I feel like such an idiot. I'm 100% culpable and need advice.
I used rotatingroom.com (a site for medical students to lease out their rooms during the year) to find an apartment in NYC for the summer. I found a place in the city that was cheap but not suspiciously cheap. I met the "landlord" once, had a quick look at the building (he was in a rush - again, stupid on my part) and then signed the lease. I paid the security deposit and the 1st month rent through my bank account. I turn up today to move in but he never appeared. He didn't respond to any of my emails nor phone calls.
Where do I go from here?
The only thing that might save me (and this is a Hail Mary) is that he emailed me saying that the details he gave me for his bank account were incorrect (correct IBAN, incorrect name). He said that his bank received the payment but were waiting until the name was corrected and then they would release the funds. He contacted me yesterday saying that the payment still hasn't been successful. I'm going to the bank asap tomorrow in the hope that they might be able to get my funds back. I highly doubt they will.
Again, how should I proceed? Go straight to the police? I'm so lost at the moment.
Thanks guys
**EDIT** - I also sent him a picture of my passport as part of the lease. I assume I'm at a high risk for identity theft. How do I try to overcome this? Do I apply for a new passport? Do I contact my government?
Submitted June 10, 2018 at 09:40PM by whothefuckisthatguy9 https://ift.tt/2l3BBL4
