On Thursday, June 16th, SWMLS will launch FOREWARN, a new safety app to help you engage in safer interactions with new prospects with instant identity, criminal history, and property verification.

FOREWARN provides you the ability to verify a prospect's:

• Past criminal history
• Current assets (properties and vehicles)
• Financial risks (bankruptcies, liens, and judgments)

Using only the incoming phone number, FOREWARN can positively identify over 90% of prospective buyers. With additional information, over 98% of the population can be identified.

Using just a phone number or name, you can instantly verify:

• Identity (first name, last name, alias, and age)
• Phone numbers (residential and mobile history)
• Address history (rental, ownership, and associated addresses) 
• Financial indicators (bankruptcy, lien, and judgment history)
• Property records (nationwide property ownership history)
• Criminal records (nationwide criminal history search)

Verifying your prospects in FOREWARN is not only critical for your personal safety and efficiency but also a benefit to your listing homeowner, providing an added layer of protection for their homes and families.

How to set-up your FOREWARN account

On Thursday, June 16th, SWMLS Members will receive an email from GAAR that will provide step-by-step instructions on how to activate this new member benefit.

FOREWARN Tips

• When you are unable to find an individual in FOREWARN using a phone number, this does not necessarily mean fraud or criminal intent.  FOREWARN users are encouraged to gather further details and use the additional search functionality (the “Search by name” link) within the FOREWARN app to ensure verification of the prospect.
• Name search tip: When searching by name, if there are more than 100 results to your query, FOREWARN will display “Too many records found” and prompt you to re-run your search using additional criteria.
• Phone search tip #1: In the search results, FOREWARN displays all the individuals who have ever been associated/linked with the searched phone number. It is normal for multiple people to be linked to a single phone number, either as previous owners of the phone number, or relatives.
• Phone search tip #2 “Record not found”: If you search missed calls from telemarketing companies (typically they will not leave a voice message), you will get the result “Record not found” because that phone number has never been owned by, or associated with, a person.

IMPORTANT COMPLIANCE

Please note that you must limit your FOREWARN searches to professional uses only. FOREWARN is only to be used for verifying inbound prospects that have initiated the interaction, such as when a buyer or seller themselves have initiated a request for information or service. FOREWARN cannot be used to verify information for outbound marketing efforts. FOREWARN activity is actively monitored (search terms and volume) to ensure proper use by our Subscribers as outlined in the Subscriber Agreement and the FOREWARN Terms and Conditions. FOREWARN is a powerful tool intended for the increased safety and efficiency of your business. Proper use of the service by real estate professionals ensures that we can continue to provide this valuable tool to the industry.

Guidance For Using FOREWARN

Download the FOREWARN lists of Do's and Don'ts that are intended to be a guide that addresses the intent of the uses under the FOREWARN arrangement and is not Legal advice. Please consult your legal counsel if you have questions about your rights and obligations under the FOREWARN Agreement and Applicable Law. 

FOREWARN Customer Support

If you experience any difficulty setting up your password or logging into FOREWARN, contact FOREWARN support at 561-757-4551 or support@forewarn.com (Monday – Friday; 7am - 3pm MT).