Rent fraudsters target empty properties at Warrington

EMPTY properties are being targeted by fraudsters who con people looking to rent a home.
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has received several reports of rental fraud where empty premises are being targeted and the locks are being changed for the purpose of adding legitimacy to a rental fraud.
The suspect will find and enter an empty property for the purposes of changing the locks and then advertising it on online as a property to rent.
The fraudsters then invite interested victims to visit the property for a viewing. Those victims which are interested in renting the property are then requested to pay a deposit and/or rent upfront in cash.
In some instances the victims have moved into the property only to be evicted by the real property owner, or have found that the locks have been changed, once they have received the keys.
There are several instances where this fraud has left victims homeless.
A spokesman for the NFIB said: “If you or someone you know currently has an empty property, visit the property regularly to make sure the locks have not been changed and no damage has occurred. “