Montreal man charged with fraud for posing as landlord to collect security deposits - Action News
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Montreal

Montreal man charged with fraud for posing as landlord to collect security deposits

A 43-year-old Montreal man was charged with fraud and breaking and entering after he allegedly pretended to be a landlord to scam tenants into paying him security deposits for apartments they would never live in.

Suspect allegedly asked hopeful tenants to sign fake lease, pay deposit

mugshot of an Asian man with short hair wearing a black tee shirt
Van Lanh Vuong, 43, was charged with fraud and breaking and entering at Montreal's courthouse on Friday. (SPVM)

Montreal police arrested a 43-year-old man after he allegedly pretended to be a landlord to scam tenants into paying him security deposits for apartments they would never live in.

Van Lanh Vuong was charged with breaking and entering and fraud over $5,000 at the Montreal courthouse on Friday.

Though police would not reveal all the suspect's tactics, they allege he had a sophisticated method to his scams.

Policesay the suspect would contact victims by replying to online postings from people seeking an apartment. He wouldmessagethem saying he was a landlord offering a beautiful apartment at a low price, or put ads up himself.

They say he would then break into vacant apartments and allow his victims to visitbefore asking them to sign a fake lease and give him one or two months' worth of rent as a deposit.

Lanh Vuong also allegedly used his own apartment to conduct his scams.

"He was selling them a dream," said Sabrina Gauthier, a spokesperson for Montreal police.

The victims wouldn't know they were scammed until their moving day.

"It's really sad in the current context. There are families who would think they found a great place to live, only to find themselves homeless," said Gauthier.

"They could then file a police report, but they don't get housing in exchange. The housing crisis is very much still there."

Gauthier says police receivedupward of a dozen complaints, but wouldn't confirm exacly how many until Lanh Vuong's trial begins. Police believe there were more victims who never filed a complaint and are urging them to come forward.