NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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Bracebridge Ontario Provincial Police has received several complaints from people who have been victimized by cottage rental scams online. Scammers are utilizing common marketplace sites such as Kijiji to advertise cottages for rent in Muskoka and display attractive photos and provide legitimate addresses.
The scammer further provides a rental agreement and money is exchanged. Unfortunately, when the renter arrives to check in at the cottage they believe they have rented, it is not a rental at all. This leaves the renter displaced and forced to turn around and return home and is aggravating to the homeowner as they are unsettled by the random arrival of strangers on their doorstep.
Potential renters are encouraged to be diligent about the properties that they are exploring online and take extra steps to ensure that the rental is legitimate. Generally speaking, if the price seems too good to be true…it probably is.
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