SILVER SPRING, Md. — Detectives in Silver Spring are investigating after receiving reports of a woman who allegedly accepted deposit and apartment fees in exchange for phony keys to apartments she fraudulently rented.
The first incident occurred on July 12 after a man found the female suspect through an online ad, police said, adding that she identified herself as a leasing agent for the apartment complex in the 1900 block of East West Highway.
After paying the security deposit and rental fees and proceeding to move in, the man ultimately realized that the apartment had been rented to him fraudulently, according to police. However, they don’t specify what tipped him off.
On July 15, police said a similar case occurred involving the same suspect. The victim reported that she also made contact online with the woman who identified herself as a rental/property manager of the same apartment building. The woman proceeded to pay the security deposit and rental fees and in return, the suspect gave her a faulty key to the apartment, according to police. The woman determined the apartment was rented to him fraudulently after discovering that the key didn’t work.
The woman is described as a black female, approximately 30 to 38-years-old, 5-feet-5-inches tall and weighs approximately 150-160 pounds, according to police.
Investigators have released surveillance video of the woman.
Based on the incidents, detectives believe that there could be additional victims of fraud by the suspect who have not contacted police.
Detectives urge anyone who believes they could have been a victim of a similar crime to contact the 2nd District Patrol Investigations Unit at 240-773-6726.
