BARRIE, ONT. -- An online cottage rental scam has Huntsville provincial police issuing a warning.
The OPP says the post is a cottage for rent, which appears legitimate with pictures of the property and rental information, and asks victims to send money via e-transfer or direct deposit.
This type of transaction isn't uncommon lately, especially since the pandemic, but police warn to avoid sending money before seeing the property in person with the owner present.
According to police, this particular scam involved the victims showing up for their vacation to find out the actual cottage owners had no clue what was happening.
Police say this type of scam makes it very difficult to recover money lost, so it's best to search online for reviews from previous customers before making any type of transaction.
The OPP says to follow the old saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."
