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A family scammed out of thousands of dollars in a rent scam is sharing their story in hopes it doesn't happen to anyone else.
Breanna Davila and her family of five found the perfect home for them to move into in late October, per WFAA. They found the McKinney four-bedroom, two-bathroom home on Zillow. When they showed interest online, they got a call. The person on the other end of the phone, who said his name was Floyd Baker, however, was posing as the homeowner, unbeknownst to Davila.
Baker said he was out of town and couldn't give them a tour, but had access to the lockbox. He gave the code to Davila. He also had access to a "ready-to-go" lease agreement, which Davila signed. Her family ended up moving in after paying first and last month's rent via Zelle. Real estate expert Cliff Freeman said using Zelle is a major red flag.
It turns out the home never belonged to Baker, but instead a company called First Key Homes. Days after moving in, a First Key Homes agent appeared at the home for a tour to a prospective tenant. "They looked at me like a deer in headlights ... like 'Why are you here?'" Davila said.
"Baker" made off with $8,000 and the Davilas were left without a home.
"A lot of this is emotional damage. They build these relationships with you making you feel like you can trust them. I really hope he gets caught, that's my motive here," Davila said. She filed reports with McKinney police. First Key Homes has yet to comment on the incident.
If you find yourself in a similar situation or you're looking to rent or buy a home, be sure to go through a licensed realtor, avoid paying up front and don't pay through a money exchange app.