No lease or business agreement will protect from unscrupulous actors, so vetting remains important.2.

It took 90 days or so to get confirmation your deed and mortgage had been recorded so you had this huge period of time that the bad actors could step in and pull some really crummy stuff..

Like CAL Pines out of Alturas  that one was being pitched by one of the Chips actors on infomercials and they bought all their inventory at the yearly tax sale.

I know as the Lender, I always have the option to modify things but the NoD helps set the stage if the borrower doesn't act or respond in a way I feel is beneficial to getting the project across the finish line and me my capital back.     

Over the last 4 years they have been giving out these claims like candy to make their Covid workouts possible, and sellers are always surprised at the amounts owed.

There will always be bad actors, you will never regulate malintent away.

If it was my property I would not act on any of your requests without EMD & I'd advise my seller clients not to act or even sign a contract without consideration from the buyer. 

I worry that these posts risk them being targeted by bad actors in the space. 

I think any bad actors should absolutely be shamed and prevented from scamming people (not saying this happened here since we don’t know all sides).

I mean look at all the things @Scott Trench has implemented to help passive investors with syndication and bad actors in that realm.