New York Police Bust Fake Landlord Scam That Fleeced Hundreds Of People
There are a number of fake landlord scams out there. Some of the scams are unique, some are brazen and some are just dumb.
Like a typical fake landlord, Ricardo Gonzalez of Tarrytown, New York thought he had the perfect scam until New York cops busted him.
The New York man posed as a real estate broker and falsely advertising apartments for rent bilking thousands of dollars from prospective renters.
Gonzalez put a unique spin on his fake landlord scam. He allegedly contacted landlords and told them he had friends interested in available units. He would then convince them to give him access to the properties.
Once Gonzalez got inside the unit, he took pictures of the apartments and obtained paperwork for the leases. He would then post the properties on Trulia, Craigslist, and Zillow. Thus, making it appear as though he was the real estate representative.
Tarrytown Police say numerous victims have come forward. Victims include a 46-year-old woman who says she worked with Gonzalez to rent a unit in April. She told police that she paid the fake landlord a $2,300 broker’s fee and a $100 rental application fee. She later learned Gonzalez was not a licensed real estate professional.
Police are investigating claims that undocumented immigrants were among Gonzalez’s victims. They are also asking for other potential victims to come forward about the fake landlord, regardless of their immigration status.
Police in Irvington, New York stated:
Gonzalez is being held in Westchester County Jail. The court has also set Gonzalez’s bail at $15,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.
Also, check out these other articles about fake landlords and slumlords:
Deadbeat Landlords May Force 100,000+ Detroiters To Be Homeless
New York Landlord Demanded Sexual Favors From Female Tenants
Pervert Landlords Beware! HUD Is Coming For You!
Slumlord Frank Rosemberg Crowned King of All Bedbugs
Write A Comment