Sage Jellesed told WQAD 8 that she and her boyfriend came across the property listing on social media
Credit: WQAD News 8/YouTube
NEED TO KNOW
- Sage Jellesed and her family lost their belongings after falling victim to an online apartment rental scam
- The scammer provided a lockbox code and claimed he couldn’t meet in person due to a family emergency
- The family is now living in a camper and has launched a GoFundMe to secure a permanent home
One woman is warning others after falling victim to an apartment rental scam that left her family without a permanent place to live.
In an interview with WQAD 8, Sage Jellesed said she and her boyfriend were preparing to move from California to East Moline, Ill., with their 2-year-old son when they came across a social media advertisement for two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments available for immediate move-in. After Jellesed contacted the man behind the listing through social media, he gave the couple a lockbox code so they could tour one of the units on their own. Although they never met him in person, he reportedly explained that he couldn’t meet them because his son was in the hospital.
“It seemed not sketchy because he already let us in to view it,” Jellesed told the outlet. “So we were like, you know what, this isn’t a scam.”
The couple moved forward with the agreement, paying $800 in rent and an additional $150 in fees before receiving a lease. However, problems arose on move-in day when the new lockbox code they had been given didn’t work. When they contacted the person behind the listing, he reportedly advised them to break into the apartment. Following his instructions, the couple entered the unit and moved their belongings inside. When they returned from work the following day, however, their possessions were gone and the locks had been changed.
Jellesed contacted the police and showed officers her messages with the alleged landlord, only to learn that the person she had been communicating with was not legitimate. She also discovered that those responsible for managing the apartment complex believed she and her boyfriend had been squatting in the unit and had discarded their belongings.
PEOPLE reached out to the East Moline Police Department, which said it was unable to provide any information at this time.
“The landlord and the maintenance people took all our stuff and threw it in the dumpster,” Jellesed said. “So I’m crying, and I’m grabbing all my stuff out of the dumpster, and I’m grabbing his stuff and the baby’s stuff.”
Credit: WQAD News 8/YouTube
In the aftermath, the family stayed in a hotel for three days before moving into a camper. They have since launched a GoFundMe to help them secure a permanent home.
Now, Jellesed is urging prospective renters to verify a landlord’s identity before handing over any money.
“Meet them in person and get their ID,” she told the outlet.
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