A 32-year-old man has been jailed for defrauding over 30 people out of £77,000 through a rental scam on Facebook. Frederic Priestley, from Southwark, south-east London, was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison for fraud by false representation at Inner London Crown Court.
The scam involved fake property listings on Facebook between April and September last year. Priestley provided prospective renters with tenancy agreements and obtained deposits and rent payments, although he never owned the property and it was not available to rent.
After receiving payments, Priestley would contact prospective tenants with a variety of excuses as to why he could not go through with their agreements. These excuses included saying that there had been deaths in the family, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Officers found that significant payments were made during the period from victims to Priestley, totalling £77,400. The amounts tended to range between £800 and £2,000 under the guise of deposits and associated fees.
DC Abimbola Emiola, from the Met's economic crime team, said: 'Priestley exploited people who were simply looking for somewhere to live, using convincing paperwork and false reassurances to make his scheme appear legitimate.'