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Scammed: Detroit family left with few options after signing lease with fake landlord

Family says they’re being told to leave the home

DETROIT – Nautica Chandler and Jimmy Dorsey said they’ve been hoodwinked by a man they thought was in charge of renting the bottom floor of a Webb Street duplex.

Chandler said they sent the man money after they were given a lease. However, when the house started falling apart eight months into living there, the couple found out from the neighbor upstairs that the man they’ve been paying was only the handyman.

“We don’t have (any) power in certain rooms. The basement is flooded,” Chandler said.

READ: Camera captures delivery driver take package he had just delivered to Warren home

Chandler and Dorsey said they have been trying to talk to the real owners and get help or at least some of their money back. Instead, they’re being told they have to leave.

“He would never tell me who the landlord was ... I said, ‘Can I get her number?’ and he would never give me her number. Now nobody wants to talk to me,” Chandler said.

The man who took the money is not offering it back. The couple has three children in the home ages 6 to 11 and another one on the way.

“We have a lot of kids and it’s too cold to be in this type of situation right now,” Chandler said.

Local 4 tried reaching out to the man who posted the listing on Facebook Market Place, but we received no answer.

In terms of the damages in the home, the city of Detroit is looking into what can be done.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family.

You can watch the full report in the video above.

View more: Wayne County news


About the Author
Victor Williams headshot

Victor Williams joined Local 4 News in October of 2019 after working for WOIO in Cleveland, OH, WLOX News in Biloxi, MS, and WBBJ in Jackson, TN. Victor developed a love for journalism after realizing he was a great speaker and writer at an early age.

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