A San Tan Valley woman's dream of a new home turned into a cautionary tale about rental fraud, while up north, Manitoba Hydro is alerting customers of a menacing text scam threatening to cut off power. Samantha Sherman's pursuit of shelter led her to sign what she thought was a legitimate lease, only to find out she'd been duped by an impostor claiming to be a landlord, as reported by 12News. Sherman is now out $1,500 after transferring funds through Apple Pay to a trickster who continues to hound her for more money under the guise of "termination refund fees."
"I like start crying. I'm like I've got to call the cops," Sherman recounted to 12News after realizing the property belonged to a large leasing firm, Invitation Homes, who had no record of her so-called landlord. In Manitoba, citizens faced their own digital deceptions. The method, however, involved fake text messages rather than faked leases. Bruce Owen, media relations officer with Manitoba Hydro, described the scam's tactic of eliciting payments with threats of power disconnection, according to CTV News. "We recommend that if you get one of these things, just delete it," Owen warned.
While Sherman's misfortune serves as an alarm to prospective renters, Owen's advice speaks to a broader online vigilance. He cautions against clicking any links that could compromise personal financial information. The Federal Trade Commission supports these sentiments, highlighting the effectiveness of scams that play off legitimate home listings and the importance of conducting proper background checks. The FTC advises to search online for the listing's address along with the owner or rental company's name; if discrepancies appear, it flags a likely scam.
Sherman and others who have lost money to such scams often face the grim reality of little chance of recovery. This hasn't stopped Sherman from filing reports with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and her bank, holding onto the slim hope of seeing her funds again. "For a mom to lose that much with two kids, yeah it’s definitely rough," Sherman told 12News.
