A man has been jailed after defrauding more than 30 people out of more than £77,000 in a rental scam, police said.

Frederic Priestley, 34, from Southwark, London, falsely advertised a property for rent on Facebook between April and September last year.

He provided prospective renters with tenancy agreements and obtained deposits and rent payments, although he never owned the property and it was not available to rent.

On Friday, Priestley was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison for fraud by false representation at Inner London crown court.

The Metropolitan police said they received 34 separate reports from Action Fraud in September last year alleging Priestley did not follow through with rental agreements for a flat in Southwark.

After receiving payments, he would contact prospective tenants with a variety of excuses as to why he could not go through with their agreements, which included saying that there had been deaths in the family, police said.

Officers found that significant payments were made during the period from victims to Priestley, totalling £77,400. The amounts tended to range between £800 and £2,000 under the guise of deposits and associated fees.

DC Abimbola Emiola, from the Met’s economic crime team, said: “Priestley exploited people who were simply looking for somewhere to live, using convincing paperwork and false reassurances to make his scheme appear legitimate.

“This was not an isolated incident, but a sustained fraud carried out over many months, affecting dozens of victims and causing significant financial and emotional distress.

“This sentence demonstrates that we will pursue those who abuse online platforms to commit fraud. We encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim to report it as soon as possible.”

Mobile phone analysis gathered by officers supported the investigation alongside victim statements.

The defendant was arrested in October 2025 and pleaded guilty at a hearing at Croydon magistrates court in April.