Milwaukee rental scam targets cancer patient and others

By Nick Bohr

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Milwaukee police are investigating a rental scam in the 60th Street and Cleveland Avenue neighborhood that has defrauded at least four victims, including a woman with stage four cancer, out of thousands of dollars.

The scammers created a fake Zillow rental listing by lifting a real home rental posting, deceiving victims into paying for a property they could not access.

Jazzy, one of the victims, expressed her frustration and anger after realizing she had been scammed. She did not want to share her identity.

“I’m very upset. I am mad. I am just angry,” she said.

Jazzy and her husband were drawn to the listing, which seemed perfect for their needs, but overlooked warning signs such as payments requested via Apple gift cards and never touring the house, and not meeting the supposed landlord. Their suspicions were confirmed when they arrived to collect the keys.

“I’m just like, something ain’t right. Something definitely ain’t right. So, that’s when I let my husband know, like, ‘OK, we were scammed,'” Jazzy said.

The scam is particularly devastating for Jazzy, who is fighting stage four breast cancer and had hoped the house would provide more space for her medical equipment and care.

“I am fighting fourth-stage breast cancer. I am … that house was my dream. It was more of me having more room for my equipment, my wheelchairs, the nurses coming out,” she said.

Milwaukee police said they are investigating someone who “deprived the victim of money by false representation.” Jazzy and her husband are now staying in their cramped apartment, trying to recover the $2,300 they lost.

“But I don’t want nobody else to get scammed like we did, and then let them walk free. Which, I want them caught,” Jazzy said.

The real homeowner of the house used in the fake listing had no involvement in the scam. He told WISN 12 News Tuesday that he listed the house for rent earlier this year but removed the listing after securing a renter. The con artists used his listing and property records to create a fake listing under his name, making it appear legitimate.

Milwaukee police are seeking information from the public to identify the scammers and prevent further incidents.

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