A Grass Valley family thought they were paying for a new rental home but later learned the person they paid didn’t own the home.
ANTELOPE, Calif. — A 58-year-old widow who cares for her 91-year-old mother says someone stole thousands of dollars from her in a rental scam.
Claudia Sharp is a sales professional who has worked with the same Loomis-based company for nearly 30 years. She began looking for a new rental home after her long-time rental home in Grass Valley was sold to a new owner and she was told she would need to leave, Sharp said.
Sharp looked all over the area, but was seeking a single level three bedroom to accommodate her elderly mother who has trouble walking, Sharp said.
She eventually came upon an online rental listing and began speaking with a man who identified himself as David Clark, a name she now believes is made-up. He told her he owned a home in Antelope that was in her price range.
Despite numerous cancellations to tour the property, Sharp said she was desperate to find a home in her price range and jumped at the opportunity. She spoke with the man on the phone and by text for several days, Sharp said.
“It was the first month’s rent, the deposit, and a bunch of other miscellaneous HOA fees is what…
