Not for rent: Almonte homeowner warns of scam
A homeowner in Almonte, Ont., is warning of a scam after several people knocked on his door looking to rent his property.
The problem is, it's not for rent.
Chris Mouchet moved into the townhome at 311 Finner Ct. last August. It wasn't long before he was approached by a prospective tenant, hoping to rent the place.
"I was kind of puzzled and very, very confused," Mouchet recalled. "I said, I'm sorry, the house isn't for rent, I bought the house."
Mouchet said he immediately contacted Ontario Provincial Police, but the would-be tenants kept showing up at his door — nine in all.
Property listed for $1,200 a month
The property is listed for $1200 a month on a website called prop2go.com.
"Immaculate 2 bed bungalow end unit with room to grow," says the add. "Your backyard is a perfect size for enjoying summer BBQ's with no rear neighbours."
The ad caught the eye of Mona Jacobs, who said she and her husband were very close to sending the fake landlord $2,400 for first and last month's rent.
Jacobs said it's not easy to find affordable housing, and the person sending her messages seemed legitimate until they started pressuring her to make an e-transfer.
Jacobs, who also lives in Almonte, inquired with neighbours and found out the house wasn't for rent at all.
Jacobs was eager to move out of her current home, which is more than a century old and isn't adequately insulated against the winter cold.
"It broke my heart. I cried, I was so excited to have a normal home," she said.
Mouchet has his own worries.
"My concern is that I'm going to get into an altercation with someone who actually does pay a deposit," he said.
How to protect yourself
OPP say rental scams aren't a huge problem in the area, but do pop up from time to time.
Const. Lori Lobinowich of the Lanark County OPP said the investigation into 311 Finner Crt. remains unresolved, but there are ways people can protect themselves.
"A lot of these scam artists, they're looking for a quick buck," Lobinowich said. "So don't be in a hurry. Take your time, do your research."
Lobinowich advises prospective renters to:
Check that the property is listed on a legitimate website.
Go and meet the landlord in person.
Use a realtor.
Search the address online to see if it's an existing property, or still under construction.
Check the land registry to see who owns the property.
Rental scams generally fall into two categories: phantom rentals that don't actually exist, and "hijacking rentals," where scammers find photos of the property online and list it as their own, according to OPP.
"The biggest challenges with the internet is it's not always somebody local," Lobinowich said. "So for us, as agencies in Ontario, to track an individual down is very difficult, depending on the country."
She encourages anyone who falls victim to a scam or is suspicious of one to contact OPP or Crime Stoppers.
"Don't be embarrassed, because this happens to a lot of people," Lobinowich said. "We can't solve it if we don't know, and yours could be the puzzle piece that puts a bunch of other cases together. So nothing is too small."
