JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville woman is facing multiple criminal charges after investigators say she spent years posing as a landlord and collecting money from unsuspecting renters for homes she had no authority to lease…

According to police, Johnson advertised legitimate homes for rent online at prices well below market value. The homes were real, but investigators say she did not own or manage the properties. Instead, she allegedly copied photos and listing information from legitimate rental advertisements and presented herself as the landlord.

In several cases, victims paid deposits and rent directly to Johnson. Police say some families were even able to move into the homes before discovering they had been scammed.

JWB Real Estate Leasing Manager AJ Fuller said the unusually low rental prices are often the first warning sign.

“If we’re trying to rent the home for, let’s say, $1,500 a month, you might see it listed for $700 or $800, just ridiculously low,” Fuller said.

Police reports identify four JWB-owned homes that Johnson allegedly rented fraudulently.

Fuller said Johnson gained access to at least some properties by scheduling legitimate self-guided tours through JWB’s digital lockbox system while posing as a prospective tenant.

“If everything checks out, it looks like you are the person that’s doing it, we will give you access to the home,” Fuller explained. “In this particular instance, the young lady that was arrested this week was using her own information up front, acting like the prospect.”

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