We are Maria Luiza (Malu) and Nathalia, two friends from Brazil who came to the US as au pairs and have been supporting each other for almost three years. Nathalia is now a student at Baruch College, and Malu is starting at WCC. After months of saving and searching, we were excited to finally find an apartment to share in New York City. As students, the process was challenging, but we were determined to make it work.

This summer, we found a sublease in Hell’s Kitchen and met with the tenant, who seemed trustworthy. We even asked him to send us his ID and called the building management to confirm his identity. After everything checked out, we sent the security deposit and first month’s rent. Unfortunately, we soon discovered that the same apartment was being offered to others. We connected with other victims and realized we had been scammed. The person kept promising to return our money, but it never happened. So far, we know of at least 11 people who have been affected by this scam.

Now, Nathalia is staying in her school dorm, but the extra costs have been overwhelming. Malu is staying in an extra room at a friend’s house while we try to recover and start apartment hunting again. The funds we raise will help us cover new deposits and rent so we can find a safe place to live and continue our studies. Any support will make a real difference as we work to rebuild after this setback.