Arnold Police have reported an internet scam involving rental property to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. A 52-year-old House Springs man who was staying at an Arnold hotel contacted authorities about the alleged fraud, police reported.
The victim was staying at WoodSpring Suites hotel, 888 Arnold Commons Drive, when he lost the money. He told police he contacted a woman through Facebook after seeing an ad for a house available to rent in the 5000 block of Carter Drive in House Springs, the report said.
He told police he used the Chime banking app to transfer $2,020 to William Realty between Oct. 20 and Oct. 26 to begin renting the home. However, when he went to the house on Oct. 26, no one was there to provide him with a key, according to the report.
He said the woman and business he had communicated with through Facebook stopped returning his messages, and he eventually was blocked from contacting the business. Investigators said William Reality is not a registered business, Arnold Police reported.
As of Nov. 3, none of the man’s money had been recovered, Detective Cpl. Josh Wineinger said.