Mary Kaphuka, an African American mother of four from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, says her family was left homeless after paying a $1,200 deposit for an apartment that turned out not to exist. The person she dealt with allegedly disappeared before move-in day.

Kaphuka had recently moved back to Milwaukee from Missouri with her fiancé, 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, and a 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 on the way. She thought she had found a dream apartment to start fresh.

The listing came from a woman on Facebook calling herself “Ms. Allie,” who claimed to run a business helping at-risk mothers secure stable housing. Believing the offer was genuine, Kaphuka paid the deposit and prepared to move in.

When moving day arrived, the address didn’t match any real property. “Ms. Allie” stopped answering phone calls and messages. That’s when Kaphuka realized she had been scammed.

“She stopped answering and even responding to my messages,” Kaphuka told WLBT. “My hard-earned money I worked for that you took from me and my family and left us with nothing.”

Since then, Kaphuka has been staying with friends, relatives, or in hotels. With her options running out, she plans to seek space in a local shelter.

She has filed a police report and hopes the suspect will face charges. Kaphuka also plans to take the case to small claims court in an effort to recover her money.