Fake landlord outed on Facebook

A cleaner who allegedly collected rent deposits on flats which she was engaged to clean, while pretending to be the owner, has been outed on Facebook.

A number of Eastern European nationals took to Facebook today to say they had been targeted by the fraudster. Pictures of her and her identification documents were also published online, but were later taken down.

At least seven Macedonian and Serbian nationals are believed to have been conned out of around €800 each by the woman, who they say is actually a cleaner who used house keys entrusted to her for cleaning services to show the unsuspecting prospective tenants around.

She would then collect a deposit, before telling the victims that the flat was being repaired and that they could not move in.

One victim alleged that as many as 30 people had fallen prey to the scam and expects the number to increase as more victims come forward.

The woman is understood to have been arrested this evening, but not before one angry victim took to Facebook to criticise the police for failing to take action, claiming that they had refused to arrest the woman “because it is not their job.”

Another victim posted on Facebook advising anyone affected by the scam to visit the St Julian’s police station with their passport/ID Card, the receipt handed to them for their deposit “and any other evidence you feel could help the case.”