Pre-Foreclosure Clients - Is it illegal to speak to them if not RE Licensed?

I am new to this forum, so this topic may have already been discussed. Nonetheless, I was speaking to a RE agent the other day and I stated that I was thinking of being a foreclosure bird dog here in California. He warned me that it is against the law to speak to anyone in foreclosure unless you are a licensed RE agent. Is that true?
Tim

Hi,

 That's not true! Until the day of foreclosure sale the owner owns and controls the house and you buy property or refer buyers to property!

If that were the case the foreclosure police would have come to get me years ago!!

              GR

When it comes to REI most real estate agents are full of sh*t when it comes to their knowledge of REI it’s not even funny.