All New Hampshire REALTORS now have complimentary access to Forewarn, a digital application which provides instant identity, criminal, and property verification using only a phone number or name.
Without exposing any protected class information, agents can instantly verify identity (first name, last name, alias, and age); phone numbers (residential and mobile history); address history (rental, ownership, and associated addresses); financial indicators (bankruptcy, lien, judgment, and foreclosure history); property records (nationwide property ownership history); and criminal records (nationwide criminal history search).
Verifying prospects in Forewarn is not only critical for your own personal safety and efficiency, but also a benefit to your listing homeowners, providing an added layer of protection for their homes and families.
To set up your Forewarn account
- Click here and enter your email address when prompted.
- Use the same email address that this email was sent to, as it will serve as your Forewarn username.
- Open the activation email from Forewarn, and click the link as instructed.
- If you do not see the email, be sure to check your junk/spam folder.
- If you do not see the email after checking your junk or spam folder, this may be due to Forewarn not having your cell phone number. Please contact Forewarn Support at 561-757-4551 to provide it.
- You will be prompted to enter an authentication code that will have just been texted, or optionally read to you via automated call, to your phone number on file. Upon completion, you will be prompted to create a password.
- If you do not receive the text/call with an authentication code, Forewarn may have the wrong phone number on file. Please contact Forewarn Support at 561-757-4551 to update your cell phone number.
- Download the Forewarn app by clicking on the appropriate link below from your mobile device, or searching for Forewarn in the app store:
- After activating your account, you can also log into your Forewarn account from any web browser via the Forewarn.com homepage (click "Sign In" at top-right) or via this link.
Utilizing Forewarn
Forewarn provides instant mobile identity verification and public records (criminal, property, court, etc.) for over 98 percent of the U.S. adult population, and in most cases users are able to search and verify people from a phone number alone. If you are unable find an individual in Forewarn using a phone number, this does not necessarily mean fraud or criminal intent. Forewarn users are encouraged to gather further details and use the additional search functionality (“Search by name” link) within the Forewarn app to help ensure verification of the prospect.
When searching by name, if there are more than 100 results, Forewarn will display “Too many records found” and prompt a new search using additional criteria.
- Search Tip 1: In the search results, Forewarn displays all individuals who have ever been associated with the searched phone number. It is normal for multiple people to be linked to a single phone number, either as previous owners of the phone number, or relatives.
- Search Tip 2: If you search missed calls from telemarketing companies (typically they will not leave a voice message), you will get the result “Record not found” because that phone number has never been owned by, or associated with, a person.
For a brief video introduction and tutorial on Forewarn, you can also click here.
Criminal/infraction records: 'stronger' vs. 'weaker' matches
"Stronger matches only" records have been matched to that individual based on the checked data points in the Match Key (located to the right of each record).
"Weaker matches only" records have been matched to MORE than one individual based on the checked data points in the Match Key. Since Forewarn is unable to isolate one matching individual for the record, out of an abundance of caution, Forewarn opts to provide more information than less and displays the record in the "Weaker matches only" category for each one of the multiple matching individuals. In these cases, it is important to note that there is a higher probability that the record may not actually belong to the individual.
If you notice any "Weaker matches only" records that you are certain do not belong to the individual, please email Forewarn Support at support@forewarn.com and note which "weaker" records are incorrectly matched.
Compliance
Forewarn is only to be used for professional use only: verification of inbound prospects who have initiated an interaction, such as a potential buyer or seller initiating a request for information. The Forewarn service is not to be used for marketing (e.g. prospecting for potential leads/clients) or to determine anyone’s eligibility for credit, insurance, or employment, or for any other purpose regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Search activity (search terms and volume) is actively monitored to ensure proper use by subscribers as outlined in the Subscriber Agreement and the Forewarn Terms and Conditions. Any use that is outside of the outlined proper usage (agreed upon in account activation) is prohibited and can result in service termination. The specific compliance and use terms can be viewed here.
Below are a few examples of ways you should NOT use Forewarn:
- DO NOT use Forewarn to search for anyone who is not engaging in business with you (including, but not limited to celebrities, public figures, friends, family).
- DO NOT share information from Forewarn, or your Forewarn access credentials, with any third-party and DO NOT publicly post such information.
- DO NOT tell a prospect that they are not permitted, or unqualified, to purchase or sell a property because of information you obtain from Forewarn.
- DO NOT use information from Forewarn to harass or intimidate anyone, or to otherwise violate applicable laws.
The above examples are NOT meant to be all-encompassing, and you should refer to the Subscriber Agreement and the Forewarn Terms and Conditions for additional information. Forewarn is a powerful tool intended for the increased safety and efficiency of your business. Proper use of the service by real estate professionals ensures that we can continue to provide this valuable tool to the industry.
Customer Support
If you experience any difficulty setting up your password or logging into Forewarn, reach out to Forewarn Support at 561-757-4551 or email Forewarn Support at support@forewarn.com (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).