Rent firm catches woman posing as quake victim

Property managers in Rotorua almost fell victim to a scammer taking advantage of the Christchurch earthquake.

A woman living at a motor camp with three children claimed to have fled the quake-damaged city and tried to sign a tenancy agreement with a Rotorua agency.

Richard Evans from Rotorua Rentals and a member of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand property management group, said property managers had been warned by police to be on the lookout and had carried out their own checks.

"We had a woman claim to be a refugee from Christchurch. She filled in a form and gave an address and the name of a rental firm in Christchurch.

"Something about her didn't ring true."

As part of pre-tenancy checks the Rotorua firm called the Christchurch property managers, only to be told they didn't manage the address she had provided and they had never heard of her.

"We don't know where this lady has come from as everything she has given us is fictitious."

Mr Evans said people were using the earthquake to take advantage of others.

"They're using this as a lever to get to somewhere they wouldn't get a look-in. We tend to be a bit cynical anyway because we've heard all the tales of woe.

"It amazes me people would take advantage of such a situation for their own goodwill."

He said private landlords should also be more wary as they don't have access to the same information property managers do and cannot always check a tenant's previous record.