Oak Bay Police are investigating a case of fraud after a resident lost $2,100 in a rental scam.
According to police, the victim sent the money via e-transfer to a prospective landlord in Vancouver, but the payment was later confirmed as fraudulent.
Police initiated an investigation and traced the lost funds to an account in Quebec.
The holder of the account had reportedly acted as an unknowing “money mule” for an international fraud suspect met through an online dating site.
This secondary victim in Quebec had converted funds into cryptocurrency for the suspect and was also defrauded.
Oak Bay Police were aided in this investigation by Sûreté du Québec, the provincial police agency.
The international fraud suspect’s identity and location remains unknown.
Police say that fraud prevention tools and know-how are key to avoid being scammed out of hard-earned money.
It is recommended that individuals never send money to someone they haven’t met in person, do not accept e-transfers for others, insist on a walkthrough before payment for rentals, be wary of pressure tactics or threats and if in doubt, contact your local police for advice or to report concerns.
