Citizens reported a recurring scam involving a rental property in Mérida, advertised on digital platforms and social media, using the identity of someone else.
According to victims, the fraud involves promoting a supposed rental house under the name of Alma Alejandra Marentez Espinoza, who, according to later reports, was a victim of identity theft.
Karen May Matos, one of the victims, stated that she was deceived after making a payment for a nonexistent property on April 4th.
“The rental house doesn’t exist. This person scammed us with a rental in the city of Mérida,” she affirmed.
She also indicated that, after her case, she identified other victims, including one who reportedly lost more than 10,000 pesos.
According to testimonies, the fraud scheme includes the creation of multiple fake profiles that generate positive comments to lend legitimacy to the listing. Furthermore, the repeated use of the same photographs and address to lure new victims has been detected.
Margarita Manrique explained that the person whose identity is being used is not connected to these activities.
“Alma doesn’t rent properties; her ID was stolen by someone else. There’s already a lawsuit against the people who are scamming people in her name,” she stated.
Other users also reported inconsistencies in the presented documentation. Wendy Flores indicated that she decided to investigate after receiving an official ID, which turned out to be fake.
Meanwhile, Julio Rosas recounted that he detected the fraud when checking an address being offered for rent to a relative.
“I realized it was the same address that has been used to scam other people,” he noted.
Given this situation, those affected urged the public to verify the authenticity of online rental offers, avoid making deposits without confirming the property’s existence, and report any irregularities to the appropriate authorities in order to prevent further cases.
Source: yucatan.quadratin
