SPACE HUNTERS INC @ 333 LEXINGTON AVENUE TYPICAL NYC CRAIGSLIST SCAM! CASH UPFRONT OR YOU WON'T BE LET IN! MANHATTAN New York

Do not give your money to this racist scammer!

From the moment I called this place, I knew something was up. I was sent through a very long and unneccessary phone system which gave directions for 10 minutes to this bogus address from every angle possible. I didn't listen because I planned on using my gps to get there but the recording defintely got my attention when the message abruptly says "If the representative says "cannot hear you caller" THAT IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL." I laughed and got my wife to listen in, and there Mr. John McDermott gets on the phone, everything seems to go accordingly until he asks for my name and when I want to come in. He was very rude and constantly shouted WRONG ANSWER! when I asked what time slots he has open. Eventually, he hung up on me.

My wife decided to take care of things, seeing as we needed a place ASAP. She called back, was cool, calm and collected and we were on our way to get scammed.

We were walking up and down the streets of Lexington avenue trying to find the building number 333 for about 45 minutes. We FINALLY noticed a real estate sign on the 2nd floor of 343 lexington avenue and decided it's worth a buzz. 

We walked into an awfully quiet office with tons of computers everywhere but no one their to be using them. A girl greets us at the elevator and asks me to wipe my feet. I asked her to "come again?" almost baffled that a business so unprofessionally greeted us that way and then we meet the devil himself, John Mcdermott, who shouts "WIPE YOUR SHOES PLAYBOY!" You best believe I wanted to turn right around, especially after roaming the streets for 45 minutes but I kept it cool.

John gives us his whole spiel which sounded almost like his recorded messages- robotic and unpersonable.

As my wife was reading the contract, I figured I'd let him know about his mistaken address and he gave a bullshit reasoning as to why the building says 343 but his floor is 333. I wasn't born yesterday so I felt like something was kind of off.

I asked my wife if we could think about this before handing someone $225 without guarantees of finding a place and absolutely no refunds (written in the contract).

I kindly said thank you, we will have to think about it and maybe we will come back another day this week and he rudely jumps back saying "once you come in and don't sign up, you can never come back. we never do this twice. you are a complete waste of time" - almost like an ultimatum.

I went with my gut and left. I decided to google the ACTUAL address 343 lexington avenue and the corporate name on the sign outside the builiding (space hunters inc) and I am glad I trusted my insticts. It turns out this scam artist has been running a scam for years and has even been arrested for it. He's trying to cover up his dirt by changing his address and business name at all times. This has been my first experience at a new york city scam and I want to make sure you don't fall for it. 

Here's what I found:

ripoffreport.com/r/PLACES-TO-LIVE/New-York-New-York/PLACES-TO-LIVE-THIS-MAN-IS-SATAN-HIMSELF-New-York-New-York-1182936

ripoffreport.com/r/Room-Agent-212-697-3962/New-york-New-York-10017/Room-Agent-212-697-3962-Space-Hunters-or-Rooms-Hunters-The-owners-name-is-John-McDermott-613472

ebayclassifieds.com/user?id=5798342

elp.com/biz/space-hunters-new-york

ripoffreport.com/r/Rent-finders/New-York-New-York-10017/Rent-finders-space-hunters-room-finders-john-mcdermott-Rent-finders-is-a-SCAM-56E-41st-B-1003634

My wife and I found a lovely place through a real estate, I just hope I have helped atleast one person not get scammed out of their hard earned CASH. God Bless!