Pomeranian police are warning against fraudsters renting accommodation that does not exist. Last week, a resident of the Opolskie Voivodeship who wanted to rent a flat in Sopot was conned in this way.
The Sopot police announced in a forwarded message that a scam for so-called ‘rental accommodation’ was carried out last week. A 54-year-old woman from the Opolskie Voivodeship reported to the police station that she had paid in advance PLN 400 for a flat that was not there.
As communicated by the press officer of the Sopot Police Headquarter, staff warrant officer Lucyna Rekowska, at the beginning of June this year the woman found an advertisement on the Internet for the rental of a flat in the resort.
“It seemed credible to her, so she got in touch with the landlord, agreed on an 8-day stay in the flat, a price for two people of about PLN 1,700, and then transferred PLN 400 in advance,” reported the police officer.
She added that the woman had agreed with the ‘landlord’ that she would receive further instructions on the collection of the keys and the exact address on her arrival in Sopot.
“Two days before she was due to leave, the woman tried again to make contact with the landlord, but the phone was already switched off and the advert for the flat had disappeared from the advertising portal. It was then that the woman realised she had been scammed,” Rekowska emphasised.
The press officer pointed out that the fraudulent method of the so-called ‘accommodation rental’ scam consists of the placement by the scammer of prepared advertisements on advertising portals concerning the rental of a holiday home, an apartment or a flat.
“The scammers meticulously prepare for contact with a potential customer and create dreamlike, attractive rental offers, complete with beautiful photographs, tempting with a perfect location and ultimately an attractive price,” Rekowska explained. She added that such advertisements instantly strike the potential customer as a special opportunity – a last-minute offer.