Pamela A Sheffer Joleta Walters House Rental Scam Internet

I have been looking for a rental in Livonia since May. I recently moved back to Livonia from Chicago. I’m living with my parents (as a grown adult that is not ideal). The market is really competitive so I’ve encountered issues where the owners can pick and choose who they want from the pool of applicants. So basically when the houses come up for rent you are in a frenzy to get your info in and lock in your application and pay money to be selected. Also, when these houses go up for rent, 9 times out of 10 they are also for sale. And since the market is also competitive for buying chances are the house will sell so then renting is out of the picture.

This particular house was up for sale by Coldwell Banker but was also listed as a rental on Trulia. It had a particular name on the Trulia listing to contact for interest in renting. That is the email I sent on Sunday night. Monday morning I received a response from that person describing the house and the situation they were in. They decided not to sell the house because they were on a 3 year mission in Texas (serving the Lord) and needed  a place to live when they returned. I couldn’t see the inside but the windows and such were open so I could look in and there were pictures on the Trulia site. In addition, my friend almost rented that house about 8 years prior. So far sounding legit. So the person said go ahead and email me if you are interested and I will send an application. I sent it off and the next day they called and said that I was approved and that I was accepted as their new tenant. The person then asked for the 1000 security deposit to be wired to his wife’s Money Gram account in Texas. So I sent in the security and then they sent they lease. I signed the lease and he said if I wired the first month’s rent he would send the keys and all the paperwork. I asked about the for sale sign and he said he had asked the realtor to take it down so if it was still up to go ahead and take it down myself. So Friday we contacted the realtor to tell him I was the new tenant and that we wanted the sign down. From there my world was turned upside down. The realtor informed me that the house had been sold and new owners were closing this week. We were all confused because no one really knew what was going on. So immediately my Dad and I went to City Hall to figure out who the owners of the house were. It was not this person. Turns out this Pamela Sheffer was a previous tenant and moved out in May. Long story short he (whoever this person is) kept contending he bought it from them (he knew the owners names) and that it was just a delay in paperwork. Needless to say I just wanted out at that point….I asked for my money back and he said he would send it. We sent a request in from my Mom’s PayPal account and I told him it was sent. He said he was a man of God and would send my money back. Needless to say, no money. Nothing until Saturday night when I get a text that says, “Hello Nicole. Happy Sunday to you”. I was LIVID.  That’s been all except that last night my mom got an email from him saying that he paid me back and to never email that address again. I’m going to continue to pester him so he knows I’m not going away J

I filed a report on Saturday with Livonia PD, Trulia and Money Gram. I also signed up for Life Lock because this guy had a ton of information from my application. Livonia PD called yesterday and said they could not move forward in the investigation because the account where the money was wired to was in Texas. Money Gram responded that there is nothing they can do but would be willing to provide all records by order of a  subpoena by law enforcement. Trulia has not responded. I have the original listing and up until a couple days ago it was still posted on Trulia.  So that’s where I am right now, out $2100 and nothing I can do about it whatsoever!