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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.