Chances of getting a postdoc with low number of papers
In the UK and Scandinavia at least, provided you show that those papers are in review you should be ok except for very highly competitive labs. The 'well-known professors' are most likely to be running those kinds of labs BUT you may well still get in if you are experienced in a topic or technique they are looking for. 

I honestly doubt the professors are lying or trying to brush you off; nearly all postdoc positions only come up when project funding comes through. Bear in mind that the professors are probably answering several such emails a week so they do indeed keep a 'stock' reply and that is fair enough. 

So don't wait for your publications to happen but look for advertised positions in your specialism and/or with your skillset named. Good websites are jobs.ac.uk and Euraxess. 

Side note: I am aware that candidates from not-USA-or-Europe often get a harder time which is regrettable. My answer stands but I wanted to acknowledge that you do have it tough.