You are approached by a real estate agent to supply business cards to them without charge. This is an example of what?

You are approached by a real estate agent to supply business cards to them without charge. This is an example of what?

• A. Per se Inducement
• B. Kickback
• C. Rebating
• D. Unfair competition

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that offering something of value to a licensee to influence their professional actions is an inducement, and some inducements are treated as illegal on their face (per se). Supplying free business cards to a real estate agent is a tangible benefit aimed at getting the agent to use your services or refer business to you. Because it’s a direct incentive tied to the agent’s referrals, it fits the notion of an inducement, and many real estate ethics rules treat this as a per se violation—illegal simply by the act itself, without needing to prove any actual impact on a transaction. Other terms describe different notions: a kickback involves sharing fees or profits from a deal, rebating typically means returning part of a commission to a client, and unfair competition covers broader deceptive or unlawful business practices. The scenario specifically illustrates an inducement offered to a licensee, which is why it’s best labeled a per se inducement.

The key idea is that offering something of value to a licensee to influence their professional actions is an inducement, and some inducements are treated as illegal on their face (per se). Supplying free business cards to a real estate agent is a tangible benefit aimed at getting the agent to use your services or refer business to you. Because it’s a direct incentive tied to the agent’s referrals, it fits the notion of an inducement, and many real estate ethics rules treat this as a per se violation—illegal simply by the act itself, without needing to prove any actual impact on a transaction.

Other terms describe different notions: a kickback involves sharing fees or profits from a deal, rebating typically means returning part of a commission to a client, and unfair competition covers broader deceptive or unlawful business practices. The scenario specifically illustrates an inducement offered to a licensee, which is why it’s best labeled a per se inducement.