Kind of like sports star's endorsing a care or something.

She could have chosen a much cheaper solution, like go to a coffee shop.

The much larger group 1 is the people who are naive and due to their lack of knowledge, experience, and possibly limited capacity, get “suckered” by the scammers.The smaller group 2 are those that understand but don’t care if they’re part of an unethical undertaking as long as they make money themselves.  

That is a valid question, which is why you have to be careful with what you select as you would with any other investment.

Build a solid team and evaluate deals carefully using tools like BiggerPockets calculators to ensure strong cash flow and returns.Good luck!

Does that include covering your (future) retirement needs, health care costs, all other corporate benefits?

If you’re really set on building a portfolio, this might be a good way to go since it’ll give you the liquidity to take on more properties.BRRRR: If you’re leaning towards long-term rental income and portfolio growth, the BRRRR method could be an attractive option, but you’re right to consider the numbers carefully.

I’ve dabbled in real estate too, and I think using a home equity loan can work well if you’re careful.

Do right by them and word spreads, momentum is built and eventually you are raising money from PE firms, family offices etc. if you care to grow beyond your personal network's means. 

Maybe have a decent sized pool of cash to take care of the occasional roof repair or personal expense, but almost entirely in real estate?