We are in the process of notifying several agents / brokers that their FlexMLS user account shows multiple logins in multiple locations (sometimes accross the state or country) at the same time.  It could mean a password was hacked, or given out in a direct violation of our rules.  To safeguard the system – the MLS office must change any suspicious passwords to prevent further abuse. Agents and brokers will be notified immediately and given a new, temporary sign-in.  It is important to reiterate the strenuous lengths we will go to, to ensure that passwords remain confidential. Here are the regulations:

• If a Participant or person employed by or affiliated with a Participants provides unauthorized access to the Multiple Listing Service information, including providing their MLS password to any other person, the Participant will be sanctioned by the MLS Board of Directors, as outlined in the procedures set forth in Section 9 of the MLS Rules and Regulations.
• Sanctions for password violations includes the ability to suspend MLS membership for the entire office, expulsion, and/or fines up to $5,000.  It should be noted that an extensive, password protected client-side portal has been built in as a feature of the system and a no-cost benefit of your membership.  Sharing your FlexMLS passwords with other agents or clients  is considered a full breach.

We are your partner in keeping our data safe and thank you for your attention to this matter.  The real estate industry is a known target for data piracy issues and we would be happy to help answer any questions you might have to secure better our information.  If you’re worried about security, we strongly recommend that you also turn on third party authentication so that you can be assured that no one can access your account from a new location without verifying access via a text message.  If you are concerned about security of your system in general, it’s always wise to change your passwords of other sites, most especially your email account.    Here are some tips for general online safety if you’re concerned about hacking.