Police seek suspect in Toronto rental scam

File photo of a person using a laptop. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

By Michael Talbot

Posted May 15, 2023 3:50 pm.

Toronto police are trying to track down a man who allegedly defrauded several people in an apartment rental scam.

Police say Cem Devrim Turetken, 49, advertised apartments for rent in Toronto on various websites.

But investigators say he didn’t own the properties and wasn’t authorized to rent them out.

The alleged scam took place between November 2022 and February 2023.

Investigators say the suspect used a variety of different aliases and company names online, including Smart Rental Property Management Inc. located in Sudbury and GTA Rentals.

Police are asking the public to consider the following when searching for apartment rentals:

research the property in person
double check the address to ensure it isn’t being listed elsewhere
never pay with cash, wire transfer or hard-to-trace equivalents, such as MoneyGram or bitcoin
be aware of “too good to be true” rent rates
do not give a rent or security deposit before signing a lease
speak to Building Property Management and Concierge/Security

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