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BEWARE! REPUTATION SCAMMERS WANT YOU!

By Randy Hilman REALTOR® Associate Broker

Real Estate Agent with Randy Hilman Homes in partnership with Bean Group NH# 067519

January 15, 2013 08:47 PM

I JUST SULLIED YOUR REPUTATION, NOW PAY ME TO RESTORE IT

We put our lives out on the web for all to see. We promote ourselves, share our stories, try to get as many people as possible to "like" us. We all understand, don't we, that in our real estate work, as with any trade or profession, our word is our bond and a good word about us is an economic imperative.

This is what we all want, a good word said about us and our work. And to get it, we allow ourselves to be vulnerable in real and virtual worlds where there are no guarantees, where every possible danger lurks and the players are people we've never met.

How would you react if one day you Googled your name and up popped something derogatory about you, say a review about your lack of skill, your unprofessional conduct, or worse: unmentionables (here) about your habits or personal life? Or what if you one day received an email letting you know that a company claiming to track and defend professional reputations had found a negative comment about you that it could fix for a price? Would you consider paying to snuff the stuff you know is false, but potentially damaging? .

May God forbid it, but this horror has allegedly visited some New Jersey real estate agents targeted by a web site which is now itself the target of a REALTOR® investigation, according to veteran REALTOR^®Magazine editor and writer Stacey Moncrieff. If you haven't read her blog on this development, you'll want to check it out here. I hope everyone reads this important news and comments freely right here.

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Wendy Smith

Wendy Smith Real Estate - Clearwater, FL

Real Estate Advisor

Disgruntled consumers can post anything they want, anywhere they want without recourse. I was the listing agent in a transaction, the buyer had her own agent. The buyer's offer was not accepted by the short sale bank (the buyer wouldn't increase her offer) and eventually the back-up contract was submitted, accepted and closed.

The buyer blamed me for her "not getting the house" and posted a negative comment about me. As it happens, I was able to get that comment deleted but what about the comments that are posted that you don't know about?

For all professionals and all people, this is a very real problem as people are very brave when not face-to-face with a person - we've all seen articles & heard stories about cyber-bullying, etc.

People, all people, need to think twice before posting anything negative about anybody....and then make the decision to avoid negative posts.

Jan 15, 2013 08:56 PM

Douglas O'Connell

Cafe Realty/Tax Grievance Specialist - Cortlandt Manor, NY

Thanks for the insight, this sounds like a really important issue, and one we need to be educated on.

Jan 15, 2013 09:04 PM

MaryKay Shumway

The Kellstrom Ray Agency, Inc. (Est. 1948) - Sister Bay, WI

Door County Wisconsin's Real Estate Expert

Another great reminder that we need to watch our online presence very carefully!

Jan 17, 2013 02:28 AM

Dr. Paula McDonald

Beam & Branch Realty - Granbury, TX

Granbury, TX 936-203-0279

So much to be aware of. And, the problem is that there are just some plain ole mean people out there.

Jan 17, 2013 02:44 AM

Kevin Mackessy

Blue Olive Properties, LLC - Highlands Ranch, CO

Dedicated. Qualified. Local.

This does happen. I had a guy write a negative review on Yelp just because I couldn't answer his phone call on the first ring while I was out of the state.

Jan 17, 2013 02:47 AM

Brenda Mullen

RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX

Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

This isn't just in New Jersey..it's all Realtors and we need to be careful out there. This is another great reminder to be wary of any phony sites asking for money to re-establish your reputation.

Jan 17, 2013 02:49 AM

Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Hmmmmmm . . . I thought extortion was illegal. Seems to me a company is committing an illegal practice of extortion, if the reviews are made up and only done for the purpose of obtaining money from individuals to remove the made-up comments . . . extortion, no?!?

Jan 17, 2013 04:53 AM

Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi

NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL

708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Will definitely have to check your link out ... and perhaps do a Google search of myself more often too. Never hurts to be aware. Thanks for the info and heads-up!

Gene

Jan 17, 2013 05:20 AM

Randy Hilman REALTOR® Associate Broker

Randy Hilman Homes in partnership with Bean Group - Moultonborough, NH

Guide & Mentor to Home Buyers & Sellers

Hi all and thank you for your comments. To those of you who believe we need to be especially guarded, I say share my post with everyone in your spheres because all professionals are potential targets. Well meaning professionals not only pride themselves on a principle-based, best practices approach to their careers, but we all take oaths to uphold the high standards of our respective professions.

It's the oath that distinguishes us as professionals as opposed to trade or crafts people. It's because we are held to higher standards than ordinary workers that complaints about our conduct are especially damning.

I know that disgruntled customers and clients can cause us public relations problems. It is bad enough to receive a complaint from a legitimate source. In dealing with these types it is probably best to exercise as much good will as you can muster in your responses to consumer complaints.

But to Carla's point, the serious menace is the illegal activity apparently taking place. I would not label it as extortion. Rather, I call it fraud because, Carla, the schemers aren't threatening to ruin reputations unless they're paid money; they're offering to quiet complaints for a fee. They're our helpers, don't you know. The problem for law enforcement is these schemers are domiciled in remote places, far away from authorities. The Internet makes them a global threat.

It is important to report any contact from companies claiming to be able to fix for a fee the bad raps alleged consumers are said to be "sharing" in their "reviews" of real estate agents. It's scary really. Real Estate officials are reportedly advising against the payment of money to any company that claims to be monitoring your reputation.

Alert all your friends to this type of internet fraud. Please share my original post with them and remember to Google your own names frequently.

Jan 17, 2013 06:14 AM

John Juarez

The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA

ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

The lure of easy money can make crooks especially creative and devious. We must be watchful to safeguard our social media reputations but not to the extent of becoming easy targets for scammers.

Jan 17, 2013 12:27 PM

Gary Frimann, CRS, GRI, SRES

Eagle Ridge Realty / Signature Homes & Estates - Gilroy, CA

REALTOR and Broker

I just heard about this, and apparently NAR is doing an investigation.

Jan 17, 2013 01:36 PM

BEWARE! REPUTATION SCAMMERS WANT YOU!

I JUST SULLIED YOUR REPUTATION, NOW PAY ME TO RESTORE IT

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