How to make the first call to a surplus owner

A field guide for recovery operators doing this work the right way.

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The Mindset Before You Dial

Before you touch the phone, get this straight: the person you are about to call is not a prospect. They are a former homeowner who lost their property, probably felt ashamed about it, and has been trying to move on. They have heard warnings from legal aid groups, consumer protection agencies, and friends that calls exactly like yours are a common scam. Their skepticism is not paranoia - it is informed self-defense.

The money is already theirs. It exists right now in a county court registry. They can walk into the clerk's office tomorrow, fill out a form, and start the process themselves, for free. You are not giving them an opportunity - you are telling them something they already own exists. That is the only honest framing, and it is the one that works.

Your job on the first call is not to close. Your job is to deliver one piece of information - the funds exist, here is how to verify it - and then get out of the way. If you try to sell on the first call, you will lose. If you try to build rapport through pleasantries before delivering the news, you will lose. If you treat the call like a lead to be converted, the person on the other end will feel it and hang up.

The operators who succeed at this consistently share one trait: they tell the truth faster than the person expects. Specifically, they tell the uncomfortable truths - here is the case number so you can verify it yourself, here is what you will pay me if we succeed, and here is the fact that you can do this without me. That kind of transparency is so unusual coming from a cold caller that it reads as a signal of legitimacy, which is exactly what it is.

Go into every call expecting the person to be suspicious, possibly grieving, possibly hostile, and entirely rational in all of it. Your tone is calm, your pace is slow, and your goal is small: earn the next sixty seconds.

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Before You Pick Up the Phone

Do not dial until you can answer these questions from memory:

• The former owner's full name as it appears on the court record
• The exact property address
• The county that holds the funds
• The auction or sale date
• The approximate balance on the registry (or the case number if you are not disclosing the amount on the first call)
• The county clerk's direct phone number or public case search URL
• The statutory claiming window for that state

That last item matters. If there is a real deadline, you need to state it factually. If there is not a tight deadline, you should not invent one. "The funds sit in the registry until the state escheats them" is accurate and honest and does not manufacture pressure.

Also before you dial: scrub the number against the National DNC Registry. If the number is on the registry and you have no established business relationship with this person, you have legal exposure. Clean your list first. If you are calling into California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington, Connecticut, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, or Oregon, the call may be recorded - open with "This call may be recorded for quality and compliance purposes." Do this for every call regardless, since you cannot always know with certainty which state your recipient is in.

Finally, check the time. TCPA requires you to call between 8 AM and 9 PM in the recipient's local time zone. Some states are tighter - Oregon is 9 AM to 7 PM. Wednesday and Thursday between 10 AM and 11 AM, or between 4 PM and 6 PM local time, are where you will get the most live answers.

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Do They Already Know?

Know which situation you are in before you dial, because it changes how you open.

Mortgage foreclosure - they know the loss, not the money. The surplus only exists because the property already sold at auction. That means the person went through the entire process: the lawsuit, the court case, the judgment, usually an eviction. They know the home is gone. What almost none of them know is that it sold for more than they owed and the difference is legally theirs. Do not open as if you are breaking the news that they were foreclosed on - you are not, and it will sound like you do not understand their life. The only thing new to them is the money. Treat the sale as a known fact and put all of the "news" on the surplus.

Tax deed sales - they may genuinely not know. A property lost over unpaid taxes is often a vacant lot, an inherited parcel, or a second property an absentee owner lost track of. Here the sale itself can be news. Go slower, confirm the address first, and be ready for "wait, that got sold?"

Deceased owner - the heir may know neither. When the owner has passed and the funds run through the estate, you are talking to a son, daughter, or sibling who may not have known about the foreclosure at all, let alone the money. Never assume they know the parent lost the property. Lead with the property address and let them place it.

The mistake that destroys credibility is opening with a hedge like "I'm not sure if you're aware of this" to someone who spent a year fighting a foreclosure. It tells them, in one sentence, that you do not actually understand their situation - and that is what a scammer working off a list sounds like. Know which case you have, and speak to it precisely.

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The First Fifteen Seconds

The first fifteen seconds have one job: interrupt the "this is a sales call" pattern and earn sixty more seconds. You do this by leading with something specific and verifiable, not with a pitch, not with your company name, and not with an opener that hands them an easy exit.

Say your first name, confirm you have the right person, anchor to the specific property address, and make a no-oriented permission ask. Nothing else.

For a mortgage foreclosure - where they know the property was sold - the news is the money, not the sale:

"Hi, is this [First Name]? My name is [Your Name]. I'm calling about the property at [Full Address] that was sold at auction back in [month/year]. This is actually good news, and there's nothing you need to buy from me. Is now a terrible time?"

For a tax deed sale or when you have reached an heir - where the sale itself may be news - do not assume they know. Confirm the property first, then let them react:

"Hi, is this [First Name]? My name is [Your Name]. I'm calling about a property at [Full Address] - I believe it may be connected to you or your family. Are you familiar with that address?"

The property address is doing the heavy work here. Generic scam calls and robo-pitches do not lead with a specific address. Anchoring to it immediately signals that you have real information. "Is now a terrible time" is a no-oriented permission ask - the instinctive answer is "no, go ahead," which keeps them on the line without creating a false obligation. Compare this to "Is now a good time?" which invites "actually no" and a hang-up.

Use downward inflection on every declarative statement. A flat, calm voice projects authority. An upward inflection at the end of sentences reads as uncertainty, and uncertainty reads as deception to someone who is already suspicious. Aim for 140 to 160 words per minute. If you are nervous, you will rush. Slow down deliberately. Pause after you state the property address. Let it land.

Do not open with your company name. Your company name is not a trust signal - it is noise. The specific data about their former property is the trust signal.

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When They Say "Is This a Scam?"

They will ask this. It is the right question. Do not get defensive, do not deny it reflexively, and do not speed up to outrun the objection. The moment you say "no, no, we're completely legitimate," you have said exactly what every scammer says.

The move is to validate the suspicion first, then hand them the means to resolve it themselves.

"That is genuinely the right question to ask, and I would be concerned if you didn't ask it. There are people running this exact type of call as a scam - they use the same public records I used to find your case, then they pressure people into signing things before they can think it through. Here is how you can tell the difference right now, before you decide anything about me: call the [County] Clerk of Court - the number is [real phone number]. Give them case number [X] and ask whether there are surplus funds or excess proceeds on file from the sale of [address]. They will confirm it. I am going to give you that case number and that phone number right now. A scammer cannot give you a real case number and tell you to call the county to verify, because the money would not actually exist. You don't have to decide anything today. Hang up, call the clerk, and call me back if it checks out."

Then stop talking. Give them the number. Let them go verify it.

This response works for one reason: it inverts every scam signal at once. Scammers resist verification. Scammers pressure. Scammers avoid specifics. You just did the opposite of all three, out loud, before they even asked you to. That is not something a person running a scam would do.

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Leading With Empathy for Someone Who Lost Their Home

Before you ever mention money, acknowledge what happened to them - briefly, without dwelling, and without making it the focus of the call.

One sentence is enough. Do not linger on it, do not ask them to relive it, and do not use the word "foreclosure" more than once in the call. Do not say "when you lost your home." Say "when the property was sold." The former language narrates their loss back to them. The latter names an event without assigning shame.

Something like: "I know selling that property wasn't what anyone plans for, and I'm not calling to revisit any of it." Then pivot to the information.

If they respond to your opener with something heavy - "things have been really hard," or silence, or even anger - that is your signal to slow down and label what you are hearing before you say anything else.

"It sounds like that whole period was incredibly rough" is not a delay. It is the thing that keeps you in the conversation. When a person in grief or shame feels accurately heard, the defensive wall drops enough for information to get through. Skip that step and you are just noise.

Do not ask about their current financial situation. Do not ask where they are living. Do not reference what they owe or why the foreclosure happened. None of that is relevant to your call, and all of it reads as fishing for information to exploit.

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Give Value Up Front

The most important thing you can give on the first call is the means to verify the claim independently - before asking for anything in return.

This looks like:

• Stating the case number
• Stating the county clerk's direct phone number or the public case search URL
• Stating the sale date and property address
• Telling them they can call the clerk themselves, right now, and confirm the funds exist

This is also the moment to be honest about DIY. They can file this claim themselves, without you, for free. Some counties have straightforward forms at the clerk's office. Say that. Say it without hesitation. The people who need your help will still be there - they will be the ones who tried to navigate the forms, hit a wall with notarization requirements or lien service notice, and called you back. The people who file on their own successfully still got something. Either outcome is fine.

Tell them the contingency model before they ask. "We do not charge you anything unless we recover your funds. Our fee is [X]% of whatever we recover - it comes out of the proceeds, never out of your pocket. If we recover nothing, you pay nothing." Say the percentage. Say what they net in dollar terms if you know the balance. Ambiguity about fees is the second-biggest scam signal after upfront payment demands.

Say clearly and early: "I am not an attorney. We work with licensed attorneys who handle the court filings - that is their job. My job is to find the case in the public records and make sure you know the money is there."

That sentence does three things: it keeps you on the right side of UPL, it explains the business model, and it is more credible than vague "specialist" framing with no further detail.

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What NOT to Say - The Compliance Line

UPL limits for non-attorney operators

You cannot tell them they will definitely get the money. You cannot explain their legal rights in the proceeding. You cannot tell them whether they should file, whether to hire an attorney, or how a competing claimant's position will be handled. You cannot evaluate their specific legal position. You cannot prepare or explain court filings in detail. If they ask "will I win?" the answer is: "I cannot advise you on that - that is a question for the attorney who handles the filing. What I can tell you is that our attorneys have a strong track record and we only take cases we believe are viable."

You can state facts from public records: the funds exist, the amount on the registry, the case number, the county holding the funds. You can explain generally how the process works as an administrative matter. You can describe your contingency arrangement. You can refer them to a licensed attorney for all legal questions.

TCPA limits

Do not use an autodialer, predictive dialer, or pre-recorded voice message to reach cell phones without prior express written consent. Manual live-voice dialing is your safest mode for cold outreach. Do not call numbers on the National DNC Registry. Do not call outside of 8 AM to 9 PM local time. Honor any opt-out request within 10 business days - log it and remove it from every list immediately. If they say "please don't call again," that conversation is over and it stays over.

Phrases to remove entirely

• "Congratulations" or any prize-announcement framing
• "You're going to lose this if you don't act now" - fake urgency is a documented scam tactic
• "I'll only take a minute" or "I just wanted to reach out" - both signal low confidence
• "I can represent you" or any language implying legal authority
• "Someone else might claim this first" - this is false in most surplus contexts and is a scam pattern
• "You don't need a lawyer for this" as active advice (you can state that an attorney is not legally required; you cannot advise them on whether to hire one)

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Handling Common Objections

"I'll just do it myself."

"Absolutely - and I will give you exactly what you need right now. The Clerk of Court for [County] is at [phone number or website]. The case number is [X]. Ask them for the excess proceeds claim form. A few things to know going in: you will need notarized proof of ownership, you will need to identify and serve notice on any prior lienholders, and the deadline in [State] is [actual date]. If there were any second mortgages or junior liens, those parties may also file a claim and a hearing gets scheduled. None of that is impossible, and plenty of people do it themselves. If you run into a wall or the deadline gets close, call me back. I only get paid when you do, so it costs me nothing to be honest with you about this."

"How much do you take?"

"Our fee is [X]% of what we recover. On a recovery of [AMOUNT], that is [$FEE] to us and [$YOUR NET] to you. You pay nothing upfront and nothing if we come up empty. That percentage is how we cover the attorney's filing costs and our time - and it comes entirely out of the proceeds. Can I ask - what number would feel right to you?" Then listen. If their counter is within range, you have a conversation. If not, you can explain clearly why the fee is what it is and let them decide.

"Let me think about it."

"Of course - this is your money and your decision. Before I let you go: the claiming window in [State] is [real timeframe]. I am not saying that to pressure you - I want you to have the actual timeline so you can pace this yourself. One more thing - can I ask what specifically you want to think through? If there is something I have not explained clearly, I would rather answer it now than have you sit with a question that has a simple answer."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't expect you to - I'm a stranger who called you out of nowhere. Here is what I want you to do: hang up, go to [county clerk website] or call [phone number], give them case number [X], and ask about excess proceeds from that sale. They will confirm the money is there. I will give you my name and callback number and you decide from there. If you verify it and decide you want to handle it yourself, I am genuinely glad you at least know the money exists. My number is [NUMBER]."

"How did you get my number?"

"Fair question. The foreclosure case on [ADDRESS] is a public court record filed with [County] - your name appears on it as the former owner. We use commercial databases to find current contact information for people named in those records - the same kind of databases that law firms and title companies use. If you are on the Do Not Call list and would prefer not to receive calls like this, just say so and I will note that right now and we will not contact you again. But since I have you - there is a court record with your name on it and funds attached to it, and I thought you should know."

"I have a lawyer."

"That's great - your attorney can review any agreement we put together before you sign anything. We work with attorneys regularly and we are set up for that. Would it help if I sent you the agreement in writing first so you can pass it along to them?"

"I don't have money to pay you."

"I hear you - and this is the part I want to be completely clear about. You pay nothing. Not today, not when we start, not unless money comes back to you. Our fee comes out of the recovered funds after disbursement. You would never write us a check or pay us out of pocket. The only thing you are signing is an agreement that says if we succeed, our percentage comes out of what the court sends. If we recover zero, we get zero."

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Closing the First Call

The goal of the first call is not a signed agreement. The goal is: the person independently verifies that the funds exist, and they agree to a next step. That next step might be "send me something in writing." It might be "call me Thursday." It might be "let me talk to my wife." All of those are wins.

Before you end the call, confirm three things:

1. They have the case number and the county clerk contact so they can verify independently
2. They know the claiming deadline (stated factually, not as pressure)
3. There is a specific next action - a date, a method of follow-up, or something you are sending them

If they want to receive the contract before deciding, send it. Tell them to share it with whoever they trust - a family member, their own attorney, anyone. A scammer would not say that. You can.

Do not ask for a signature on the first call. Do not treat their hesitation as an obstacle to push through. A person who feels rushed by you will associate that feeling with you permanently. A person who feels respected will call you back.

The close of the first call sounds like: "I'll send you the case details and our agreement at [email address]. Take a look whenever you're ready - there's no deadline on your end to decide whether to work with us. If you have questions after you look it over, you have my number. And if you want to call the clerk first and verify everything yourself before reading anything, that works too - the number is [NUMBER]."

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Voicemail

If no one picks up, leave this message. Time it before you record it - it should land between 20 and 25 seconds. Write it out word for word and read it.

"Hi, this message is for [Full Name]. My name is [Your Name] calling from [Company Name]. I came across some court records connected to a property at [Full Address] that show a balance on deposit in your name. I'd like to explain what that means - there's no cost to you to find out. Please call me back at [NUMBER], again that's [NUMBER]. Thank you."

That is it. Do not mention surplus funds, foreclosure, or any dollar amount on the first voicemail. The property address proves you have real records. "Balance on deposit in your name" creates a curiosity gap without triggering the scam reflex. The repeated phone number is tappable in a voicemail transcript.

On the second voicemail, if they have not called back and it has been 5 to 7 days, you can add one concrete detail:

"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] again - I left you a message last week about court records connected to [Address]. I don't want to keep calling without giving you something useful, so: there is a specific dollar amount listed in the [County] court registry on this case. I'm not an attorney, but I can walk you through what that means at no upfront cost. [NUMBER], that's [NUMBER]. Thank you."

Do not leave a third voicemail. Data consistently shows a third voicemail performs worse than leaving none at all. After two voicemails, switch to a follow-up text (where legally permissible under TCPA) or a physical letter, then stop after 21 days of no response.

Send a text within 60 minutes of leaving your first voicemail. Keep it one sentence plus your number:

"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] - I just left you a voicemail about a court record tied to [Address] with funds on deposit in your name. Nothing to pay upfront. Call or text me at [NUMBER] when you have a few minutes."

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Follow-Up Cadence

The most effective sequence across research on this specific contact type is letter-first, call-second, with a total of 8 to 12 touches across 21 days. Here is a workable structure:

Day 1 - Send a physical letter via USPS first class, real stamp, hand-addressed envelope. Reference the property address and state that you have located information regarding funds in a court registry connected to that property. Include your phone number and a way to verify with the county. No pressure language. No dollar amount. No urgency.

Day 5 to 7 - First call attempt. If no answer, leave Voicemail 1 as scripted above. Follow with a text within 60 minutes.

Day 10 - Second call attempt at a different time of day. If no answer, leave Voicemail 2. Do not send another text the same day.

Day 14 - Send a second letter or postcard with a slightly different angle referencing that you tried to reach them by phone. Include the case number this time so they can verify on their own.

Day 17 - Third call attempt, no voicemail. If they pick up, you have had multiple touches and they are hearing from you for the third time - lead with: "I've left a couple of messages - I know you've seen my name. I don't want to be a nuisance, so this is the last time I'll reach out unless I hear from you. I just want to make sure you know the money is there before the window closes."

Day 21 - Final text. Keep it brief: "I didn't want to keep calling and not leave a door open. If you ever want the case details on the [address] property, my number is [NUMBER]. I only get paid if you do, so there's no cost to finding out more." Then stop.

After 21 days with no response of any kind, mark the file inactive. Continuing past that point increases TCPA exposure and is not consistent with how a legitimate operator treats people.

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The One Rule Under All of It

Tell the truth faster than they expect.

Tell them the money is already theirs. Tell them they can claim it themselves for free. Tell them your percentage before they ask. Tell them to call the county and verify before they sign anything with you. Tell them you are not an attorney. Tell them there is no deadline pressure from you, even if there is a real statutory deadline they should know about.

Every tactic in this guide - the property-address opener, the no-oriented permission ask, the scam-suspicion label, the verification offer, the empathy before information - is in service of this single principle. You are calling someone who has every rational reason to hang up on you. The only reason they should not is because you are telling them something true, in a way that respects them, and giving them the tools to confirm it themselves before you ask for anything.

That is not a script. It is a posture. The operators who build a real business in this space have it. The ones who burn through lists and wonder why no one converts do not.

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The 9-Message SMS Drip

This sequence is designed for pre-foreclosure leads - people who still own the property and have an auction date approaching. By the time you reach someone in pre-foreclosure, they have been called by investors, wholesalers, agents, and attorneys, all trying to buy the house. Your angle is different. You are not trying to buy anything.

Keep every message short. One or two sentences. Do not write paragraphs. Do not use exclamation marks. Do not pitch in the first three messages.

Message 1 - Pattern interrupt

"Hey [Name], I'm not trying to buy your house. Has anyone mentioned what happens if the property goes to auction and sells for more than what's owed?"

This works because everyone else calling them is trying to buy the property before the auction. You are the only person mentioning what comes after. That is genuinely different and it earns a reply.

Message 2 - Soften and introduce

"I know this is coming out of nowhere. I work with homeowners going through foreclosure to make sure they know their options before and after auction. Most people never hear about what I'm about to tell you. I think that's unfair."

No ask here. Just context and a curiosity hook.

Message 3 - Simple yes or no

"Quick question - if your property did go to auction, would you want to know if there was money left over that could still be yours?"

The question is low-stakes. A yes or a question back is an opening. A no tells you something useful too.

Message 4 - Education

"Here is something most people in your situation don't know: if a foreclosure auction brings in more than the debt owed, the leftover money is legally yours. It doesn't go to the bank. It doesn't go to the buyer. It sits in a court or trustee account - and if nobody claims it, it eventually escheats to the state."

This is the first time you have said anything concrete. You are still not pitching.

Message 5 - Credibility

"We have helped homeowners recover checks ranging from $8,000 to over $150,000 from properties that already went to auction. Not every file qualifies. But it takes about three minutes to find out whether yours does. Want me to check?"

Now you have made a soft ask - but framed as a service, not a pitch.

Message 6 - Urgency (factual, not manufactured)

"Quick update: the auction on your property is coming up [date if known, or 'soon']. Once the sale closes, there is a claiming window that is time-limited by state statute. The sooner I can look at the numbers, the more options we have."

Use a real date if you have it. Never invent pressure.

Message 7 - Social proof

"One of the people we helped last month had already accepted that the money was gone. The property had been sold for three months. They had $41,000 waiting in the county registry and had no idea. That is the whole reason I do this."

No names. No details that identify anyone. Just the fact pattern.

Message 8 - Lower the bar

"You don't need to commit to anything. I just need five minutes to pull the numbers from the public record and tell you whether there is anything worth pursuing. There's no cost and no contract until we both decide to move forward."

Reduce the perceived risk of a reply. They are not agreeing to anything by answering.

Message 9 - Final message

"I don't want to keep texting if this isn't the right time. If there ever is a right time, my number is [NUMBER]. The funds statute runs out in [timeframe] in [state]. After that, the money goes to the state permanently. You deserve to at least know if it is there."

This is your last touch in the drip. State a real deadline if you know it. Then stop.

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The Seven Objections and How to Handle Them

These are the ones you will hit. You will hear all of them within your first fifty calls. The operators who stay in this business have a response for each one that does not sound defensive, does not sound scripted, and does not trigger the scam reflex again.

Objection 1: "This sounds like a scam."

Do not deny it. Do not react defensively. The denial is exactly what a scammer would say.

"That is the right call to make. I called you out of nowhere with a number that sounds too good to be true. I get it. Here is the thing - I cannot prove I'm legitimate over the phone. But I can give you the means to prove it yourself right now, before you decide anything about me. The case number is [X]. The county clerk's number is [NUMBER]. Call them - not me - and ask whether there are surplus funds or excess proceeds on file from the sale of [address]. If the money isn't there, I'm exactly what you think I am. If it is there, you didn't trust me because I told you to - you verified it yourself."

Then give them the case number and the county contact. Stop talking. Let them go check.

Objection 2: "This sounds too good to be true."

This is a softer version of the scam objection. The person has not made up their mind. They are curious but skeptical.

"I understand why it sounds that way. You lost the property - the idea that there's still money attached to it feels like it can't be right. Here's the plain version: the auction sale price was higher than what you owed. The difference sits in a court registry. The county is not required to come find you. A lot of people never know it exists. The case number is [X]. Would it help if I sent you the county's public search link so you can pull it up right now while we're talking?"

You are not asking them to trust you. You are asking them to look at public records.

Objection 3: "I already have an attorney."

This one is usually not a hard stop - it is a hesitation signal. They are telling you they have someone they trust and they are not sure where you fit.

"Good - that is actually helpful. Your attorney can review any agreement we put together before you sign a thing. We work alongside attorneys all the time. This is not something that would conflict with them - if anything, having an attorney in the loop makes the process cleaner. Would it help if I sent you the case details in writing so you can pass them to your attorney to take a look?"

If they have a real attorney on this specific case, that attorney probably already knows about the surplus. If not, you have just handed them a reason to call their attorney and ask - which is a positive outcome either way.

Objection 4: "Call me back in a week."

This is usually a soft brush-off, not a real commitment. Do not block it, and do not accept it as a definite next call date.

"Of course. Before I go - I want to make sure you have the case number and the county contact so you can look at this on your own timeline. The claiming deadline in [state] is [real timeframe] - I'm not telling you that to pressure you, just so you have the actual clock. Can I send you the case details by text or email so you have them regardless of when we talk next?"

You are not pushing the call. You are making sure the information gets to them independent of whether they pick up next week.

Objection 5: "I'm not interested."

Take it at face value first. Then offer the information without the relationship.

"I hear you. I am not going to try to talk you into anything. One thing before I go: the funds are sitting in a court registry with your name tied to them. You can claim them without me - the clerk's office in [county] has the forms. The case number is [X] and their number is [NUMBER]. Even if you never want to hear from me again, that information is yours."

If they hang up after that, they still have what they need to act. If they stay on the line, they were not actually as uninterested as they said.

Objection 6: "I already know about this."

If they know about the surplus, find out what they are doing about it.

"That's great - so you know the funds are there. Can I ask where things stand? Have you been in touch with the county or an attorney about the claim process?"

From here you learn one of three things: they are actively filing and do not need you (let them go, genuinely), they know it exists but have not done anything about it (there is a conversation here), or they are not actually as far along as they implied (keep listening).

Objection 7: The hang-up.

They answered, heard your first sentence, and ended the call. This is not a rejection of you - it is a reflex. They have been called by too many people running too many scams.

Wait 48 to 72 hours. Then send a single text:

"Hi [Name], I called a couple days ago about a court record tied to [address]. I did not get a chance to say what I needed to say, so here it is: there is a balance on deposit in the county registry connected to that property. The case number is [X]. Call the [County] Clerk of Court at [NUMBER] and ask about excess proceeds from that sale. You do not need to call me back for this to be useful to you. I just wanted you to have the information."

You are not asking them to call you back. You are giving them the county's number, not yours. That is a fundamentally different signal than every other missed call they get.

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The on-camera offer

When you sense someone is close to convinced but still holding back, you can make this offer once per conversation: "Would it help to do a quick FaceTime or Zoom call so you can see who you're talking to? I don't know any scammers who are willing to put their face on camera."

Most people will say no, that's okay - and then keep talking to you. The offer alone is what does the work. It is the kind of thing someone running a real operation says, and everyone instinctively knows it.

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What Order to Reach Out In

The order matters as much as the message. Different channels reach different people, and they do not all carry equal trust signals. Here is how to sequence them and why.

1. Ringless voicemail (RVM) first

RVM drops directly to voicemail without the phone ever ringing. The recipient sees a missed call and a voicemail notification. That missed-call pattern - someone called and left a message - triggers callbacks at a higher rate than a ringing call that someone answers and immediately hangs up. Keep the message 15 to 20 seconds. Use the same opener as the scripted voicemail in this guide. RVM also bypasses the carrier spam filters that flag high-volume dialers, which means more of your messages actually land. Run RVM within the first hour after you have the lead.

2. SMS drip second

Send the first text message within 60 minutes of dropping the RVM - while your number is still fresh. Use the 9-message sequence above. The key is spacing: messages 1 through 5 should run across the first 10 days, with messages 6 through 9 escalating in urgency across the following 7 days. Do not blast all nine messages in two days - that reads like a spam bot and will get you blocked. SMS has the lowest barrier to read - most people open texts even from unknown numbers - but it also has the lowest trust ceiling. You are using it to get them curious, not to close.

3. Email third

Email arrives with your name, a subject line, and enough room to include the case number, the county contact, and a clear explanation of the contingency model. It is slower to convert than a call but it stays in an inbox where they can come back to it. For people who did not respond to RVM or SMS, email is sometimes the channel where they finally decide to act. Keep the subject line specific: "Court record - [Property Address]" outperforms anything clever. Do not use "Hi" or "Quick question" - those are phishing signals.

4. Live call fourth

By the time you make a live call, they have already seen your name on their phone and heard or read your message. You are not cold anymore. Open with acknowledgment: "I left you a voicemail a few days ago about the property at [address] - I just wanted to make sure you got the information." If they answer, you have a better-than-cold chance because the mystery is already half-resolved. If they do not answer, leave one more voicemail using the second voicemail script from this guide, then stop leaving voicemails.

5. Physical mailer last

A letter mailed to the former owner's current address - if you have it from your skip trace - is the slowest channel but it carries the highest perceived legitimacy. People do not associate physical mail with phone scams. A one-page letter on plain letterhead, referencing the property address and the county case number, with a phone number to call, converts better than a third voicemail from a number they have already ignored. Send a mailer on day 14 if you have not gotten a response on any other channel. After day 21 with no response of any kind, close the file.

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This guide is general educational information for surplus recovery operators and does not constitute legal advice. Regulations governing surplus fund recovery, calling conduct, fee caps, and unauthorized practice of law vary significantly by state. Consult a licensed attorney in each state where you operate before beginning outreach.