Alleged property scammer fleeces thousands of dollars from prospective renters in Casey
An alleged scammer has reportedly run off with thousands of dollars after luring renters in Cranbourne and surrounds to hand over bond money, with one man saying his family has been left in a “financial and emotional mess”. And even her family is among alleged victims.
South East
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An alleged serial rental scammer showed potential tenants through homes, took deposits and a month’s rent, changed the locks and disappeared with their money.
Samantha Khat targeted renters across Casey allegedly fleecing thousands of dollars from her victims.
Police have arrested a 28-year-old woman and are urging other victims to come forward.
The elaborate alleged scam involves Ms Khat placing an advertisement – using multiple aliases including Samantha Khat, Taylor Wong, Stacey Wu and Reantha Kat – for rental properties in suburbs, including Hampton Park and Cranbourne.
The woman then allegedly meets with prospective renters to show properties. If the potential leasers are interested, she asks for a bond of almost $4000 before allegedly disappearing with the money.
Ms Khat’s cousin Richard, who did not want his surname published, told the Leader she moved into a rental property he owns on Glendoon Rd in Junction Village in August.
“While she was living here she put ads on Gumtree and made up a story that the house was up for rent and showed at least five people around the house,” he said.
Richard said Ms Khat then moved out in September after finding another property in Hampton Park, but still owes him more than $1000 in rent.
“While my handyman was painting the house people began showing up on different days with a set of my house keys who were preparing to move in – I was shocked and changed all the locks.”
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“They realised it was a scam and I understand why people are so upset about this, but I genuinely had nothing to do with it and I even helped get one person’s money back..”
He said he was aware of at least 10 people who had been scammed.
“She also moved into Leopold Crescent in Hampton Park. I believe she found that property on Facebook as a private rental.
“She was obviously cutting the keys and doing the same thing as what she was doing at my house.”
Richard said his family were shocked by the whole ordeal.
“None of us had any idea that she was capable of this and we can’t understand what her motives are for doing it – I’ve disowned her.”
One of the woman’s alleged victims, Antoinette, who did not want her surname published, told the Leader she was left “shocked” and “devastated” after being scammed $3800.
Antoinette said she organised on Gumtree to meet through a woman claiming to be Ms Khat’s aunty, to inspect a Hampton Park property.
She said she met with Ms Khat, who took her through the Leopold Crescent property, and decided to apply for it.
“She messaged me saying someone else is willing to put a deposit on the house so I handed over $1800 in bond money to hold the property,” Antoinette said.
“I then met up with her last Wednesday to hand over the rent in advance – $2000 – and pick up the signed papers and a copy of the house keys.”
Antoinette said she was shocked to see a Facebook post from another alleged victim claiming to have been scammed $3200 from Ms Khat.
She said the post had pictures of the accused scammer – who she identified as Ms Khat.
“I figured out it was all a scam,” she said.
“I went back to the house (on Saturday) night; the keys don’t work and she’s nowhere to be found and her phone was switched off. I am just so angry at the moment.”
Shane and his partner told the Leader they she had stolen $3200 from them in a similar scam.
“We are a family of three teenage children and a three year old toddler. We also took out a personal loan to help with the move which I still must pay off now with most of the money gone,” he said.
“The impact this has had on me my partner and children is traumatic and horrible. She almost left us homeless and in financial and emotional messes.
“I am on a carers pension for my teenage daughter. we are just lucky our old landlord is very understanding and has let us stay on temporarily.”
Carli, who did not want her surname published, claimed Ms Khat fleeced $3200 from her last month, with the alleged scam happening through Gumtree and at the same Leopold Crescent property.
“We met up with her and it all seemed legitimate,” Carli said.
“We then paid $3200 for the bond and a month’s rent. We thought we were moving in this Sunday but we saw a post going around about her scamming people and realised it was a scam.”
Carli said she had been messaging Ms Khat’s family members and was told she allegedly owed at least $15,000 to would-be renters.
“Her family told me they have lost disowned her and that she’s also had random people rocking up to her cousin’s house in Botanic Ridge thinking that they are moving in,” she said.
“The whole ordeal is really upsetting.”
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The Leader has made several attempts to contact Ms Khat, but has not received a response.
A Gumtree spokeswoman said the safety and security of its users was its main priority.
“While the majority of our community members have a positive experience, sometimes bad seeds do target our users,” the spokeswoman said.
“We operate a report and take down process and we strongly encourage our community to report any listings believed to be scams.”
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Casey detectives had arrested a woman following an online marketplace rental scam.
The woman was interviewed by police and has been released pending further inquiries.
“The 28-year-old woman allegedly placed an advertisement for a rental property on Leopold Crescent in Hampton Park and took deposits and a months rent in advance from several prospective renters,” the spokeswoman said.
“When victims attempted to move into the property the locks had been changed and the woman was nowhere to be seen.”
Investigators believe the woman also allegedly took deposits from victims in relation to a property on Glendoon Rd in Junction Village.
The spokeswoman said the alleged scam involved a “substantial amount of money” and investigators are appealing for anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.