Consumer Fraud Alerts

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC knows you work hard for your money. That is why we want to provide you with some tips that may help you avoid being scammed.

Coldwell Banker has recently been made aware of certain scams involving online job postings, job ads or career opportunities available with Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC or its affiliated companies. The scams involved telephonic interviews and email correspondence being sent to consumers who apparently responded to national job boards other than Realogy.com. The scammers contacted the consumers by posing as the Human Resources Department of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC reaching them first by email, then in some instances, conducting telephonic job interviews, and/or sending written communication to the consumers soliciting personal information, bank account information, and/or money from the consumer.

Theses job related scams are not affiliated with Coldwell Banker. We will never request your bank information in the manner posed by the scam, or request any payment. If you are interested in career or job opportunities with Coldwell Banker, we encourage you to visit our Careers page on www.coldwellbanker.com/careers or on https://www.realogy.com/careers for current opportunities with Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Recently, there have been increased reports across the nation of a theft scheme that involves hackers stealing email addresses and sending fraudulent wiring instructions to homebuyers and tenants. REALTORS®, lawyers, title agents and buyers could be affected. The criminal scheme has many variations and this notice is not intended to describe each situation. As an actual or prospective buyer or tenant, we want to alert you to the situation so that you can minimize the risk that you could be a victim.

We strongly recommend that before you wire any funds to any party (including your own lawyer, real estate broker or title agent whom you know to be involved in your transaction) that you personally call them to verify the wire instructions (you should confirm the ABA routing number or SWIFT code and the credit account number). You should call them at a number that you have obtained on your own (e.g., the sales contract, their website, etc.) and should not use the phone number that is contained in any email - even if the email appears to be from someone you know. A common aspect of the scheme involves the criminal hacking the sender's email (unbeknownst to them) and sending you an email that looks like other legitimate emails you have received from that party. The email contains the criminal's wire instructions and may contain the criminal's phone number and once your funds are wired by your bank to the criminal's account there may be no way to recover those funds.

This Important Notice is not intended to provide legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you have any questions.

Beware of scams perpetuated through the telephone and through e-mails in which scammers cold-call small businesses identifying themselves as representatives of "Coldwell Banker's Preferred Contractor" program (or something similar variations) offering the business to be their exclusive contractor in the area. They offer to include ads featuring the business on printed materials distributed by local Coldwell Banker agents and brokers. This is followed up by emails offering this deal "at no cost to Coldwell Banker", the only cost being the direct cost to the printer, New Horizon Concepts (or some other false name), which the business is required to pay. The scammer actually just pockets the money without delivering the goods. Please be advised that Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC and coldwellbanker.com are not in any way connected to this solicitation which is in fact fraudulent. If it’s too good to be true, it isn’t true.

It has come to our attention that various Internet solicitations have appeared with increased frequency on such posting boards as Craigslist.com encouraging consumers to deposit escrow funds to secure an apartment via payment through Western Union payable to www.coldwellbanker.com. Please be advised that Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC and coldwellbanker.com are not in any way connected to this solicitation which is in fact fraudulent. Craigslist, Western Union and law enforcement are being advised.

Additionally, we have been made aware of an Advance Fee Scam involving the unauthorized use of a brand name such as the Coldwell Banker® brand name, website and email address.

The scammer lures the victim (e.g., a prospective tenant) by posting an offer of a high-standard apartment for low cost, even showing pictures of the apartment. The scammer uses online classified ad services such as craigslist.org to post such offers. The victim is told that the renter is "traveling," "vacationing abroad" or "relocating." The victim is required to pay a deposit via Western Union in exchange for the "keys" to the property. In an effort to instill confidence in this transaction, the scammer fraudulently claims to have listed the apartment with a local Coldwell Banker office and arranges for a fraudulent email notification posing as a Coldwell Banker representative (and using Coldwell Banker logos) to be sent to the victim. The scammer disappears once the deposit is received, leaving the prospective tenant defrauded.

Here are some tips to help you avoid such scams:

KNOW THE PERSON YOU ARE SENDING MONEY TO - you receive an email from a Coldwell Banker Sales Associate with payment instructions, call the requesting office using the phone number located in our Office Search.

CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions or provide escrow services.

USE CAUTION WHEN GIVING OUT FINANCIAL AND OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION VIA EMAIL (bank account number, credit card number, social security number, etc.)

AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.

These types of scams often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before withdrawing your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.

PROPERTY/APARTMENT LISTING MAY BE LOCAL, but landlord/owner is "travelling" or "relocating" and needs you to wire money to them abroad.

You are specifically prohibited from any use of this Web Site, and You agree not to use or permit others to use this Web Site, to: (a) take any action that imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on the Web Site's infrastructure, including but not limited to "spam" or other such unsolicited mass e-mailing techniques; (b) disclose or share the assigned confirmation numbers and/or passwords with any unauthorized third parties or use the assigned confirmation numbers and/or passwords for any unauthorized purpose; (c) attempt to decipher, decompile, disassemble or reverse engineer any of the software or HTML code comprising or in any way making up a part of this Web Site; (d) upload, post, email or otherwise transmit any information, Content, or proprietary rights that You do not have a right to transmit under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships; (e) violate any applicable local, state, national or international law, including, but not limited to, any regulations having the force of law; or (f) use any robot, spider, intelligent agent, other automatic device, or manual process to search, monitor or copy our Web pages, or the Content without our prior written permission, provided that generally available third party Web browser such as Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer® may be used without such permission.

Inquiry from someone far away, often in another country. Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee." Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consummating transaction. Who should you notify about fraud or scam attempts?

FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)

FTC online complaint form ( www.ftc.gov )

Canadian PhoneBusters hotline: 888-495-8501

Internet Fraud Complaint Center ( www.ic3.gov )

Non-emergency number for your local police department.

The government agency in your country responsible for dealing with fraud

Thanks in advance.