Buyer undercutting wholesale opportunity

[Jeff Burns]

Hi - new to REI and interested in wholesaling. One question: if I find a good property to wholesale, negotiated the contract with the seller, etc., and I find an investor-buyer, how do I keep that buyer from going to the seller directly and making an offer? In theory, could that buyer just wait out my option period and scoop up the property? I understand that the more potential buyers, the more remote this possibility is, but has this ever been a problem for anyone? Any other ways to guard against it? Thanks! Jeff