{12.5 IMPACT OF FRAUD ON THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSION 8: PUBLIC. It's difCult to judge the full extent of the damage to reputation of the real estate profession when theft occurs, however each event tarnishes the industry as a 1whole and builds distrust when dealing with agents in general. Although the consumer will eventually retrieve their funds through either the agency principal or the Statutory Interest Account [aka Compensation Fund) it is a lengthy process where they must prove their loss Idamages