Peel Regional Police have intensified their search for two young men involved in an alleged apartment rental scam in Mississauga, Ontario, which defrauded eight victims of over $30,000 CAD (more than 18 lakh INR). Investigators confirmed that arrest warrants have been issued for both suspects, who currently remain at large.
The Fraud Bureau identified the suspects as Jashanpreet Sidhu, 23, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Priyanshu Goel, 24, of Surrey, British Columbia. According to police, the duo placed fake advertisements for rental units across Mississauga on social media platforms. To make the listings appear legitimate, they used short-term rental platforms to temporarily access apartments, where they met prospective renters while falsely posing as current tenants. After victims signed lease agreements online and sent security deposits via e-transfer, they arrived to move in, only to find the units unavailable and the pseudo-landlords unreachable.
Police reported that none of the victims received their promised accommodations or had their money refunded. Warrants have been issued for both Sidhu and Goel on charges of fraud over $5,000, with Sidhu facing an additional charge of possession of property obtained by crime. Law enforcement officials urged the public to exercise caution when looking for rental housing, advising prospective tenants to thoroughly verify property ownership and refrain from transferring money before completing due diligence.
