B.C. man's identity stolen, used in fake Craigslist rental ads: RCMP
A Burnaby, B.C., man's identity was stolen and is now being used in fake rental ads on Craigslist, Mounties said in a warning to tenants.
The RCMP said the man's identity was stolen through a ransomware attack in late 2021. It was leaked onto the dark web and has since been used in "various scams," police said.
Most recently, his identity was apparently used by someone to pose as a landlord seeking tenants in Vancouver.
"This victim is doing everything in their power to prevent further identity scams, but it keeps happening," said Cpl. Alexa Hodgins in a news release.
"Once your information has been leaked, shared or stolen, it is very hard to get back. We want the public to know the dangers of sharing their personal information online and to use the appropriate safeguards to prevent it."
Police said the victim reports when fake driver's licences, passports or Craiglist ads are used in his name.
In the rental fraud, police said the victim was contacted by potential tenants in three separate instances. One would-be tenant sent the victim copies of a fake driver's licence and fake passport they'd received from the fraudster.
"These potential renters did the right thing. They became suspicious and reached out to the person directly, instead of continuing communication through the Craigslist platform," Hodgins said.
"By doing this, they not only prevented sending money to the scammer but alerted the original identity theft victim of what was happening online in their name."
Late last month the Better Business Bureau of Mainland B.C. issued a warning to renters saying summer months can see a rise in scams.
"Students are looking to find their first homes after graduating from school, add that on to the pressure of families looking for vacation rentals, and this is the perfect storm for a scam artist looking to cash in," president Simone Lis said in a statement.
The average amount of money lost by Canadians in these scams is $1,230, which Lis says is a 160 per cent increase from 2021.
Police and the BBB said would-be tenants should look for warning signs while searching for listings online. Some red flags include the monthly rent being lower than other similar listings or being asked to leave a deposit before a formal rental agreement is in place.
Renters should go to the address – or search it online – and make sure the listing is accurate or schedule a showing and make sure the landlord is present.
The main advice offered by the BBB is to know the market. In Metro Vancouver that will almost always mean very high rents – even for small spaces and out-of-the-way locations.
"Scammers lure you in by promising low rents, extra amenities, and a great location," the agency said in a statement.
"If it seems too good to be true, it just might be."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
The UN warns Sudan's warring parties that Darfur risks starvation and death if aid isn't allowed in
The United Nations food agency warned Sudan's warring parties Friday that there is a serious risk of widespread starvation and death in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan if they don't allow humanitarian aid into the vast western region.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.