Twenty people wanted to rent the same property and have been ripped off for EUR1.500 each.
At least 20 people have been ripped off by a woman who offered an apartment on Kraijenhoffstraat in Eindhoven. The potential tenants had to pay EUR1.500 in advance for the keys to the house. But when the residents came to retrieve the keys, they appeared not the only parties interested.
The victims all had to transfer EURO650 rent and EURO850 deposit, so EUR1.500 in total. They got a tour and made an appointment for the key transfer. Only, when they came to retrieve the key, other people also came to do the same thing. At least 20 people were paying EURO1.500 each to live in the same apartment.
Those affected found each other and have an app group in which they keep each other informed. Meanwhile, seven people have already registered with the police. There are probably going to be more.
Owner also duped
The house was not unoccupied at all. “I went abroad for a while, and I started looking for someone who could keep an eye on my house. I found someone I knew for most of the time, but there was still a month left open”, the property’s real owner tells Omroep Brabant.
“Through Facebook, I then came in contact with Romy. Everything seemed to be all right and to go well until I got a mail from my internet provider. My subscription had been cancelled because another subscription had been opened.”
“There were all kinds of messages from strange people in my mailbox. I then called one of those people, and it became obvious. Together we found out that Romy had scammed us”. So there was more than one victim.
Serious matter
The police’s criminal investigation department is taking the matter seriously and is working to collect all declarations and is investigating the case. “Reportedly it is already about 20 scams of EURO1.500”, a spokesman for the police says.
“It is possible that the swindler also operates on other locations”. The police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
According to an update on the police’s website, the 30-year-old suspect, a woman from Emmen, handed herself over last night. She has been arrested and is being detained. The police are investigating the matter further.
Source: www.studio040.nl and www.politie.nl
Translator: Bob
Editor: Melinda Walraven
