Guelph police warn of online rental scam after man almost loses $750

After several complaints about rental scams, Guelph police are putting out a warning to people trying to find units in the city online.

Police say in the latest scam, a man sent $750 to a supposed landlord who then stopped replying to his messages.

A complaint was filed on Wednesday from the man who was looking for an apartment online and started chatting with someone who claimed to be renting a basement suite in Guelph’s south end.

Police said once the man became suspicious of the lack of communication, he was able to get his bank to stop the $750 transfer.

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An officer even went to the address attached to the online posting and spoke with someone who lived there.

According to police, the homeowner said he bought the house last year and has never attempted to rent any part of it.

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While they didn’t say how many, police said they have received several recent reports of similar scams.

Often, the ads will include photos of homes recently sold and it is believed the suspects get the photos from real estate listings to make their ads seem more legitimate, police said.

The service added that anyone looking for a rental property needs to look out for red flags such as units priced well below market rates and landlords who ask few questions but demand a deposit.

Anyone looking for a rental should ask to meet the landlord and see the property in-person, and research the address, landlord’s name and email address.