04/15/2026
🚨 Business Owners & Real Estate Professionals – Please Read 🚨
Today our home inspection business almost got caught in a very convincing scam, and I want to share this so others don’t fall into the same trap.
Scammers are targeting real estate agents, FSBO listings, inspectors, and new businesses by posing as serious buyers or investors. They sound professional, reference actual property addresses, and seem ready to move quickly.
How the scam works
Someone contacts you claiming strong interest in a property and says they are relocating or out of state. They push hard to jump on a Zoom call immediately and insist on sending their meeting link.
That link often leads to a fake Zoom login page or installs malware designed to: • steal email access
• access client information
• capture passwords
• potentially enable wire fraud
• lock your files with ransomware
Red flags we noticed
⚠️ They insisted on using their Zoom link
⚠️ High pressure to meet immediately
⚠️ Would not speak on the phone first
⚠️ Messages sounded generic or copied/pasted
⚠️ Claimed they were ready to move forward without seeing the property
How to protect yourself
✔️ Always create and send your own meeting links
✔️ Never click unknown Zoom links
✔️ Verify the identity of new leads before sharing info
✔️ Request a phone call first
✔️ Block and report suspicious contacts
If you accidentally click a suspicious link: • Disconnect from the internet • Run a malware scan • Change passwords on business accounts immediately
As small business owners here in Hampton Roads, we work hard for everything we build — and unfortunately scammers are working just as hard to take advantage of busy professionals.
Please share this to help protect others in the real estate and home services community.
Stay alert and stay safe.