Peel police arrest 33-year-old man, seek more victims in alleged rental scam

Police in Peel Region say they’ve arrested a man in what they describe as an alleged rental fraud that’s taken in at least $20,000 to date.

Peel Regional Police say the alleged scam involved placing ads for a rental room on Kijiji.

Between October 2018 and May 2019, police allege the man would convince people to pay for first and/or last month’s rent for a room in Mississauga.

They say that once the alleged victims had sent payment via e-transfer, the man would cease contact.

Police did not indicate how many people have been taken in by the alleged scam, but say they believe there are more than those who have come forward to date.

A 33-year-old Toronto man is currently charged with one count of defrauding the public.