Family scammed out of savings in rental scheme

We are raising money for the victims of a recent rental scam that happened right here in Gainesville Florida.

On Sunday, Feb 5th my team pulled up to show a rental property we recently started to manage. To our surprise, we found the property was already occupied. We immediately contacted the owner to see if she had given access to anyone else and she confirmed she had not. With help from the Gainesville Police Department, we were able to make contact with the unauthorized occupants. The people we thought were threatening trespassers were simply a lovely family of 5 and their 4 pets. They had fallen victim to a horrific rental scheme. They had been working with someone who was impersonating the owner who had not only broken in and changed the locks but furnished them with a bogus lease and collected $2,100 in move-in fees. This scheme depleted this family's funds that were raised to get them closer to many of the resources Gainesville has to offer needed to help them cope with a family member struggling with Parkinson's disease and another who is bedridden with regular brain aneurysms and dementia.

Unfortunately, the scammer "rented" them the home for almost $1,000 less than market rent so the family cannot afford to stay in the rental they thought was far less expensive. The owner has graciously allowed the family to stay temporarily in hopes my team can find them an affordable rental and help them recoup some of the hard-earned funds that were stolen from them.

For anyone able, we are asking for donations that will go directly to helping this family relocate to an affordable rental in the Gainesville area. We are also asking for any potential leads for affordable rentals in Gainesville.