How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex • Hacker News Board

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#141

Post by goldenkey » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 4:16 PM UTC

Bartweiss wrote: post #127

M_Grey wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't even have a signature. While I can do lovely calligraphy, my actual handwriting is a testament to a failed Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test. Now, that's extreme, but how many people have a stable signature now when they almost never have to reproduce it?

I have been asked to 'reproduce' a signature once in my entire life. At a 7/11, buying $6 worth of food. It took 4 tries to satisfy the cashier, because my signature is completely inconsistent. I almost refused, but I was curious whether I was even capable of signing convincingly. To this day, I have no idea what drove that decision.

Do you never use a CC? Ive drawn smiley faces before. No one really cares unless the charge is high and disputable.

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#142

Post by swang » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 4:26 PM UTC

azakai wrote: post #64

swang wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh? Is this a viewing or something else? I have rented apartments and looked at housing in several places in CA, not once has anyone asked me for my ID. Only when it got down to the serious brass tacks was that required.

Every apartment complex I've looked at (bay area) has required me to leave my photo ID with them at the leasing office while one of them took me on a tour to show me the apartment.

Is this condominiums/highrises? When I was looking for my apartment here no one ever asked for that. But I also didn't really look at places that had a leasing office either.

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#143

Post by tedmiston » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 4:41 PM UTC

throwaway91111 wrote: post #83

tedmiston wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well, if they don't actually rent any apartments Citation needed that they don't actually rent apartments as opposed to the author of the post making this assumption without establishing it with reasonable proof.

You're asking the wrong person; I am assuming OP is not intentionally misrepresenting the situation.

I didn't claim that he was intentionally misrepresenting the situation. It's that the author seems inexperienced in renting apartments and is jumping to conclusions as to the reason that he was denied.

It doesn't seem that he has a full understanding of the situation and the process given that, as others have pointed out in this thread, he found things like having a copy of his ID made, etc a red flag while this is normal when touring and applying to rent an apartment.

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#144

Post by 35bge57dtjku » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 4:45 PM UTC

trome wrote: post #107

35bge57dtjku wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same thing happens in Seattle.

Patently false, I've been to a few camera infested shitholes like the one on 15th and Market in Ballard where they tried to pull this crap on me (and gave up), but outside of that I have yet to run into it. IMO its a huge red flag, they're the only ones that tried that out of 80 places I've toured in the past 2 months. If the property manager tries this, its a sure sign that they are an ass. Also, the market seems to…

> Patently false

No, it was actually true when I looked at dozens of places.

> If the property manager tries this, its a sure sign that they are an ass.

That's a crazy assumption that's apparently based on nothing.

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#145

Post by Bartweiss » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 4:47 PM UTC

goldenkey wrote: post #141

Bartweiss wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have been asked to 'reproduce' a signature once in my entire life. At a 7/11, buying $6 worth of food. It took 4 tries to satisfy the cashier, because my signature is completely inconsistent. I almost refused, but I was curious whether I was even capable of signing convincingly. To this day, I have no idea what drove that decision.

Do you never use a CC? Ive drawn smiley faces before. No one really cares unless the charge is high and disputable.

Huh? I use them and sign regularly. I meant that once ever, a cashier actively refused my transaction because she found the signature unconvincing.

That's why I was so baffled by the context - a $2000 computer purchase doesn't get checked, but $6 of cookies got me the wringer.

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#146

Post by wunderg » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 5:03 PM UTC

kevinoconnor7 wrote: post #120

jack9 wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Given what's in the Medium post, there's zero evidence for that Except the stated facts (if you're just gonna call anything posted a fiction, what's the point of stating it's this and not that?). It's certainly not a conviction, but would specifically be evidentiary and a judge can make a ruling from the bench with contingency.

Here's my take, there's two parts of this story: 1) Their experience trying to rent a unit. 2) Their outline of the scam. I'm going to take all of (1) as facts, albeit it's only one side of the story. So maybe parts are missing and it might be biased, but I'll assume the core points are true. (2) is where things become less factual. A large part of their support for it being a scam comes from two parts: it could be p…

what convince me otherwise - with deposit paid it should be off the inventory imidiatelly otherwise multiple people can apply simulataneously for the same unit. How would they handle that?

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#147

Post by goldenkey » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 5:06 PM UTC

Bartweiss wrote: post #145

goldenkey wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you never use a CC? Ive drawn smiley faces before. No one really cares unless the charge is high and disputable.

Huh? I use them and sign regularly. I meant that once ever, a cashier actively refused my transaction because she found the signature unconvincing. That's why I was so baffled by the context - a $2000 computer purchase doesn't get checked, but $6 of cookies got me the wringer.

Ah got confused. Clarified now.

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#148

Post by kevinoconnor7 » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 5:17 PM UTC

kodt wrote: post #129

eloisant wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even though, when I was living in US and rent from an appartment complex, it took them 5 minutes to clear my credit check on their computer. Even if the author did in fact miss a payment, why should they be able to keep $250 from an tenant they rejected?

Non refundable application fees are normal. Usually to pay for the credit check. $250 is high though.

Usually application fees are separate. Non-refundable deposits are fairly common for taking an apartment off the market while the application and lease are processed.

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#149

Post by magic_beans » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 5:24 PM UTC

4ad wrote: post #92

fwefwwfe wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Then they made a photocopy of our ID for a file. Which again raised my suspicion, I’ve rented many apartment before and none of properties ever asked for that before signing the lease That sounds like a red flag with the article/author. What apartment place wouldn't do a background check and want ID to make sure they go the right person?

As a non-American living in Western Europe the idea of a landlord doing a "background check" on prospective tenants is terrifying. Never heard of such a thing in Europe. What the hell does "background check" even entail.

What, you've never lived in France? It's RIDICULOUSLY common in Paris (though probably not legal? who knows).

Re: How I legally got scammed for $250 by an upscale apartment complex

#150

Post by jumpkickhit » Tue, Apr 04, 2017, 5:25 PM UTC

Does Medium.com not have editors or something? Some things sounded off, some didn't make any sense at all.

"She just hang up on me"

"Plus they had amazing special"

"They provide iPad on the spot"

"my wife credit score"

"At this point I hate it them."