A young couple from Edmonton is sharing their cautionary tale about apartment hunting.
Kassidy Kline and Mitchell Chase thought they found the perfect place to live in uptown Saint John, but instead what happened has left them financially strapped and frustrated.
The couple planned to live in the city, but after being ripped off for $750, they’re now eager to leave. They say they replied to a Kijiji ad, and were thrilled to find a lovely two-bedroom uptown at a great price.
“It was a beautiful place. It seemed kind of too good to be true, … but we just fell for it I guess,” Chase says.
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Through email, the scammer said 15 people were interested and required a deposit, which they sent, depleting the last of their money.
They were scheduled to meet the owner the next day at 7 a.m. to get the keys, but an email excuse was a red flag.
“Probably when she said her tire was blown, I just kind of knew we’re not going to get our money,” Chase noted.
The two never did meet the supposed owner, and while looking through windows of the apartment realized it was nothing like the photos online.
“I felt stupid, it kind of ripped my heart out that someone would do that. I don’t know, an overwhelmed feeling I guess. Then we kind of just couldn’t let it get to us anymore, just kind of forgot about it. it was just going to eat us apart if we kept thinking and tried to get the money and talking to the cops.”
Kline says it was a blow.
“It’s really heartbreaking because not only was it every last cent we had, but we’re also not getting that home,” she says. “We still don’t have a home, so we’re out the money and a place to live. It was gorgeous and beautiful but now we don’t have that or the money. It really puts you down.”
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Soon after being ripped off, frustrated, the couple reached to police and according to the couple, the cops told them not much could be done. It was the same message from the bank. They asked about the email transfer, because they sent the money willingly, there was nothing the bank could do.
Meanwhile, the couple will live with family in Halifax while looking for work and recovering from the financial and emotional ordeal.