KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — The Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents urged members of the public to always exercise caution when dealing with realty agents, conceding that existing safeguards and regulations cannot fully protect them from fraud.

Tan Kian Aun, the group president, said the case of a plot to defraud the Puthucheary family involved an accredited property agent, Thevan Ragavan of Thevan Realty, who could have duped an unsuspecting client with his credentials.