The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) is alerting consumers and licensees about scammers impersonating real estate agents and brokers online. These bad actors are using real names, license numbers, and photos to create fake websites, social media accounts, and listings in order to carry out fraudulent activities like property management and home sales.
Because these scams can appear legitimate, both consumers and real estate professionals are encouraged to stay cautious and verify identities before engaging in any transactions.
If you suspect this type of scam or are victim to this predatory behavior, you can immediately report the fraud and file complaints with any or all of the following:
The relevant Internet domain name provider, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center at: www.IC3.gov
- DRE, at: http://www.dre.ca.gov/Consumers/FileComplaint.html
- The California Attorney General, at: http://oag.ca.gov/consumers
- The District Attorney, Sheriff, local police and local prosecutor in your community. More information about law enforcement agencies is available at: https://oag.ca.gov/government/about
- The Federal Trade Commission, at: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), at: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/