Hi @Jen Roberts, we fund lots of deals for wholesalers around the country and you want to look out for a few things:
1 - never pay anything up front - all fees should come out of the proceeds of your sale. Your lender should only make money when you make money and you should never owe anything if the deal does not close. There are a lot of scammers out there so be careful to protect yourself with this.
2 - limited info - you should not have to give a ton of personal information like credit or bank info. These loans are based on the deal itself and you should not be required to offer much personal info to get the deal funded.
3 - check for reviews - a reputable lender will have reviews on both BiggerPockets and Google - be sure to check those places to confirm that you are dealing with a qualified, honest lender.
4 - ask your peers - just like you have done here, active wholesalers know who the good service providers are and they can give you insight into who you can trust and depend on. You can also ask your potential lenders for referrals, they should be able to offer some.
If you choose a lender based on those principals it will be very likely that you never learn about the "bad or the ugly"!
Feel free to reach out direct if you have any other questions!