Local Community Member helps police arrest Real Estate Scam Artist BE CAREFUL AS SHE DID ! Do not become a victim

I just wanted to share what happened today...I was looking on Craigslist for a house to rent and I came across a nice one in San jacinto. There was a name "Michael" and a phone number so I called him this morning to see if it was still available. He told Us he liked what he heard from me since he's only talked to "low life" people and said we were his top pick.

 We went at 1:30 to go look at the house. When we got there he was already inside and the door was open. I noticed a FOR SALE sign out front and I asked him why is this for rent if it's also for sale? He said that if we signed a 1 year lease he would take the house off the market. When we got there also introduced himself as "Erik" (um thought your name was Michael?!).

 He started telling the story about how his wife is dying of cancer and he just needs the house rented to pay his bills. He also handed us a rental app that said the owner was "EZrentals". I then asked him why does it say that and not HIS info since he said he was the owner? He said his wife works for them and she decided to put that. BS.

He is also wearing a long sleeve flannel shirt when it's 100 degrees outside. Which I knew he was hiding his tattoos. He had one on his hand and once he noticed I was looking at it he kept his hand In his pocket the rest of the time.

 He also began to tell us how all the criminals are being paid to come to Hemet and all this crap. I knew from the moment he said a different name that he was total bullshit. I told him there was a lot of scams out there and how can he prove he was the owner of the house. He said its on the public record( which I had already looked up before I came and it wasn't owned by him.) So he tells us he will call us at 3:30 to let us know if we got the place. As I'm leaving I decide to call the number on the for sale sign because I knew he was full of crap.

 I called the reality company and told them everything and they immediately said that THEY owned the house and that this guy was a scam. We decided to play his games and I called him and told him I can meet him at the house at 5 to give him the $1400 deposit. He said it was fine to bring only cash because he's leaving out of town and will have to be quick ( LMAO).

 So the owners of the house are now coming down from temecula and the cops are in on it too. The time comes and he shows up to the house and I tell the cops he's there and they corner him in. He is arrested. He has drug priors and also has a bunch of tools, knives and a stolen wallet from "Michael" in his car. He made up a story saying that he was scamming me because this Michael guy did it to him and he wanted his money back. That was a lie. He broke the lock box off the house and stole the key and had been scamming people.

 So I'm sure there is someone out there who gave this guy money thinking they are moving in a house but in fact they won't be allowed in (they came to change the locks). Please use your head and I'm so glad we were smart enough to detect this criminal. So if you gave this guy ANY money or info contact the San jacinto police.

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