Would-be tenant who fell for rental scam didn't realize until moving day

A number of rental scams in Coquitlam, B.C., prompted a warning from RCMP Tuesday after two would-be tenants misplaced deposits on faux listings.

Mounties mentioned the incidents have been reported to them over the previous two months, and each included faux adverts for a rental property posted on-line.

In a single occasion, the sufferer despatched a deposit and half a month's hire via e-transfer to an individual who posted an advert. They despatched the cash with out viewing the rental suite.

When the sufferer went to the property on her move-in date, police mentioned, she realized the unit wasn't really for hire so she contacted the RCMP.

Within the second incident, the sufferer met a suspect exterior of the alleged rental unit after speaking with them on-line. Police mentioned the suspect "made up an excuse about how he couldn't present the suite and supplied knowledgeable wanting contract for the sufferer to signal."

That sufferer then handed over a harm deposit in money earlier than realizing the promised rental was really a rip-off.

Metro Vancouver residents are going through a particularly tight rental market. A recently-published forecast from Leases.ca mentioned renters throughout Metro Vancouver are unlikely to see a break any time in 2022. In Vancouver, the common hire was $2,925 in April, up 29.9 per cent from the identical time final 12 months when it was $2,331, in line with the report. 

"In a particularly aggressive rental market, these fraudsters are profiting from renters' must safe lodging," Cpl. Paige Kuz mentioned in a information launch.

"Fraudsters could be very convincing, however as a renter, previous to any cash altering fingers, there are some precautionary steps you possibly can take to guard your self from falling sufferer to scams similar to this."

A few of these steps, police mentioned, embrace scheduling a exhibiting and visiting the handle in particular person; requesting a lease and reviewing it carefully; and looking for the posted rental handle on-line to verify there aren't duplicates. Police additionally suggest being cautious of renters requesting fee in cryptocurrency or reward playing cards.

Anybody who thinks they have been the sufferer of a rip-off ought to name the Coquitlam RCMP non-emergency line at 604-945-1550. Those that encounter a rip-off however aren't victims ought to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. 

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