A WOMAN was scammed out of $10,000 after she wired transferred the funds for what she believed was the perfect condo.
Nancy Kimmes, a real estate agent herself, was tricked by a legitimate-looking rental application for a condo in Crystal Sands in Saratoga, Florida, that was supposed to go up for rent between August and December.
Nancy Kimmes thought she found the perfect condo in the same building she had previously vacationed atCredit: WFLA
Kimmes transferred $10,000 to secure the condo, but when she asked a follow-up question about parking, she knew she had dealt with a scammerCredit: WFLA
Nancy Kimmes said everything up until her question seemed like a legitimate listingCredit: WFLA
Kimmes was looking to relocate to Crystal Sands from California.
She had previously stayed in a condo in the same Crystal Sands building and knew this was the place she wanted to start a new chapter in her life.
“We were so excited because it was right here in Crystal Sands, and we loved it, and this is where we wanted to be,” Kimmes told NBC affiliate WFLA-TV about the ad for the rental condo.
“I found it on Redfin, Zillow, Truilia. It was on all of the sites.”
Kimmes said she responded to the listing in May and spoke with the supposed owner.
She quickly filled out the application and remembered the paperwork appearing legitimate.
Kimmes also did a background search of the owner but did not notice any concerning issues.
So, she quickly transfers $10,000 to secure the condo.
However, Kimmes said warning sounds began to ring in her head when she thought to ask a follow-up question.
“I then asked the fraudster, I asked him what parking space will I get,” Kimmes told WFLA-TV.
“And he gave me two parking spaces. Well, I knew that wasn’t correct because I was staying here, and you only get one parking space.”
She immediately called her bank to stop the payment and called the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
She told the outlet that the funds remained frozen in the crook’s bank account and that she had been getting the runaround about a complicated process to get the money back.
However, six months after the incident, with WFLA-TV’s help, Kimmes recovered her money.
Kimmes hopes her story can spread awareness that even if a rental agreement appears legit, it might not be.
VINTAGE CAR SCAM
Meanwhile, a California man was swindled out of a similar scam when he tried to purchase a vintage 1934 Ford Cabriolet online for an eye-popping $25,000.
The seller from West Hartford, Connecticut, appeared legitimate, Dale Frye said, leading him to wire transfer $25,000 for the hot rod.
“He sent me a video of the car, and he sent numerous still photos of the car,” Frye told CBS affiliate WFSB in October.
“It’s a very professional website.”
However, weeks passed, and the vehicle never arrived at his home.
Dale took a trip to Connecticut to check out the seller’s apparent business location, but the location was a vacant storage building.
