BEREA, Ky. (LEX 18) — Berea police have made an arrest in connection to a Facebook Marketplace rental scam thanks to a victim who set up the suspect.
The initial scam involved a person advertising an apartment or home for rent on the social network's sales site. In each instance, the victim arranged to meet with offender and pay them for the first month's rent in cash. The victims all met with a woman who took the cash and gave them a handwritten receipt. Then, they never heard from her again.
Earlier this week, police were contacted by one of the victims in the case. They told officers that they had located the suspect on Facebook and made arrangements to purchase an item from her. The victim informed police that a meeting had been arranged in the Walgreen's parking lot.
Officers located 18-year-old Kaitlyn Goins waiting to make the sale. She was in the same vehicle that other scam victims had reported seeing her in during the other fraudulent transactions.
Goins has been charged with two counts of theft by deception. More charges could be pending.
