Fake rental listing in Vancouver highlights threat of scam
Fake rental listing in Vancouver highlights threat of scam
(Shutterstock)
Renters in Vancouver are being warned about a scam involving AirBnb listings being advertised as available to rent on a longer-term basis.
Photos posted to a local Reddit page on Wednesday morning shows a text message exchange between two strangers. One is a woman who says she went to view a rental listing, realized something was wrong and contacted a person she believed lived there.
“I found an ad on Craiglist for your loft $2,300 per month,” the woman writes in a text message, explaining she decided to contact the other person after going to the viewing and seeing their phone number on a building sign. “I left, went to my car, found your place on Airbnb and called non emergency police line.”
The text-message exchange that resulted suggests two women are putting on the viewings, and asking people for a cash deposit to secure the place for Dec. 1. One Reddit user commented that they nearly fell for the scam the night prior, but pushed to speak with the owners and see paperwork.
With rising costs, low vacancy rates, and high demands for both short and long-term rentals across British Columbia, the Better Business Bureau says rental scams account for just over three per cent of all scams reported in B.C.
“We suspect the actual number to be much higher, as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre estimates that only five per cent of fraud cases end up being reported,” BBB president Simone Lis wrote in an email to CTV News.
She calls Vancouver’s current market “the perfect storm for scammers looking to deceive any potential tenant who’s simply trying to secure a space for themselves in this ever-growing city.”
Data from the national bureau shows the average amount of money Canadians lost in these scams is $1,230—a near 51-per-cent increase from 2021.
The scam typically consists of people listing someone else’s property that they gained access to through a short-term rental.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
After years of reports and allegations detailing a 'toxic' workplace, Canada's RCMP says it is trying to evolve, focusing on diversity in its organization and repairing relationships with communities as it marks its 150th anniversary.
The Memphis police chief on Saturday disbanded the unit whose officers beat to death Tyre Nichols as the nation and the city struggled to come to grips with video showing police pummelling the Black motorist.
When the cold and snow have people hunkering down, these outdoor enthusiasts find motivation in braving the Canadian winter through community and sport.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos insists the federal government is going to 'work flexibly' with the provinces on the terms of a possible health-care funding deal and avoid 'micromanaging' how they deliver health care to Canadians.
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
According to a new study, showing university students the health risks of vaping through experts and personal testimonies can help deter them from using e-cigarettes.
Health Canada says it will continue to recommend COVID-19 prevention drug, Evulsheld, despite U.S. FDA pulling back its emergency use authorization due to concerns around its efficacy against Omicron subvariant 'Kraken.'
Canadian police chiefs condemned on Friday the death of a Black man who was savagely beaten by police during a traffic stop in the United States, saying the officers involved must be held accountable.
Before we can appreciate the important role a plush toy named Monkey Guy has played in Elaine Tanner’s life, we need go back to when people started calling her Mighty Mouse.
An organization helping Ukrainian newcomers settle into their new lives in Edmonton is hosting a furniture donation blitz to help restock their warehouse.
Canadian police chiefs condemned on Friday the death of a Black man who was savagely beaten by police during a traffic stop in the United States, saying the officers involved must be held accountable.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
Late Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is being remembered for the many ways she contributed to not only to the city she led for 36 years, but also the province.
Anti-poverty activists are praising the Quebec basic income program as a good step toward helping people meet their basic needs — but say strict eligibility criteria exclude many of the province’s lowest-income residents.
Some Indigenous communities in Quebec that are patrolled by provincial police say the established system does not fully meet security needs and needs improvement.
A ceremony will be held this evening to mark the sixth anniversary of Quebec City's deadly mosque shooting. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, several senior federal cabinet ministers and Quebec Premier Francois Legault are among those expected to attend.
As extreme cold weather brings wind chill values nearing -40°C, it's impacting everything from winter recreation to the city's most vulnerable population.
Some faculty members at Cape Breton University have walked off the job. Their strike started Friday, with the faculty's union saying the administration has disrespected it at every turn, leading to a large number of labour grievances.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
The supporters outnumbered the protesters more than 20-to-one. As drag queen Amanda Villa prepared to sing and read to children in Sarnia, a small group of protesters marched outside, while more than 100 supporters of the rally “All You Need is Love” spent time chasing them around the parking lot, and having peaceful discussions about acceptance and hate.
Only a few days after a large winter weather system rolled through southern Ontario, Environment Canada has once again issued a special weather statement for the London region, warning of a snow-rain mix expected to begin Saturday night.
Northern supporters of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ mark the anniversary of last winter's demonstrations across Canada by holding a gathering of their own this weekend in North Bay.
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.
More than 50 people came out on Saturday for a walk, organized by the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury through the Laurentian University 'green space.' The 200 hectare piece of land has been a concern for many, given the questions around the university's financial stability and debts.
The Region of Waterloo has lost a court bid for an injunction to evict residents of an encampment on municipally owned land at Victoria Street North and Weber Street West in Kitchener.
A drag queen show in Elora will continue Saturday night as planned, despite organizers saying concerns were raised after online comments targeted the event.
With art displays and activities to bring out the best of winter for a one-day festival of fun, Winterloo has returned after three years of pandemic alterations.
(Shutterstock)
