The police are now attempting to catch a woman they claim tricked 12 persons into believing that she was renting them a house and collected $50,000 each from them.

The woman is said to have disappeared with $600,000 from the 12 home seekers in the Portmore Pines community of Greater Portmore, St Catherine some three weeks ago.

Information reaching THE STAR is that on October 3, the woman rented a house in the community from the rightful owner. By a few days later, sources claim, the house appeared in the classifieds again for rent.

Persons were said to have showed up at the premises claiming that they were told by the woman to meet her there for their copy of a key. However, she never showed up.

When contacted the Greater Portmore police confirmed the incident saying that they got a report a few weeks ago.

One person who lives in the community in relating the incident to THE STAR said that he witnessed when a young woman fainted after she found out that she had possibly been tricked.

security deposit

"She was about 25 years old. She just got married and said that her husband and herself wanted to get a place of their own," the source said. "She said that the lady told her the house was going for $25,000 and the same for security deposit so that is $50,000 in total. The last $50,000 she had, it was for her school fee and she said she wanted to make the sacrifice."

The source said that the young woman had turned up with a key she was previously given. After it did not work , she sought to inquire what was happening. That was when residents broke the news to her that she along with many others had possibly been scammed.

"She just fainted, brop! Her husband had to pick her up, put her in the car, turn on the A/C and fan her till she come back," the source said.

The landlord is said to have been later made aware of the situation after neighbours told him that people were turning up at the house, producing receipts and claiming that they rented it from a woman. He is alleged to have changed the lock and left.

"People need to be protected from this woman and they need to know what is happening. The lady is still out there, so be careful in renting a place," one resident advised.

In the meantime the detective who spoke to THE STAR said that he was having a problem moving forward with the case, however, as the victim who made the report should have showed up at a meeting to assist in generating a computer graphic of the suspect but never did. He said he was imploring the woman or any other victim to come forward.