Shallow depth of field image taken of yellow law enforcement line with police car and lights in the background.
Aug. 24, 2018 By Tara Law
Police from the 115th precinct have issued a warning about a scammer who convinced four people in North Corona to hand over $2,300 apartment deposits— but never leased them an apartment.
Police say that between July 23 and Aug. 6, the victims— three men ages 42, 26, and 21, and a woman, 39— called the suspect after spotting flyers advertising apartments hanging in the North Corona area.
The suspect, who police say is a Hispanic man in his 30s, told the victims that he could provide them with suitable apartments, but that they had to provide them with the deposit— in cash.
The four victims met with the scammer and each handed over the $2,300 deposits. The suspect took their money, gave them the apartments’ addresses, and said he’d be in touch.
However, police say that the suspect stopped responding to victims phone calls and messages once he had their money in hand.
Several of the victims went to the address he had provided, only to find that other families were living in the apartments.
Police from the 115th precinct released a flyer with tips to help renters protect themselves from apartment scammers. They advise renters to avoid making advance payments before seeing the apartment; researching the listing agent and address; and not completing an application before seeing the apartment.
“If offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” the police flyer says.
Police are continuing to investigate the incidents.
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5 Comments
What a petty financial crime. Was Paul Manafort their landlord?
Very unfortunate, but difficult to pity someone ignorant enough to give his or her money away without even seeing the apartment and signing a lease first.
These people are probably undocumented immigrants desperate for housing, but bold enough to report the scam since NYC is a sanctuary city.
is “undocumented immigrants” a euphemism for something more harsh? thank you for being so sensitive )
Idiots.
Why would people be so naive to give money away to a person they don’t even know, and has no place of business like an office? Hopefully, gentrification gets rid of these scammers