RENTERS BEWARE Over 4,000 reported scams this year

With the arrival of the national holidays and the tourism seasonmany nationals and foreigners looking to rent houses, lodgings and places to stay are exposed to scams of offers that do not exist and are offered on social networks reports TVN.

The groups place false photos, very tempting prices and when the client arrives to stay the place does not exist or is vastly different  from what was promised.

The hotel and tourism authorities in Panama warn about these crimes and ask people to rent in well-known places and to have a reference so as not to fall into the clutches of scammers.

Prosecutor Nahaniel Murgas said that all rental housing or what is offered on social networks should lead people to be sure that they exist and that the prices are consistent.

 Pablo Villarreal, director of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) , indicated that one of the strengths used by criminals is technological means to deceive people.

This year the prosecutor’s office has reported 4,085 cases of scams in various forms , of which 3,679 are simple scams and 212 aggravated scams .