred thousand dollars worse off than before she met Networth Planning.

Today, Ray White Real Estate at Surfers Paradise is the Real Estate Institute of Queensland's 'Office of the Year'. The Queensland Minister for Fair Trading, Merri Rose, attended the dinner at which this agent was given its award. She had her photograph taken with the agency directors.

A few months ago, the Minister for Fair Trading said the Queensland marketeering scams had "ceased operation". Today, Networth Planning ceases to operate. But the same cannot be said for many other companies and certainly not for Jason Paris.

Recently Paris resurfaced, working with a company called NO LIMIT Lifestyle Investments Pty Ltd. This company is currently targeting consumers in Melbourne and Sydney. It is offering to help them plan for their financial freedom in retirement. Many of the words in the NO LIMIT material are identical to the words formerly used in Paris's Networth Planning material. Words such as, "We embrace the same commitment to client care."

All this talk about your financial future, planning for your retirement and the need for "consultations with experts" is just a cunning ruse to sell real estate in Queensland.

Despite the so-called new laws and the comments from the Minister, there is no limit to the danger faced by trusting consumers when it comes to investing in real estate. Stay away from Jason Paris.

And don't even think of investing in Queensland unless you take three steps. First, use an independent lawyer. Second, get an independent valuation. And third, check what happened to the previous clients of the company trying to sell you something.

This will make it almost impossible for people such as Jason Paris to rip you off.


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To read a preview of Investment Traps from the book, Don't Sign Anything! click here.

If you have been approached to buy real estate for investment and you'd like to know about the company that approached you, feel welcome to send us an e-mail. If we know something we think you should know, we'll tell you.

Take care.