GTA victims duped in rental property scam on Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji

It’s already a challenge for those searching for reasonable leasing prices in the GTA because of an unpredictable real estate market, and it appears some had it even worse, as police shared details of a scam involving property rental fraud.

Toronto police say some people have already been scammed after authorities became aware of a suspect posting rental properties on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace under the name “GTA Rentals.”

Once an interested party responds to a listing and a price is set, police say the suspect will email the victims a Residential Tenancy Agreement to complete.

The victims cannot see any of the rentals because the suspect has no access to any advertised listings.

Police say this is realized once payment is made to the suspect and communication ceases.

Authorities are urging the public not to pursue property listings through “GTA Rentals” on any platform and to make sure the unit can be viewed before sending funds.

“Be mindful before signing any rental agreements and/or sending deposits [and] rent through legitimate agents that can be thoroughly checked,” Const. Shannon Whitehead said.

Police are also suggesting that would-be renters confirm with building property owners if the unit is available for rent