London estate agent Benham and Reeves said it’s identifying a large amount of fraud, from fake IDs to undeclared County Court Judgements (CCJs).
Several applications from different tenants shared suspicious similarities, such as identical email formats and switched referees. All references were found to be fraudulent, leading to police involvement.
There was also a fraudulent barrister that provided altered bank statements owing to a gambling addiction. The applicant also provided fake landlord details to hide arrears at their current tenancy.
In the past month Benham has seen eight forged passports or IDs; 40 digitally altered bank statements, utility bills, payslips or proof of address; 50 forged employment references; and 30 undeclared county court
Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves, said: “The lettings market has become a key target for fraudsters due to the illicit profits they can generate quickly and over a short period of time and nowhere more so than in London, where demand is high and rental values are at their highest.
“Landlords themselves must be on guard but even more so, it’s down to letting agents to provide that vital line of defence which simply can’t be upheld through technology alone.”
In terms of other fraud cases, applications were made by employees of a fake media company. Altered bank statements, fake payslips, and undisclosed addresses linked these applicants to a newly formed lettings business likely involved in illegal activities.
Meanwhile, a supposed art dealer with an undisclosed CCJ of £12,151 provided altered bank statements and was found to be in arrears at an undisclosed tenancy while claiming Universal Credit.