The Timeline of a Crime: Understanding and Reducing the Risk of Predatorial Crimes Against Real Estate Agents
By Rob Andress
When a REALTOR® gets attacked, many people assume that the crime began when the predator met the agent. Another false belief is that crimes against a Real Estate Professional are crimes of opportunity, this is the farthest thing from the truth. However, the reality is that the crime may have started months or even years before. In each step of the predator’s progression, there are opportunities to prevent the crime from occurring. Regardless of the specifics of a particular predator’s offender cycle, the following is the common progression of the precursor (or hunting) behaviors:
Initial Focus
The crime begins when the predator first notices a REALTOR® or several REALTORS®. This typically occurs through photographs displayed on social media, online marketing, bench ads, and for-sale signs. Predators may be attracted to an agent’s appearance, perceived vulnerability, or the regularity of their routines, or interest is gained due to valuable vehicles or jewellery being displayed in marketing materials.
Prevention Tips:
- Limit the amount of personal information shared on public profiles.
- Use professional, confident headshots that don’t reveal too much about your personal life.
- Try not to use vacation photos for marketing purposes and if possible attempt to reduce the use of full body shots in marketing material.
Focusing Behavior
In this research stage, the predator focuses on professional information about the REALTOR®. The language and details on a REALTOR®’s website can either encourage or discourage a predator from continuing their focus. Social Media sites will be sought out in an attempt to find more information about the professional. This includes information on family members, vehicles owned and your personal residence.
Prevention Tips:
- Avoid sharing detailed personal schedules and routines.
- Use neutral language that doesn’t disclose unnecessary personal details.
- Regularly update privacy settings on social media accounts.
- Keep your personal social media sites open only to close friends and familiar acquaintances.
Fantasy
The predator begins to fantasize about the REALTOR®. They use personal information, typically collected from social media, to incorporate elements of the REALTOR®’s real life into their fantasy life, developing a sense of familiarity (similar to celebrity stalking). This stage may involve physical stalking behaviors but typically does not include contact.
Prevention Tips:
- Be cautious about posting personal updates, locations, and activities.
- Use social media privacy settings to limit the visibility of your posts.
- Monitor your online presence and be aware of who is following or interacting with your profiles.
- Only allow strangers access to your professional social media marketing pages, NOT your personal social media sites.
Plan the Meeting
At some point, fantasy and stalking will no longer provide fulfillment, and the predator will begin to make contact through email, social media messaging, or phone calls. The end goal is to plan a meeting, most likely a showing, but open houses also present opportunities for contact. Once contact is established through phone, e-mail or social media, this will create a need for further interaction on the part of the predator.
Prevention Tips:
- Verify the identity of potential clients before agreeing to meetings.
- Request photo I.D to be sent to you, from them, through e-mail – DON’T MEET IN A PUBLIC LOCATION TO OBTAIN PHOTO I.D or MEET A CLIENT FOR THE FIRST TIME!
- When meeting a new client, us the information from their I.D to obtain further information about them. Google, Facebook, Local Court Documents.
Execute the Plan
The predator will arrange a meeting by making contact through phone, email, or social media messaging, generally requesting a property showing. This step is crucial as it transitions from online or distant interaction to a physical meeting.
Prevention Tips:
- Take the time to pre-qualify the individual before your first appointment. Ask questions about their housing needs, if there is a specific location they need to live in, what type of home is important for their needs, length of time they’ve been looking for housing. ASK QUESTIONS and listen for the response.
- Trust your instincts and cancel appointments if something feels off. Generally, if it feels off, it is off!
The Meeting
The predator will meet you at the prescribed location, of their choice. It’s important for you as a Real Estate Professional to understand that these crimes are crimes about “Domination and Control”. Controlling when they contact you, controlling how they contact you, controlling when they respond to you, controlling the properties they view with you and controlling the time of the viewings. They may be a “no show” depending on their confidence level. It’s important to note that the predator will repeat phases 4-6 with multiple REALTORS®. Prior to Stage Setting and Offense, there are usually multiple meetings with a single REALTOR® or several REALTORS®. This is to build the predator’s confidence, measure their risk, and derive emotional fulfillment from the anticipation.
Prevention Tips:
- Listen to your intuition during conversations. Ask questions.
- If specific properties are requested to view, offer to set up other similar properties and listen for the response.
- If the “Prospect” is adamant about a specific time, attempt to move the time by a half hour, listen to the response, hear what your intuition is telling you.
Stage Setting
During the showing, the predator will seek to isolate the agent where they cannot be seen or heard by others. They may ask the agent to look at something in the basement, bathroom, closet, or primary bedroom. This tactic may be used throughout several appointments. It’s during the staging period the Predator learns how to control the Professionals within the property they are viewing.
Prevention Tips:
- Keep a clear path to exits and avoid letting clients walk behind you.
- Politely decline requests to enter secluded areas or stand in the doorway allowing the Prospect to view the room.
- Be mindful of your location to stairs and where the exit areas are within the home at all times.
- Never allow a client to position themselves behind you.
Offend
When the stage is set the way the predator wants it and you are isolated, the attack will occur. The predator will display signs of increased adrenaline, nervousness, self-soothing measures, and will often attempt to close space with you to control your escape. Be mindful that niceness is often used to lure the Professional into a position the Predator needs them to be.
Prevention Tips:
- Stay calm and look for opportunities to escape or attract attention.
- Remove yourself from the property immediately, lock the doors on your vehicle, and call for assistance.
- If removing yourself from the area of attack is impossible, use self-defense measures to stop the attack, and leave the property immediately.
By understanding the timeline of a crime and recognizing the signs at each stage, REALTORS® can take proactive steps to protect themselves and potentially prevent predatorial crimes. Always prioritize your safety and trust your instincts when interacting with potential clients.
Rob Andress is a violence prevention and self defence specialist who has focused on REALTOR Safety and Violence within the Real Estate Industry. Rob, together with his wife Beth, have created Canada’s Leading Reality Violence Prevention and Safety Training, KNOW THEY ENEMY, PROSPECT OR PREDATOR. Rob and Beth have worked with thousands of Real Estate Professionals across Canada and are committed to providing the Real Estate Professional with the highest possible reality fact based safety training and education available.