A Victoria man arrested last month in connection with a series of sophisticated rental scams is back in police custody after a tipoff from his landlord
VicPD said the man was taken to police cells on Saturday and is facing charges of rental fraud, forgery and failure to comply with probation orders after officers were tipped off by someone who was renting the man a suite in an apartment on Toronto Street in James Bay.
Police said the man refused to pay rent and warned the property manager not to call police, making “concerning statements” about what would happen if the manager contacted law enforcement.
The manager recognized the man from a previous VicPD warning about a man who had been arrested — and later released with conditions — after allegedly committing several rental scams.
Police said the frauds involve online ads for rental suites and are conducted by email and text, often over weeks and months, and usually involve the scammer meeting with victims, calling references and handing over fraudulent key fobs.
There have been at least 10 incidents of rental fraud involving thousands of dollars, said VicPD.
Police said that on Saturday in the James Bay apartment, they found multiple IDs and banking documents belonging to several people as well as evidence of ongoing rental frauds similar to those for which the suspect was previously arrested.
The man was held for a court appearance Tuesday. He faces eight charges recommended by police, including charges for fraud under $5000, use of a forged document, forgery of a passport and five charges for failure to comply with probation conditions.
The rental frauds remain under investigation, said VicPD. A police spokesman said there are likely additional victims who have not yet come forward. Victims are asked to call VicPD at 250-995-7654 extension 1.
