In the last week, it has unfortunately come to my attention that people are finding posts of properties unknown to me that are listed for sale or for lease throughout Ontario with my name associated as the Listing Agent.
I’ve received calls from folks searching for apartments and homes in areas such as Peterborough, Tobermorey, Sarnia, and others. In each case, someone asks me for more information on a property I have listed and I have no idea what they’re referencing.
At first, I thought this was just a weird coincidence and a someone had transposed a phone number incorrectly on an ad or two. Or, maybe there’s someone with the same name also trading in Ontario real estate.
I’m afraid that is not the case. Having done some digging into the calls and the sites involved, it’s very clear this is part of a scam designed to rip people off.
How these Scams Work
Folks search for properties online, and wind up on a page where my name is posted along with what looks like an authentic listing. It’s not. But if they choose to google my name, vs. click on the actual link, they find me – thus the daily phone calls.
Scams like this have been around for some time. They typically involve someone faking a home for lease but advising that the home can’t be viewed in person for one reason or another. The prices are usually below market rent and the pictures make it look too attractive to pass up. The person being scammed then meets up with a fake landlord, hands over deposit cash and walks away with nothing other than a set of dummy keys. Later, they show up to find out that they’ve spend a lot of money and signed fake paperwork – and the property was never even on the market.
This was the subject of an article / warning in Peterborough some years ago – and the two companies noted in this article, Mitula and EstatesinCanada, are both among the sites coming up in conversation when people call me about these properties.
Ways to Protect Yourself
First, don’t ever sign a lease or exchange rent or deposit money for a property that you have not viewed. I would say consider using a Realtor for your rental search, but I realize that isn’t always practical. When it’s an option, exercise it so that someone is protecting your interests.
While you’re communicating with a landlord by phone or online, if something feels “off” – trust your instincts. If they’re dodging questions or giving you too many excuses about not being able to view the property, turn and run.
Unfortunately, these scams can and do reel people in.
My Current Situation
If you have stumbled across a listing for a property outside of the Guelph region and it notes that I am the listing agent, it is NOT my listing – either rental or for sale. It is a scam. I do not currently have any properties currently listed outside of the Guelph area.
In this business, reputation is everything. It’s hard to comprehend that someone could be getting ripped off and that my name could be used to perpetuate a scam. Frankly, it makes me feel sick to my stomach. For this reason, I’m proactively drawing public attention to this issue.
I’m also working hard to get to the bottom of this matter. In the meantime, if you’re seeing my name attached to properties outside of the Guelph area, please reach out to me privately so I can take detailed records of what and where these false listings are posted. And remember, always be careful when entering into any lease arrangement. I’ve lost track of all of the cities where I’m getting calls from… these ads are for properties throughout Ontario, unfortunately.
I’m hoping that, if this gets resolved quickly that I can remove this post.
Thanks for listening.
