Kazakhstan residents paid over a million tenge for renting nonexistent apartments in Shymkent.

Malicious individuals were posting ads with photos of non-existent apartments through a popular rental housing application.

https://total.kz/ru/news/finansi/bolee_milliona_tenge_zaplatili_kazahstantsi_za_arendu_nesushchestvuushchih_kvartir_v_shimkente_date_2025_02_04_10_08_492025-02-04 08:07:17

“The police have apprehended three criminals in Shymkent. They operated through a popular housing rental app, posting fake listings with attractive photos of apartments that did not actually exist,” the police reported.

After the listings were posted, potential renters would contact the scammers to inquire about details, and the fraudsters would then suggest making a deposit or full prepayment to secure the rental, assuring clients of the reliability of the transactions.

According to the police department, citizens transferred money without realizing they had fallen victim to a scam. The total damage inflicted on citizens by the arrested individuals since August 2024 has exceeded 1 million tenge.

“Currently, the investigation has established their involvement in 20 cases of online fraud. Authorities have confiscated 11 mobile phones, 15 SIM cards, and a laptop from the suspects. The investigation is ongoing,” the press service noted.