A person from Delhi thought they were getting a sweet deal on a rental property, turns out they had responded to a fake ad and now out $1,000.
DELHI - Police are warning the public after a rental fraud in Delhi.
Police say a property was listed for rent on Queen Street last Friday. A resident responded to the ad and provided a down payment on the property. Turns out the house was not actually a rental property and the person who posted the ad is scammer.
The victim lost $1,000 in cash that was sent through an e-transfer and no contract was ever received. It was determined that the house being advertised on the internet for rent is in fact for sale by a local realtor.
Police are reminding all residents to be vigilant at all times when responding to ads on various web sites. No matter whether you are renting or buying, it is important that you protect yourself from frauds and scams. In general, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Finding a place to rent may be as easy as walking through a neighbourhood that interests you looking for "for rent" signs, or reading your local classifieds. You may also turn to the Internet and search online classified postings. Whatever way you find your next place to live, be aware that there are people who could try to cheat or defraud you.
Advice for Renters:
- Avoid ads that are "too good to be true." Ads for apartments or houses with rents significantly below market value are almost always lures used by scam artists. Check other listings in the general area and see what the going rates for apartments and houses before responding.
- Always see the apartment or house in person before sending any money or providing personal information such as your social insurance number, even if it's just to fill out an application. Under no circumstances should you do business with an overseas landlord unless you have personally verified their identity and that they actually own the apartment or home advertised.
- Dealing locally is best. The safest way to deal is in person and face to face. Be wary if the prospective landlord only wants to communicate via e-mail. Be more wary if the landlord is currently out of the country or resides overseas or far from where the apartment or house is located. Be extremely wary if the landlord flat out refuses to talk on the phone or claims they cannot talk on the phone.
· Exercise extreme caution before wiring deposits or rent payments using a money transfer service, especially to foreign countries. Sending money in any form overseas will likely result in losing all of it. Money transfers are very popular for Internet scams because the funds are available instantly, untraceable and worldwide.
- Scan any attachments from landlords with anti-virus software before opening. One of the latest scams involves a "landlord" e-mailing an unsuspecting renter additional photos of the apartment for lease. However, one or more of the e-mail attachments contains a virus that can fool your Web browser to make it appear as though you're going to a legitimate site but in fact are being sent to a site controlled by the scammer. The best way to protect yourself is by using an anti-virus software, keeping it up to date and by scanning all e-mail attachments before opening or double-clicking them.
Tips for landlords:
- Do they only communicate via email? Police suggest being very cautious when dealing with someone you only have contact with via the Internet.
- Verify payments. If you are considering renting to someone who sends advance payment, ensure that their payment is good with your bank.
- Excess payments. Never wire or transfer excess funds to anyone.
- Caution during student rental season. Fraud becomes more prevalent near the end of a term at university or college when students are attempting to sublet their apartments. Be extra cautious at this time.
"If we can eliminate the economic incentives for scammers, we can eliminate their behavior completely. Renters, property managers, owners, and agents all need to continually stay educated on the various rental scams that are occurring in our community."
- Inspector Joseph Varga Detachment Commander, Norfolk County OPP.
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