In Tampa, Florida, John Swartz and his girlfriend, while on the hunt for a budget-friendly rental home, believed they had discovered an ideal spot in Clearwater, only to be duped out of $2,500.
Swartz says the home was listed on Facebook Marketplace for $1,600 a month.
“It’s just the two of us,” he explained. “We each have a dog. It wasn’t a massive space to maintain, fitting nicely within our budget. The surroundings appeared appealing, and the interior photos were certainly enticing.”
They proceeded with an application and began communication with a man who suggested that prepaying would simplify their approval process with the homeowner’s association.
However, upon visiting the property the next day to get the keys and meet the supposed landlord, the neighbors revealed grim news: they had been deceived. The actual owner turned out to be a different person, who confirmed that the property was listed elsewhere for $2,300.
“I reached out to my bank to halt the payment, but since it went through Zelle, they mentioned there wasn’t much they could do,” Swartz noted.
“Rental costs are steep, and gathering enough for the first and last month’s rent along with a security deposit pulls a significant amount from your pocket all at once. It’s undeniably frustrating.”
Swartz says he contacted Better Call Behnken because he wants to warn others.
“I would just like to look out for other people that might be looking to rent — other people that are in my same situation — and just let them know that there are people out there,” he said. “Don’t fork over any money until you see the inside of the place and meet someone with a key.”
Swartz said he has reported this incident to local law enforcement, but is not hopeful he will get his money back.
