Sometimes apartment deposits don’t give a potential renter much security.
On Tuesday, March 31, 23-year old Bronx resident Monessa Samuels was arrested, and charged with grand larceny after allegedly scamming a few potential renters out of almost $6,000 in security deposits for a Morris Park apartment.
The real estate agent impersonator, who is currently living in an apartment on Prospect Avenue, allegedly obtained the keys to a basement apartment at 957 Van Nest Avenue in late February and listed the apartment on Craigslist.
According to reports, three renters, all under 30 years old, initially talked to a man on Craigslist, believed to be Samuels’ father, who directed them to meet her.
She then showed the apartment to the three interested parties in early March. Each of the renters seemed interested in the place, and put down security deposits on the apartment, totaling $5,750.
When the three renters tried to individually contact Samuels regarding information on the apartment, she never responded to them.
They tried to get the security deposits back, but were unsuccessful.
Nearly a month later, Samuels was arrested, charged with two counts of grand larceny and one count of petit larceny.
