Nanaimo RCMP are warning prospective tenants after a man was defrauded of several thousand dollars through a rental scam.
The victim told police he responded in early July to a rental ad on the Zillow website for a home on Bowen Road.
He began communicating with a person who said her name was Ginger Reed. She asked for one month’s rent up front and another month’s rent in order to turn the keys over, and gave him an email address where the funds could be e-transferred.
She said the keys and necessary documents would be delivered to him when the money was received.
The victim was then sent a copy of lease documents and an out-of-province driver’s licence with Reed’s name and a picture.
The next day, he went to the home and was surprised to find that it appeared to be occupied, with several vehicles in the driveway. He was able to confirm that Reed was not on the home’s title.
He realized he had been scammed and contacted police.
Police contacted Zillow and the ad was taken down.
“There were several red flags in this transaction, however the man cannot be faulted as this was a fairly sophisticated scam,” said Const. Gary O’Brien.
These are some of the red flags to watch for, police said:
• the landlord does not meet you in person
• The landlord does not require credit or reference check
• The name of the landlord is not on the rental documents
• There is a different name for the recipient of the e-transfer
• The home is already occupied
Police advise that prospective tenants take these steps:
• Do a google search of the address and landlord
• Talk to the neighbours
• Arrange to do a walk-through of the unit
• Be familiar with the Residential Tenancy Branch rules and regulations
• To protect yourself, get familiar with the Residential Tenancy Act and for information on current scams, go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
