Property Scam Reported by Newbury Police Department

The Newbury Police Department has taken to Facebook to warn citizens of a new property scam in the area.

According to a Facebook post, the Newbury PD have received phone calls regarding property for rent, for either weekend stays or full-time leases. Many photos connected to these posts have been stolen from websites and used in the advertisement.

These scams have shown up on a variety of sites including; Airbnb, Craigslist, and other sites. There have been cases of these properties being double-booked, the theft of personal information, and the theft of money.

The Facebook post encourages individuals who have their property up for sale or rent to monitor various sites to ensure their pictures have not been stolen. Prospective renters are encouraged to research to confirm that the property they are looking to rent is legitimate.

The post closes by warning citizens not to give personal information or money until they can confirm that the renter is legitimate, and to notify police if they discover that they have been scammed.