CA CA - John Beck, 73, Alameda, 9 February 2016 *NamUs #MP32544* #2

[Paligal]

I think about this case all the time. A friend of mine knows one of his children, so I originally became interested because of a missing person post on social media. But I think he is out there somewhere, because if he had jumped from the bridge, his folder of papers would have either been found on or near the bridge, or scattered on the water. He also would have been seen by all the people on the bridge. I personally think he crossed the bridge and someone in Marin County picked him up. He is probably in Canada or Mexico now.

 

[Lilibet]

I think about this case all the time. A friend of mine knows one of his children, so I originally became interested because of a missing person post on social media. But I think he is out there somewhere, because if he had jumped from the bridge, his folder of papers would have either been found on or near the bridge, or scattered on the water. He also would have been seen by all the people on the bridge. I personally think he crossed the bridge and someone in Marin County picked him up. He is probably in Canada or Mexico now.

Thanks for posting @Paligal. If he’s still alive I think he’s out there somewhere too. I’m sure he had friends who would have helped him disappear. He was 73 when he disappeared nine years ago so he would be 82 now. The closer I get to 80, that doesn’t seem that old. I wonder what his wife and kids think happened, and where his wife is now. Of course, it’s always possible he committed suicide a different way than the bridge and after waiting awhile. It’s a haunting mystery.

JMO

 

[Lilibet]

I googled the house address and it looks like Beck’s wife lost it in December 2022. I wonder where she went. I can’t imagine the stress. She’ll be 80 next year. Not a great time to move, although I’m not sure if she’s lived there since 2016.

Welcome - Alameda County Recorder's Office Web Access

Replying to myself to add some info…

There have been more legal issues regarding the Beck’s house in 2024. I’m not sure what they mean exactly.

Welcome - Alameda County Recorder's Office Web Access

Welcome - Alameda County Recorder's Office Web Access

Interestingly, there are five pages of entries regarding this address, quite a few involving tax liens.

Welcome - Alameda County Recorder's Office Web Access

Also, on Jan. 4, 2025 Joyce Beck organized a fundraiser on g*f*m titled…

Joyce Beck's Fight Against Fraudulent Eviction​

She claims that a group of individuals posing as officials and falsely claimed it had been foreclosed and sold. They threatened her with arrest if she didn’t leave immediately, so she did. She wasn’t allowed the chance to gather her belongings. She claimed that they looted her house and stole things. This has left her homeless along with her daughter and grandson who live with her. She was asking for money to hire an attorney to fight this “fraudulent” eviction. There were photos of the house, her family and some of the damage.

So apparently she has continued to live there while all these legal issues played out.

 

[destlin]

Wasn't "tax liens" the foundation of Beck and his cronies' real estate hustle? If I remember correctly (it's been years since the first news of this broke) the FTC went after them because they were selling courses over the airwaves on how to gain wealth by buying houses at auction due to back taxes.... buying houses at tax lien auctions isn't illegal as far as I know but there must have been something about how they were selling the get-rich-quick-scheme that made it actionable to the FTC.

Anyway, my guess is that he escaped to another country. It would seem to fit the entire modus operandi, and I agree with Paligal that if he had perished that day there's a good chance that something would have been found by now.

 

[mlhenn]

John Nelson Beck – The Charley Project

Details of Disappearance​

Beck was last seen in the 1300 block of Clay Street in Oakland, California on February 9, 2016. He may have boarded a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train at 9:06 a.m., at the 12th Street station. He was en route to a court meeting with his lawyer, but never arrived. He has never been heard from again.

At the time of his disappearance, Beck was facing a $113 million judgment from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and had been fighting the judgment for four years. He had been the founder of John Beck Amazing Profits and, along with associates, sold bogus real estate and internet marketing kits, which is why the FTC took action against him.

Beck's family stated he had never gone missing before and was not the sort of person to do anything to cause unnecessary worry. His case remains unsolved.

 

[nannymo]

Don't forget there was a photo of him at Land's End in San Francisco the day he went missing. He was carrying the folder he was taking to court that day.

Also a person said they saw him on February 12, 2016 in Sebastopol, CA. which is not that far from his home and San Francisco.

I think he walked away. 83 is not that old anymore. I think he is still out there myself.

 

[Lilibet]

I was just googling about Beck and found this from 2025. I’m glad victims were compensated. Beck and the others were such sleazes!* And I do believe that Beck is living in another country, having abandoned his wife and family.

John Beck Amazing Profits Refunds

FTC sends payments to people who paid for money-making and coaching programs

www.ftc.gov

The FTC is sending 39,500 checks totaling more than $2 million to people who paid for bogus get-rich-quick “kits” and coaching programs sold by John Beck Amazing Profits. The programs included “John Beck’s Free & Clear Real Estate System,” “Jeff Paul’s Shortcuts to Internet Millions,” and “John Alexander’s Real Estate Riches.”

*Review this info about the original judgement to see how sleazy these people were/are.

FTC Wins Court Judgment Against Massive Get-Rich-Quick Infomercial Scam

The Federal Trade Commission won a court judgment against the marketers of three get-rich-quick systems who deceived nearly a million consumers.

www.ftc.gov