Instagram post shifts search for missing Alameda man to SF
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KTVU) - The search for a missing Alameda man is shifting to San Francisco’s Lands End Park Monday morning after a picture of the man was discovered on Instagram.
This new development comes as KTVU has learned that 73-year-old John Beck owes the government more than $100 million dollars for his involvement in a ‘get-rich-quick’ real estate scam.
Beck was last seen in Oakland on Tuesday morning being dropped off for a business meeting, which he never showed up for.
An image from a surveillance camera at a BART station showed Beck leaving Oakland, but his destination was not known.
Then over the weekend his family found an Instagram post from a tourist at Lands End Park in San Francisco that appeared to show Mr. Beck walking along the coastal trail.
The picture was taken around noon on the day that Beck disappeared, just a few hours after his scheduled meeting.
The person who took the Instagram post told Mr. Beck’s family that they remembered the man and said ‘He seemed very out of it.’
Beck’s family has been searching and distributing flyers as far south as San Jose, but says they will be focusing their efforts at the Lands End Park beginning at 7am Monday morning.
They also say, Mr. Beck knew that area well from growing up in San Francisco.
“My dad is a very reliable person, he goes where he says. He doesn't, he's never done anything like this, it’s very unusual,” said John’s daughter Laura Beck. “He's just an amazing grandfather and really a solid, good, decent person.”
Beck’s family said they do not believe his financial problems played a part in his disappearance.
Several years ago, the federal trade commission sued Beck over a real estate investment system he was peddling through infomercials promising easy money by buying homes at tax sales.
The court found Beck’s pitch to be a scam leveling a $113 million dollar judgement against him, which forced the businessman to declare bankruptcy.
Despite facing the seizure several properties and assets, including his home in Alameda, Beck’s family says that he remained steady and was not hopeless of despondent about his situation.
His daughter also don’t believe that he skipped town to avoid his financial problems.
“He wouldn't leave us like that. he wouldn't hop on a plane and go hide somewhere. I can't even express how much my dad wouldn't do something like that.”
Beck reportedly had little money on him, left his passport behind, and has not used his credit cards or cell phone since he disappeared.
For more information on assisting with the search for John beck, click here: https://www.facebook.com/findjohnbeck/?fref=ts