There has been an increase in scams involving Canadian residential rental listings on non-JLL websites that later use JLL’s name and logo with interested renters claiming JLL will facilitate the rental transaction. JLL would like to spread awareness of these current third-party attempts to exploit consumers for financial gain and to confirm that JLL is in no way involved with these transactions.

Rental Listing Sites

Presently, JLL does not facilitate residential property rentals in Canada. Many fraudulent rental listings have originated from sites like Craigslist.com or RentBoard.ca where there is little to no cost to post and little information to trace the fraudulent posts to an actual party.

Fraudulent Email Addresses or Contact Information

The most recent scams involve interested renters receiving emails from non-JLL accounts claiming JLL is working with them. The renter never receives an email from an email address ending in @am.jll.com, @eu.jll.com or @ap.jll.com.

Instead users have received emails from the following email addresses: jll-global-rentals@europe.com, willjsennet@gmail.com, willsennett761@gmail.com, and mennettw@gmail.com and several other variations of emails containing the fraudulent William Sennett or William Mennett name.

The scammer also offers to speak with the user and provides a cell phone number and lists another number on a fake invoice: +34 697915350 or +44 2081335276.

In the past, users have received the same scam from the following emails: jll-real-estate@europe.com, wlanson16@gmail.com, wlanson1952@gmail.com, willlanson52@gmail.com and several other variations of emails containing the fraudulent Will Lanson name.

Current Background Facts of Fraud

The renter receives an email from the Gmail address claiming that the owner is using JLL to facilitate the rental transaction. The scammer claims he now lives in Spain, and supplies a passport of a William Mennett as proof of his identity. The scammer asks that the renter email him their contact information and then pressures the renter to wire funds directly to a bank account within 24 or 48 hours or he will lose a deposit he’s allegedly paid to JLL. Once the renter pays a significant down payment, the scammer promises JLL will deliver the keys to the renter so that they can see the unit or take possession of the unit. No specific JLL employee names or JLL email addresses are provided. Instead, these scams presently use the above email addresses as the alleged email addresses to contact for any questions the renter may have.

Reminders

Please take precautions before completing financial transactions online. For apartment rentals, JLL would never ask for a renter to wire funds in order to simply receive keys to see a unit. If you believe you are a victim of this fraud, please contact local law enforcement officials or your bank for assistance. If you have further details regarding this fraud, please send any information to Fraud@am.jll.com.