A Japanese couple that followed up on a classified ad for long term accommodation in last week?s Pique may have been robbed of $1,000 from a man claiming to be the landlord of a Whistler Village apartment.
According to their story, they were given a tour of the apartment, which is situated over the liquor store by Village Square. He then requested the first month?s rent ? $1,400 ? in advance as a deposit. The couple said they didn?t have that much cash, and he asked how much they did have. They said $1,000, and he said that would be enough.
They gave him the money and he issued them a receipt and told them he would meet them the next day to give them a key. One of the renters waited four hours thinking that the man, who said he was from the city, may have been held up.
When he didn?t show, they called the man?s phone number several times but there was no answer. They then went to the RCMP.
Whether something happened to delay the landlord is not yet known, and the police aren?t releasing any details of the case.
Constable Ray Bernoties of the Whistler detachment had some advice for renters:
"Don?t give substantial cash deposits without being given the key and the lease, or make any advance deposits that seem riskier than they need to be," he says. "Be prudent and conscious out there, and realize that there are people out there taking advantage of people with some tough scams."
