A New York man said he was left essentially homeless after allegedly losing $4,000 in a rental scam while trying to secure an apartment. He claimed he found the apartment through Finders NYC and believed everything was legitimate after meeting the person who presented themselves as the owner. The situation changed when he tried to collect the keys.
The story was posted on TikTok by creator Galore, who goes by the username everythinggalore. The video received nearly one million views and thousands of comments, with viewers sharing advice and reacting to the man’s situation.
According to the New York man, the apartment was supposed to be rent-stabilized, and he had already met with the person he believed was the owner. He said everything seemed normal until it was time to sign the lease.
He was then instructed to meet at a building in Washington Heights. Instead of meeting inside an office, he said he met the supposed owner in the building’s lobby. He found it suspicious that nobody greeted him when he arrived, and he claimed he waited about half an hour before the person arrived.
The situation became even more concerning when he was not given the apartment keys after signing the lease. He said he was told that the manager first needed to sign the paperwork and that he could get the keys from the manager afterward.
He was later told to call back on Monday. When he contacted the management company, however, he claimed that the company told him the building he was supposedly renting was not in its records. That was when he realized he had allegedly been scammed. He said he was now essentially homeless and trying to recover the $4,000 he had paid.
New York Man Gets Advice From Viewers
Viewers largely expressed sympathy for him, while others criticized people who blamed him for falling for the alleged scam. Many pointed out how difficult it can be to find affordable housing in New York City and argued that scammers can take advantage of people who are desperate to find a place to live.
Others focused on what they saw as warning signs, including the unusual meeting location, the lack of keys and the unclear rental process. Some commenters also shared their own experiences with rental scams, saying they had signed leases and paid thousands of dollars before discovering that the apartments were not actually available.
Many viewers urged the man to file a police report, contact the attorney general’s office, report the incident to the Better Business Bureau and reach out to local news stations. Others suggested posting the story in New York City housing groups in hopes that someone could identify the person involved. “Get Mamdani on the line!” one user wrote.
Several commenters also suggested trying to trace or cancel the payment if possible and preserving the lease, receipts and other evidence. Others encouraged him to pursue legal action.
For now, the apartment search appears to have left the man with one very expensive lesson: always get the keys before celebrating the move-in.
