A Brampton, Ont. Real estate agent took to social media to caution her fellow local realtors of her meeting with a “shady character acting as a buyer” earlier this month.
 
In a March 13 post on her Facebook account, Anna Powell of Re/Max Realty Services Inc. warned female agents of the man’s suspicious behavior, which include posing as a potential buyer, offering realtors rides in his car, and asking for meetings late into the night.
 
“Please ladies, be careful, no deal is worth it. Safety first,” Powell wrote in her status update.
 
“He suggested that we take a drive in his car. At 9 p.m., that is a ridiculous request. I didn't know what his motive was. I can imagine,” she added. “I didn't report this incident to anybody at first. I thought it just happened to me. But I heard that the following day, someone in my office had a similar incident.”
 
“Awful things have happened in our industry that you have read about,” Powell subsequently told CBC News. “If someone wanted to go to a remote location, an agent might agree because she might be seeing commission stardust. At least we have each other's backs.”
 
Reports filed with the Peel Regional Police noted that the individual had a “husky build” and an East Asian appearance, aged between his late 30s to early 40s. Investigators confirmed that they have already “spoken to” the man.
 
“It was found that there were no grounds for criminal charges,” Peel police spokesperson Const. Rachel Gibbs said.
 
Prompted by Powell’s report, the Brampton Real Estate Board circulated a memo that alerted staff and agents about the suspicious character. As of press time, the board has issued no public statement regarding the notice.