NEWS RELEASE
WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE
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Waterloo Regional Police are reminding the public to be aware of rental scams when seeking housing as a fraud investigation continues in Kitchener.
On Aug. 30, 2024, police responded to the parking lot of a residential building on Chandler Drive near Mowat Boulevard.
Upon arrival, police spoke with several individuals expecting to move into a unit in the building, only to learn that the unit was unavailable for occupancy.
Many individuals had signed a rental agreement and paid the first and last month’s rent after responding to a post on a social media site advertising the unit.
In total, 21 victims, most of whom were new students to the region, were identified as victims of this fraud. The financial losses as a result of this scam are approximately $63,000.
The remains ongoing by WRPS’ Fraud investigators.
While Waterloo Regional Police typically notes an increase in these types of scams during the fall when students return to post-secondary education, these frauds can happen anytime and target anyone.
To help prevent being a victim of a rental fraud scam, please consider the following tips:
- Avoid verbal agreements. Make sure everything is documented, and you have a copy.
- Schedule a viewing of the property and confirm that the property exists.
- Use only bank cheques, money orders, or credit cards after a legitimate rental agreement is made.
- Never send Interac e-transfers before receiving a service or product or securing rental accommodation unless dealing with a reputable online service that provides loss protection guarantees.
- When signing the lease agreement, do not provide confidential information, such as a Social Insurance Number and bank information, to avoid identity theft.
- Use online search options to do your research on the property.
- Be suspicious if there appears to be urgency or pressure to get the deal done quickly.
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