The North Bay Police Service is warning the public about several rental frauds reported during June and July 2024. All reported incidents are currently under investigation by the North Bay Police Service.
According to Equifax, rental scams occur when a property owner misrepresents themselves, the rental property in question or the terms of a lease in an attempt to obtain money for a fraudulent offer.
Fraud can happen to anyone. Last month, several seniors in Halton region fell victim to a rent scam. Officers say that several current and potential residents of Palmer Place Seniors Residence were contacted by email and asked to pay rent via e-transfer. In the case of potential residents, they were advised that a unit had become available and asked to transfer a cash payment for rent up front, varying from one month to a year. Police confirmed that the emails were fraudulent. 10 people at Palmer Place were targeted by this scam, and some of those who were targeted did send cash before realizing the emails were fraudulent.
Rental Fraud
There are three main types of rental fraud, which include:
- Phantom Rental – When a fake ad is created to lure tenants and obtain money prior to tenants viewing or occupying the property (a property that, in fact, does not exist);
- Hijacked Ad – When someone copies a legitimate ad and begins to collect money prior to tenants viewing the property;
- Already Rented – When a property is rented to multiple people and money (typically first and last month’s rent) is collected up front before the property is viewed by the tenant(s).
Red Flags
Scammers are adaptable and talented at changing their methods in order to defraud victims, but a few things to look out for in order to protect yourself from rental frauds include:
- The “landlord” will not show you the property in person until money is paid (typically first and last month’s rent). The “landlord” may also claim that they reside out of town and are unable to show you the property in person;
- Vague address or no address information;
- Blurry photos or duplicated photos with a blurry watermark;
- Duplicate listings for the same property with a different price;
- Landlord requests payment by an obscure method (‘wire’ transfer or cryptocurrency).
Tips
Remember to follow these tips to help protect yourself against rental fraud:
- Never send money before seeing the rental property and signing a lease agreement.
- Never rent sight unseen. Even if you reside out of town, making the trip to view the property is likely cheaper than being defrauded of first and last month’s rent.
- Be wary of landlords that request little information from you.
- Never deal in cash.
- Insist on a lease agreement. Ask the landlord to show picture identification as proof they are the person named in the document. While it is not a requirement that they produce identification, the renter should be suspicious if they refuse.
- Be wary of rental rates that are below market value or seem too good to be true. Remember: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Always meet the landlord in person and obtain a receipt for any money paid.
- Deal with a reputable property management company.
- Do your basic research through open-source queries (e.g., Google).
- Students can use resources offered by their educational institution to assist in finding housing.
- Do not feel ashamed if you have been victimized by a scammer. Scammers are very talented at using new technology and methods to defraud victims. If you have been victimized by a scammer, report the incident to police.
How to Report
The North Bay Police Service encourages anyone who has been defrauded as a result of a rental schemes to contact police at 705-497-5555 and press 5 to speak with an officer. You can also contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or report a fraud online at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
How to submit a tip
Anyone with information that may assist police with ongoing fraud investigations is asked to call the North Bay Police Service at 705-497-5555 and press 5 to speak with an officer. For those who wish to remain anonymous, contact Near North Crime Stoppers, by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or by submitting a tip online at nearnorthcrimestoppers.com.
