Scammers list Big White fire hall as rental accommodation
Member of the Big White fire department are warning about a scam that saw their fire hall offered up as a rental.
On Nov. 1, the fire department posted on Facebook about someone advertising the fire hall’s address at 7555 Porcupine Rd. as a rental.
"The address is not rental accommodation but a working fire hall and we do not rent any accommodations at this address or anywhere else,” according to the post.
The fire chief did not return requests for comment by Thursday’s news deadline but a firefighter with the department said they’ve received a few inquiries about it.
“When renting accommodation privately beware that scams are out there and do your best to verify the legitimacy of the property or potential landlord before you part with any funds,” according to the fire department's post.
Senior vice president of Big White Ski Resort, Michael Ballingall, warns residents that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
He hasn’t seen any uptick in rental scams within the community lately but said mangers at the resort are familiar with the owners of rental accommodations.
“There would be new landlords out there this year because apartments have changed hands so I haven’t heard that there’s any problems with any landlords or any ghosts listings that don’t exist. We’ve warned people that it could happen at Big White, like it can happen anywhere else,” he said.
When hiring employees for the ski season, there’s a protocol the resort follows and shares information about Facebook groups that are credible verses others that aren’t if employees choose to rent from owners opposed to the resort.
Last month, Ballingall told iNFOnews the housing crunch at the ski hill has never been so bad in his entire career dating back to 1985.
Those concerns are echoed in dozens of postings on the Rentals @ Big White Mountain Facebook page.
READ MORE: 'Nightmare' at Big White for workers looking for a home
To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
