Prospective tenants in Hyderabad new target of cons
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HYDERABAD: Targeting prospective tenants looking to rent a house in upmarket areas, some fraudsters are duping them on the pretext of showing them their ‘liked’ houses.
By posting fake advertisements in property-related applications (Apps), the accused get in touch with prospective tenants looking for a house on rent.
Recently, a doctor, who liked a property after going through photographs posted on the App, contacted the number posted on it. The person claimed to be the owner of the flat in a well-known gated community in Madhapur.
After a preliminary round of discussions, the self-claimed owner promised to show him the property.
After some time, the victim was informed that the property was no longer available. He directed the doctor to another person, introducing him as the manager of the gated community and who had leads about some flats in the same neighbourhood, police said.
The manager contacted the doctor claiming to show him a few flats and asked him to first pay 8,000. Stating that he was in touch with the owners of the flats, the accused forced him to pay 2 lakh, citing different reasons, including advance money which would be refunded.
“Subsequently, when the accused started demanding more money, the victim refused to pay and started to avoid him. But the accused started calling him from different numbers with an assurance that the house has been blocked and demanded more money,” Hyderabad’s Central Crime Station sleuths said. Realising that he was duped, the doctor approached the Hyderabad police and lodged a complaint.
During the preliminary inquiry, it came to light that apart from duping the persons in need of house on rent, the accused were also duping house owners by showing interest in their property. After taking full details about the property, they were found duping the owners by sending phishing link or QR code.