So you know they have skin in the game and don't have any incentive to skimp out on the due diligence (which appears to be the case on some other platforms).

Excellent credit and skin in the game are required. 

The lender ends up with a decent return on what is hopefully a lower risk transaction given the skin in the game of the borrower or the high spread of the deal.

I feel your pain, some helpful hints are rinsing with cold water first to close the pores before more fiberglass gets into your skin, then soaking effected area in warm water and epson salt.

But even a hard money lender is likely going to require you to have some skin in the game. 

“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”― Theodore RooseveltFor those with thin skin who take generalizations personally, it's not about you!

Also, they are unlikely to let you in with no skin in the game.

Honestly in any case, you should have skin in the game before an investor decides to go with you. or you better have a lot of assets in your name that can be used as collateral if you want to go the no money down route.

I stepped in and negotiated these all out for them. paying a bunch off foreclosing on a bunch etc etc. they got out of it by the skin of their teeth but lost ALL their money.

If the deal is too thin to support a hard money loan and/or there is not enough borrower skin in the game to recoup your capital if things go awry, then you can lose money just like any other investment where capital is put at risk to earn a return.