Debra DeLongis Debbie DeLongis Took $1000 cash and disappeared! Mount Sinai, New York

I am the victim of a terrible scam. This woman named Debra "Debbie" DeLongis, who works as a Realtor/Consultant, posted ads on Craigslist for apartments and whole houses for rent. She took our money and ran!

I contacted her, and she showed me two homes for rent, one of which I fell in love with. The rental home was $2700/month. We told her we were 90% sure we would rent the house, but just needed to have the lease reviewed by a trusted family member first. We told her we wanted to leave a security deposit to reserve the house, but we preferred to delay signing the lease until we could have it looked over by a family member and financial planner. 

Debbie informed us that we would have to pay the Realtor fee AND the security deposit in order to reserve the house. We battled over this, because it just didn't sound right. She told us it would have to be cash, but not to worry because she would give us a receipt.

We just did not feel comfortable handing over $2700 in cash until the lease was signed. Debbie cried about how she had fallen on hard times, and told us she was 4 months behind in her rent and had gotten sick last year. She told us that after having several growths removed from her neck, she was bombarded with medical bills. Debbie told us she would be forced to keep showing the apartment until she got paid her fee because she was so destitute. We did not want to lose the house, so against our better judgment, we gave her $1000 cash toward the rental fee.

We have the receipt.

After reviewing the lease, and bearing in mind the logistics of the move, we decided the location was not ideal and we would back out of the rental. We contacted Debbie and the Landlord. The Landlord gave us our security deposit check back within a few days, but Debbie has refused to give our money back. At first she said she would work out a payment plan with us, but now she avoids our phone calls altogether.

We feel hopeless and taken advantage of.

This woman works as a freelance Realtor/Consultant and shows houses on Craigslist. She also works with her husband at Design All Landscaping in Mount Sinai, NY. I wonder how many other people have been scammed by them.