Of course, I'm not saying that the "100 unit" guy is legit.

I got 7 hits  on BP  2 were legit folks I had talked with the rest were scammers.. and I mean just pump and dump Due diligence scammers very very easy for me to tell ... but for many getting started they just don't know what they don't know and these guys and gals take them for 200 to 500 or more before they figure it out.

Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions about how a legit lender works.

It will make you feel more legit, so there's always that too, but not necessary in the beginning. 

Your buddy has two options, Take a deep breathe and try to double up in the casino or take a step back and start educating himself on the world of RE.  

I received an unsolicited offer in the mail for an unsecured loan, 20K-250K. Allegedly, it will not be reported to any credit bureau. The loan would not be based on my real estate investing but rather on my real job.

What questions do you ask a contractor to make sure he is legit?

If you need to work two-three jobs, that what I do: one at a restaurant and one at a Casino to save up enough.I don't  understand why you don't use that real estate license to get a better job though that's what I've been saving my money for.

Congrats on taking the first step.Since you have multiple players involved, I would find an attorney to get contracts among you guys so that it's legit. 

If you want legit hard money, there are advertisements off to the right as well as many HML on BP.