Every couple of weeks, REALTORS® notify GAAR staff of suspicious buyers. While the characters are different, the "MO" is almost the same.

1. They are staying in a hotel and don't have a car...so they need a ride.
2. They claim to be paying cash and want to look at an expensive house or multiple houses.
3. For some reason, they don't have ID (or at least no official ID).

Sometimes the story changes. Maybe it's a couple instead of an individual or the buyer has a story about needing to get their earnest money back from another deal. But, the main thing they have in common is they are suspicious.

If a buyer that you have never met before calls you out of the blue and cannot follow your office safety policies, including photocopying ID, meeting you at the office and/or getting pre-qualified, don't meet them alone. Your safety is more important. 

Trust your instincts. If it feels wrong, it probably is. If you feel threatened, call 242-COPS or 911. 

To share more safety tips, concerns and alerts with other REALTORS®, join the GAAR Members Group on FaceBook.