Mainstreet HQ, Downers Grove – Mainstreet REALTORS® Director of Technology Christi Koziol is an expert in protecting our members data. Below she details how you can insulate yourself from being a victim of cybercrime(s).
“Click here to view your online billing statement,” reads as innocuous. Looking at your online billing statements with a mobile device is commonplace for millions of people around the world. The nuanced dangerous nature of that phrase “click here” has become more and more difficult to detect. Moreover, the consequences of “clicking there” without verifying the sender can be disastrous.
Scams and fraud in real estate come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Here are four types of real estate fraud common to Illinois specifically:
- Housing Scams – Pretending to be the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) offering waitlists for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program properties.
- Vacant Property Scams – Criminals pose as owners of a property to sell it illegally, often accepting cash offers only.
- Rental Scams – Will request money before a lease is signed or provide unrealistically low rent prices.
- Squatter Scams – Criminals using open houses and real estate listings to identify “easy” targets with funds available.
Christi provided her expert suggestions for anyone who has concerns about possible scams or fraudulent schemes with a pair of safety tips. First, she addressed how to have a protective mindset when asked how members can shield themselves when encountering unfamiliar senders. “Don’t follow links in spam messages. Some spam relies on generators that try variations of email addresses at certain domains. If you click a link within an email message or reply to a certain address, you are just confirming that your email is valid. One way to detect a scam email or text is the greeting. If they are unfamiliar, use the wrong name, contains spelling mistakes, immediate data requests or strange hyperlinks, it is most likely not legitimate.”
Sometimes, these scams and frauds look so authentic that members may click on them even after vetting the sender. Christi addressed what to do if you happen to be one of these victims, “Report the message as spam. Most email clients offer an option to report a message as spam or junk. If your client has that option, take advantage of it. Reporting messages as spam or junk helps to train the mail filter so that the messages aren’t delivered to your inbox. However, check your spam or junk folders occasionally to look for legitimate messages that were incorrectly classified as spam. Additionally, if your company has an IT department, report the message immediately.”
The larger picture here is simple: digital citizenship is less and less optional. So as someone who must opt in, there are ways to stay vigilant about where you put your information. Just as important as where you put in your name and address is why are you inputting that information. Is it because you were asked for it and did so by reflex? Or did you look closely at why you needed to “sign in?”
Scammers, hackers and cybercriminals are looking for the cracks in our online identity to use for their financial gains. Verifying the websites you use prior to data entry is important. The same mindset applies to your routing numbers or social security number, highly guarded information for a reason.
September is Safety Month for REALTORS® and Mainstreet has a dedicated page just for protecting yourself and your business. Visit our safety page by clicking here.