A NOTE FROM BLANKET, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NARPM
Several NARPM members have recently reported receiving suspicious inquiries through the NARPM Members Directory. We want to address the situation directly by clearing up a misunderstanding, explaining what to look out for, and what we’ve done to protect NARPM members.
First, an Important Clarification
No inquiry made through the NARPM Members Directory is associated with Blanket. They are not “Blanket leads.” Blanket does not generate, sell, or supply leads to NARPM members through the Members Directory. The Directory is simply a way for people browsing the NARPM website to connect with NARPM members.
What to Look Out for
In the case of the reported inquiries, the individuals submitting the inquiries were NARPM website visitors acting in bad faith, not anyone associated with Blanket or NARPM.
Blanket and the NARPM leadership team reviewed the reports of suspicious inquiries together. We found they all follow a coordinated playbook:
- The sender poses as a property owner
- Pushes to schedule a virtual call
- Then tries to get the property manager to use a Zoom link and/or install software in order to “join” that call.
This is a coordinated scam. What makes this particular scam especially difficult to stop is that every inquiry seems legitimate:
- The email addresses and phone numbers are real.
- The subject lines and message bodies are unique and human-sounding (A minority appear to be AI-generated).
- The inquirers use different names.
Because there is no single person, address, or pattern to block, technology alone cannot reliably filter these out.
This tactic is not unique to the Members Directory. There are reports of the same scam being run through other property management lead channels. These bad actors could also reach any property manager directly through their own website contact forms. Always be on alert for unsolicited “owner” inquiries that quickly push toward a virtual call and a software install.
IMPORTANT: You’ll know the inquiry is a scam if you’re asked to download software to join the call. Never download software you are not familiar with.
The Action We Took
Together with the NARPM team, we decided to pause the ability to submit inquiries and contact members through the Directory. This stops scam inquiries, but it also pauses legitimate inquiries. We feel the risk to members outweighs the benefit of legitimate inquiries, and protecting members comes first.
Our Commitment
Blanket built the NARPM Members Directory for NARPM, and we maintain it at no cost as a courtesy to NARPM and its members. We care about this community, and we will keep working alongside the NARPM team to bring the Directory’s lead features back in a safer, more protected form.
If you have questions or would like to report a suspicious inquiry, please reach out to us at narpm@blankethomes.com.
Sincerely,
The Blanket Team, in partnership with NARPM
