Realtor® warns of suspicious caller

A female Realtor® in Pennsylvania thought she was gaining a new client.

Instead, she had an experience that left her shaken. She received a call from a potential buyer, who identified himself as Dwayne Bergeman. The Pennsylvania Realtor® who answered a call from him said he was talking very slowly, and mumbling. She had a difficult time understanding him.

He told her he was relocating from Oregon to Philadelphia and needed help purchasing a home in the $100,000 range. Despite repeated requests for information, like what kind of house, he refused to give any more details, instead trying to get her to show him a home.

After 20 minutes, she asked for his email address, and said she would email him. However, he called her right back, and was “very pushy.” Like she does with all potential clients, she searched for him on Google and learned that he has been calling female Realtors® across the country. He has been targeting female Realtors® in Pittsburgh, Nashville, Boston, Arizona, among others.

If you have been contacted by Dwayne Bergeman, reach out to your local authorities.

As a reminder, do not meet any clients for the first time alone, instead ask to meet somewhere like your office, where others are around. Always ask for identification and let other colleagues, friends or family know where you are when you are showing homes, along with what time you expect to be finished. It is also helpful to look up potential clients online before meeting them, as this Realtor® did. Remember no sale is worth your life. For more safety tips, check out NAR’s site.