Consumers can be targeted by shady individuals on the Internet as well as on several other technology platforms. It is necessary to be vigilant to avoid an unfortunate situation. Take the time to read the following information in order to prevent any kind of fraud, and do not hesitate to contact a member of our team should you have any questions.

How to spot phoney emails and dubious phone calls?

Using common sense and being wary of what seems to be “too good to be true” are good habits to have in order to avoid any problems. Clear indicators can also help identify phoney emails and dubious phone calls. Here are a few examples of these indicators:

• The buyer is a foreigner and wishes to buy your home without even seeing it.
• The buyer agrees to your asking price and offers to pay cash or by money order, bank draft or bank transfer.
• The buyer asks for your personal contact information, including your banking information.
• The buyer says that it is urgent, they are in a rush and need an immediate answer to the offer.
• The buyer suggests you meet in a foreign country to conclude the transaction.
• The buyer is not available to speak over the phone, and prefers to communicate via email or text message.
• The buyer says transfer fees or any costs related to the transaction are payable, and asks you to pay cash or by a payment service such as PayPal or Western Union.

Identify a good purchase process 

Not all sales go through the exact same steps, but the following examples will help you distinguish normal behaviour from behaviour that should raise a red flag.

Normal process: 

• The potential buyer contacts the seller for information on the property or to plan a visit.
• The potential buyer visits the home and asks the seller questions.
• If the buyer is interested, they will ask to see the home a second time or will discuss with the homeowner in order to proceed with an offer to purchase.
• The buyer and seller will agree on the terms of the sale (financing, inspection, etc.).
• If both parties agree on a down payment, the amount will be deposited in trust with a notary.
• Real estate transactions in Quebec must always be notarized. Therefore, it is the notary who will receive the funds for payment of the agreed purchase amount. These funds will then be transmitted to the seller.

Ask questions

Asking questions can help you better determine a potential buyer’s intentions. If you already have doubts, it is best not to proceed with that person.

Where do they live?

It is suspicious if a buyer says they live abroad and wish to buy your property without seeing it.

Which property are they interested in?

Remove any reference to your property for sale from your email exchange and ask the buyer which property they want to buy. Beware if the person you are speaking to cannot identify the exact property.

Why don’t they want to see your home?

If the person says they are too busy or cannot get around to visiting your home, go no further.

In this type of case, you can flag the message as junk mail or spam in your email message filters.

Develop good reflexes