Giving my personal info to unknown private lender

[Darold Taylor]

A Private lender I don't personally know is asking for below personal info. feels like a scam... Is this the norm??

NAME:

DATE OF BIRTH:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

MARITAL STATUS:

NEXT OF KIN:

ADDRESS OF NEXT OF KIN:

PHONE NUMBER OF NEXT OF KIN:

And more...

[Jeff S.]

Next of kin? Seriously? Do they suspect something will be happening to you, @Darold Taylor? Some of these questions are absurd and have nothing to do with your ability to repay a loan or your real estate experience. They do make stealing your identity much easier, however.

Where did you find this lender? Please don’t say online. You’re asking for trouble dealing with someone you’ve never met personally. Meetup.com is a good resource to find local real estate clubs. These days, there will be no shortage of legitimate lenders in attendance.

There have been many threads here listing questions you could ask a lender. Here’s one with a list of topics you should be asking before you agree to provide this amount of information to anyone: How to Vet a Private Lender

You're wise to have asked, Darold. Good luck.