According to Victoria Police, the scam involves online ads for rental suites and is conducted primarily via email and text messages, often taking place over a period of weeks or months. It also involves suspect meetings with victims, calling victims’ reference details and handing over fraudulent key fobs, which VicPD described as unusual and brazen. In one case, which was reported to VicPD on June 24, the victim said he responded to a Craigslist rental ad on March 28 and met with what he believed to be the owner of a suite in an apartment building in the 1600-block of Quadra Street. Police say the suspect then called the victim’s reports and had the victim sign a valid lease agreement with May 15th listed as a move-in date and had the victim wire money for both a damage deposit and his rent first month. Sometime before the original move-in date, the suspect contacted the victim and told him that the move-in date would be delayed by a month because the unit had flooded, but provided the victim with a key. they said it will take a few days to activate. When the victim went to the building, they discovered that the fob was not working and that the suite they had been shown was actually a short-term vacation rental occupied by another tenant. At least nine similar cases of rental fraud are under investigation and Victoria Police believe there are many more. In another scam, the victim responded to a rental ad for a position in a multi-unit residential building in the 800-block of Yates Street, according to VicPD. As with the other scams, the suspect met with the victim, showed them the unit, called the victim’s references and had them sign what appeared to be a valid lease and had the victim send money for a damage deposit to secure the unit. However, the victim became suspicious and contacted the building’s property manager, who said the suite was not for rent. Victoria Police say the building manager took it a step further by finding the rental directory online and arranging to meet the suspect. Once the building manager met with the suspect, they realized a rental scam and confronted the suspect. “In an effort to help the victim get their money back, put the victim on speakerphone to arrange the refund and record the meeting. While the suspect agreed to repay the money before leaving the unit, no money has been returned to the victim,” VicPD said in a press release. During the standoff, the building manager was able to capture an image of the suspect, who is believed to be involved in at least nine other similar rental scams.
SUSPECTS ARRESTED
Victoria Police arrested a male suspect on September 2 and a second suspect on September 19. The second suspect, a man, is wanted on a warrant for breaching conditions related to a previous fraud spree in which he faced 36 separate fraud charges. He has since been released on a number of conditions, according to Victoria Police. “Given the man’s extensive history of fraud charges and convictions, and the number of victims in the current series of frauds that officers are investigating, investigators are concerned that there may be additional victims,” the statement said. VicPD is now asking anyone who may have fallen victim to a similar rental scam to contact them. They are also asking anyone who recognizes a 5-foot-5 Caucasian male with dark brown hair who was wearing a medical mask and a “newsboy” hat to contact them. In one scam, the suspect was seen with painted nails and wearing skinny jeans, a button-down shirt and a necklace. Bowen Osoko, media spokesperson for the Victoria Police Department, told CHEK News in an emailed statement that there is no evidence to suggest the rental scams have taken place in nearby communities such as Saanich and Oak Bay, but it may be possible because the second suspect has prior charges and convictions for crimes that took place throughout the area. “The suspect’s previous warrant charges are out of Saanich. He also has a significant number of previous charges and convictions here in Victoria and other municipalities across the CRD. So it is very likely that there are more victims who may be beyond the CRD,” Osoko said in an emailed statement. To contact Victoria Police, call 250-995-7654.
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