In 2022, it came to light that there was a man in Victoria who was running numerous sophisticated rental scams, according to VicPD.
The suspect was caught after police released a photo of him with the media and this Monday, he was handed a 42-month sentence for his fraudulent activity.
Brandon Wildman’s guilty sentence was for seven counts of fraud under $5,000.
Police say that just between March and July 2022, Wildman was found guilty of defrauding at least nine Victorians.
According to VicPD, 43-year-old Wildman would take his victims’ money, telling them it was a damage deposit or first month’s rent for a place and he would never return the money.
Police launched their investigation into Wildman in August 2022 after they noticed similarities between the nine cases.
Wildman would meet with his victims, show them around apartment buildings and finally, take their money in amounts between $750 and $2,250.
While conducting these scams, Wildman would use a range of aliases.
Related:
“In many instances Wildman would enter into a written lease agreement with the prospective tenants, sometimes providing a key fob for the building that Wildman claimed would be activated when the tenancy began,” said VicPD in a statement.
“As the move-in date approached, Wildman would cease communication with the prospective tenants, some who then found out that the unit they rented was actually a short-term vacation rental.”
In addition to his 42-month sentence in prison, Wildman has been ordered to pay his victims restitution for the money he received from them.
This will be his ninth conviction of fraud.
