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Local home seekers warned of online 'viewing' scam


September 01, 2023 - 1445 views

Detectives from North Wales Police are warning the public to be vigilant against a scam that is happening on Facebook Marketplace and other online platforms.

Recently there has been an increase in the amount of fraud committed whereby potential tenants are paying a deposit to view a property that either doesn’t exist or is already occupied.

Often, people who are already renting a property have had visits from people wanting to view, who have all paid deposits ranging from £125 to £1000.

DC Rachel Roberts said: "The property rental market is currently very competitive, and potential tenants may be fooled into thinking that paying a deposit will help them secure a property.

"Legitimate landlords will never ask you to pay money just to view a property, and we would encourage anyone who receives such a request to contact us via our live webchat or by calling 101.”