Bengaluru rental scam exposed: A property firm allegedly duped over 200 people of crores by promising to pay landlords rent using tenants’ lease money. Police probe and possible CID inquiry underway.
Bengaluru: A massive rental scam has come to light in Bengaluru, where a company allegedly duped over 200 people out of crores of rupees. The firm’s simple but effective pitch was: “Give us your lease money, and we will pay your monthly rent.” A complaint has now been filed at the Indiranagar police station.
Clifford Ryan and several other victims filed the complaint against Jones Property Management, its Managing Director Stephen Arthur Jones, and other staff members. Police officials have confirmed that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.
Bengaluru Scam
The whole thing unravelled for Clifford Ryan, a resident of Hennur Main Road, who was looking for a rental house in June 2025. He was approached by Jones Property Management with an attractive offer. They told him they would find him a house and handle the rent.
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The company’s employee, Abdul, and a manager named Savita explained the terms. The deal was that Ryan would pay the entire lease amount to the company, and in return, the company would pay the monthly rent to the house owner. Trusting them, Ryan transferred Rs 21 lakh in several instalments to the company's bank account.
He signed an agreement on August 12 and moved into his new home. The company had a separate agreement with the actual owner, Raju Benedict, to pay the rent. However, on May 1, 2026, the owner called Ryan and dropped a bombshell. He said he hadn't received rent for the last six months and asked Ryan to vacate the house immediately.
A shocked Ryan tried to contact the company to get his lease money back, but they stopped answering his calls. When he visited the Jones Property Management office, he realised he wasn't alone. He met many others who had been cheated out of lakhs in the exact same way. Following this, he filed a police complaint, demanding action against the company and the return of his money.
Probe Likely to Go to CID
This isn't the first time Stephen Jones is in trouble. In 2021, an FIR was filed against him at the Chandra Layout police station for cheating a resident named Satish of lakhs in an investment scheme. Sources say Jones Property Management may have cheated nearly 300 people of over Rs 200 crore. Given the huge amount of money involved, the case is expected to be transferred to the CID.
The Modus Operandi: How the Scam Worked
Jones Property Management specifically targeted people looking for houses on lease. Their team would convince tenants to deposit the entire lease amount with the company. They would even sign a formal agreement, promising to pay the monthly rent to the landlord on the tenant's behalf. For the first few months, the company would pay the rent on time to build trust. After that, they would stop the payments and become unreachable, leaving both the tenant and the owner in a fix. It has also come to light that the CCB had arrested Stephen in a fraud case earlier.
