MAR has been informed that several members have recently been the targets of a telephone scam.

 

This is how the scam works: 

 

1. A person claiming to be from the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers & Salespersons calls the licensee and states that there is a new MA law that requires fingerprinting of all real estate agents. There is NO such requirement.
 

2. The caller then informs the licensee that he/she has failed to respond to a letter regarding this matter and that their license is scheduled for suspension if they do not comply.
  

3. The licensee is then asked for credit card information to process the "fingerprinting application" over the phone. 
  

4. In at least one case, the person making the call then asks the licensee to "confirm" their social security number and gives them an incorrect number.  When the licensee says that the number recited by the scammer is incorrect the caller then demands the correct one in order to "process" the application.      

  

This is a SCAM and members should not give ANY information to the caller.  MAR's General Counsel has personally confirmed with the Board of Registration's Executive Director that these calls are fraudulent and the person is NOT from the Board.  There is no fingerprinting requirement under MA law and the Board would never call a licensee and ask for any credit card or social security number information.

 

Anyone receiving such a call should not give or confirm any information to the caller.

 

Any members who have received such a call are asked to contact MAR's legal department at 781-839-5510.

 

Non-member licensees should contact the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Sales Persons at 617-727-2373.