Waterloo Regional Police say a man from Stouffville is facing multiple charges in connection with a rental scam in the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo.
According to police, between November 2021 and February 2022, someone was posting fake ads for rental properties in Kitchener and Waterloo on a buy-and-sell website.
Police say the suspect would be in contact with victims through email, text, phone and WhatApp before asking them to sign a lease agreement and etransfer a down payment to hold the rental.
The scammer would then ghost his victims or they would go to their rental when they were supposed to move in only to find out that they had been defrauded.
Police say 36 people were caught up in the scam and they were taken for $30,000.
They say they arrested the man on Friday, charging him with numerous offences including defrauding the public, uttering forged documents, personation, laundering proceeds of crime, possession of an identity document, and possession of a counterfeit stamp.
Police believe there could be more victims out there and are asking anyone with information to call 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.