Cops Warn Against Internet "Missionary Crusade" Rent Hoaxes Promoting Cheap Rentals

In Ontario, Canada, The Barrie Examiner reports:

• Barrie police have issued a public warning about an ongoing fraud involving extremely cheap rental properties. Officers with the fraud unit say the suspects post local addresses on the "Kijiji" website, which features classified advertisements. The suspects make the rental sound very attractive by its location, low cost of rent and making it all inclusive. The properties are listed at a very low amount and include all utilities.

• When a person responds to the ad, they receive an e-mail stating that the person is on a "missionary crusade" and have decided to put their residence up for rent. If the person responds to the e-mail, the suspects send a rental contract to be filled out and faxed to an out-of-country location. The suspect always says that the property is theirs and they will courier the keys upon receipt of rent money. The money is to be wired to a location outside Canada. Police say the properties the suspects are using are usually for sale and advertised on a real-estate website.

Source: Cops warn of new fraud scam.

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