Windsor police continue to warn renters of fake landlords
'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is'
Windsor police are continuing to warn the public of a scam that targets people renting houses or apartments.
Often the rental scams are found on Kijiji or other ad posting websites. The phony landlords offer a place for an excellent price and there is usually some kind of pressure involved to commit to the rental without having time to see it in person.
Abdullah Abubakari is a University of Windsor student who rents a place just off campus. He says he has heard of this scam before but feels still feels confident finding rentals on the internet.
"The one I live in now, I found on Kijiji," he said. "I saw the house, called the landlord and fixed an appointment. I wouldn't pay before I saw the landlord or the house."
Police were made aware of the scam after being contacted by a woman who was looking for an apartment. Someone responded to her ad posing as a landlord.
After doing some research the woman figured out the person was trying to scam her.
"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," said Windsor police Sgt. Steve Betteridge.
"If [you] have fallen victim to the scam, contact the police," said Betteridge. "The goal is to prevent a crime like this happening by taking the necessary precautions."