GASTONIA, N.C. (WBTV) – It seemed to be the perfect place for a single mother of three who was hoping for a fresh start.
Last year, Marie Seale moved from New York to Gastonia desperate to find somewhere a bit more affordable to live. For months, she’s been searching for a rental home, spending hundreds of dollars on application fees.
“Since April, I’ve probably looked at over 50 places,” Seale said. “I’ve filled out a good 30 to 40 applications.”
She estimates she’s spent up to $900 on application fees that have resulted in nothing for her family.
A new twist on a familiar scam targeting the elderly
But last month, Seale says she came across a listing for a three-bedroom house in Gastonia on the real estate website Zillow.com.
She instantly reached out to the listed contact who claimed to be the property owner.
“He said the property is available and I can go look at it at my convenience,” she said.
So, Seale did exactly that. She says she got into the home with a lock box code that the homeowner gave her. She quickly realized it was exactly what she was looking for but was told she’d have to act fast.
“He kept telling me there are other people interested in this house, so you need to hurry up and give me the deposit,” Seale said.
Seale tells WBTV she transferred $200,000 to who she believed to be the homeowner and was told to come back to sign the lease with him in person.
But as she was waiting for him to arrive, something unexpected happened.
“While I…
