05/14/2026
“BEWARE!!!”
A Realtor that lives in Murphysboro Tenn wrote this:
Just want to bring awareness to a situation that happened to me this morning.
I had someone text me around 8 AM wanting to sell a large piece of land in Woodbury. Something felt a little off, so I didn’t respond immediately. About an hour later, they called me asking if I received the text and if I would help. Honestly, they sounded very convincing at first, so I told them once I get back to my desk I would give them a call back to go over specifics.
Before I called them back, I ran the phone number through Forewarn, and that’s when the first major red flag popped up. The number flagged as unrelated individuals and did not match the owner on the tax record.
So I called them back and started requesting information only the owner would likely have:
Could you provide a survey?
Can you give me some specific property details?
Are there any easements on the property?
They couldn’t answer any of it.
When I asked what their motivation was for selling, they simply said they wanted a quick sale for the most amount of money they could get.
At that point, I asked if they would mind sending me a photo ID so I could verify identity since we’re seeing more fraudulent activity in real estate lately. They agreed and said they’d send it right over. Twenty minutes later, nothing.
So I went back into Forewarn, searched the owner from the tax record address on file, and was able to track down and call the actual owner directly. Sure enough, he had no intention of selling the property.
The real owner actually called me back afterward and was extremely thankful. He told me he’s looking at purchasing more land and building more projects here in Middle Tennessee. So it looks like I may have gained a client simply by doing a little extra work and doing the right thing.
Always dig a little deeper and be a resource, even for people who aren’t your clients. Our job isn’t just helping people buy and sell real estate. It’s also protecting homeowners, protecting property rights, and helping prevent fraudulent activity like this.
Just a reminder to agents and property owners:
Do your homework. Verify identity. Use the tools available to you.
Forewarn is an incredible tool not only for safety and confirming who you’re speaking with, but also for helping track down and contact the true owner when something feels off.
Stay sharp out there!
