National

Coquitlam RCMP warns of online rental property scams

Darpan News Desk Coquitlam RCMP, 25 May, 2022 11:36 AM

Coquitlam RCMP is warning residents of an online rental property scams.

Over the past two months, two similar reports were received. In both incidents, a fraudulent ad for a rental property was posted on an online marketplace.

In one situation, the victim reached out to the person who posted the ad and sent a deposit and half a months rent through e-transfer without ever viewing the rental suite. When the victim attended on the move in date she realized the property was not for rent and contacted police.

In the second situation, the victim communicated with the suspect online and met the suspect outside of the alleged rental suite. The suspect made up an excuse about how he could not show the suite and provided a professional looking contract for the victim to sign. The victim handed over cash for a damage deposit before realizing it was a scam and contacting police.

"In an extremely competitive rental market, these fraudsters are taking advantage of renters need to secure accommodation," states Corporal Paige Kuz, Media Relations Officer for the Coquitlam RCMP. Fraudsters cam be very convincing, but as a renter, prior to any money changing hands, there are some precautionary steps you can take to protect yourself from falling victim to scams such as this.

When searching for rentals, visit the address in-person;
Schedule a showing and confirm its availability;
Request a lease/contract and review it thoroughly;
Search online marketplaces for the posted rental address to ensure there are not duplicate posts. If there are, this could be a sign of a scam;
If the person requests payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards this is a strong indicator of a scam;
If you feel rushed or pushed to do something, it could be a sign of a scam;
Go with your gut. If it seems off, it probably is.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact the Coquitlam RCMP non-emergency line at 604-945-1550 to make a report. If you encounter a scam but you have not been victimized, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at www.antifraudcentre.ca or by calling 1-888-495-8501.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

WATCH: Soul Counsel- a new way to leave a legacy behind

Find out about some of the services of Soul Counsel such as state planning, dispute resolution, succession planning, and much more with Founder and Chief Vibes Officer, Sukhminder Virk.

WATCH: Soul Counsel- a new way to leave a legacy behind

Women being followed by a white van near Tamanawis Secondary according to social media post

The Surrey RCMP Special Victims Unit (SVU) was advised of the social media post and has reached out to the individual who posted it in order to seek more information. To date, SVU have not received any reported incidents of women being followed by men in a white van.

Women being followed by a white van near Tamanawis Secondary according to social media post

Burnaby RCMP is looking to identify two suspects that were involved in two break-ins and mail theft incidents in March.

On March 21, 2022 at approximately 2:30 p.m., two suspects broke into two residential complexes in the 7200-block of Collier Street and proceeded to pry the main panel of the mailboxes open and steal all the mail.

Burnaby RCMP is looking to identify two suspects that were involved in two break-ins and mail theft incidents in March.

Winters hotel fire victims identified

The hotel, built in 1907, had been the home to dozens of low-income residents. The fire department said at the time of the blaze that when crews arrived, it was too dangerous to try to enter the building, and they couldn’t determine if anyone else was still inside.

Winters hotel fire victims identified

'Upward trajectory' on NATO, Norad spending: Anand

Anand also says she's in the process of working on the "unwritten chapter" of Canada's defence strategy: modernizing the outdated continental defence system it shares with the U.S.

'Upward trajectory' on NATO, Norad spending: Anand

Power out, weather alerts issued in parts of B.C.

Environment Canada posted wind warnings on Wednesday for much of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the southern Gulf Islands. The forecast called for very strong southwesterly winds of 70 kilometres per hour, gusting to 90 km/h, but easing by afternoon.