Complaint Review: Monica Brown

On February 16, 2010 I came across an ad on craigslist labeled -

$750 *****HUGE FURNISHED BEDROOM NEEDS A COOL ROOMMATE!
(south beach)

I sent over an email and received a response from Monica (monicabrownl@yahoo.com):

hey,

text me to
347-239-5263 so we can set something up.

Monica

I texted her and she responded the same day, explaining that I meet her at - 713 Collins Avenue Apt 28. I met with Monica and she seemed to be a nice girl.  There was also a young guy (possibly 23) from Bergamo, Italy that was at the residence.  She explained that she was moving to another building and decided to rent out her room because she planned to return to this location in the future. She told this long story (which sounded legit) explaining that there was a girl from France that would be living there as well.

We had an agreement that I could move in PRIOR to the 1st, but she was waiting for her new landlord to allow her to move in first.  There was a slight chance that I would have to move in on this first of March.  I agreed to this and we wrote up an agreement (see attached agreement).  I also gave her $750.00 as the security deposit.  

We had been staying in contact for several days & she would always tell me that she was waiting for a response from her new landlord.  On the 27th of February, she called & explained that there was a huge problem. Supposedly she needs to get approved by the association board of her new unit and it's taking longer than expected. She explained that it would take at most a few days, but she was wondering if I had the other $750 to give her. I told her that I was upset, but I would be willing to wait a few days and I would give her the first month’s rent as soon as I was given access to the apartment.  I told her to please keep in contact, and she told me that she would call me on Tuesday, March 1 with a definite move-in date.  Well, from that point she had vanished.  I tried calling her from different cell phones & there was no answer.   I left several voicemails and continued to send emails, but it was impossible to contact her.  I went out to the unit & knocked many times at various hours but there was no one there.  At this point, I immediately made a report at the Miami Beach PD.

Upon realizing that I had been scammed, I posted a warning on Craigslist with her phone number & email address.  I began to receive emails from people claiming that someone with that information attempted to rent another apartment
to them in South Beach.  When she discovered my craigslist posting, she called my phone and started screaming obscenities.  She explained that  she was “robbed by the Italian guy”.  He had stolen her cell phone, laptop, and my deposit.  I said that this was unfortunate, and asked if she made a police report. She told me that did not because she hates the police.  I asked her if I would be able to get my deposit back OR begin renting the apartment,
and she informed me that she lost the apartment and can’t give back my money.  As directed by the police officer that filed my report, I informed her to call the police department and provided her with the case number.  She refused,
and made several threats, demanding that I have the police report removed.  She barraged my phone with phone calls, and text messages until about 1:30am when I finally turned my phone off for the night.   At one point in the conversation (aprox midnight) she told me that I could only get my money back if I met her at another location, but I would have to be alone.  Realizing that she most likely had a dubious motive, I declined to meet her.

The next day, March 7, 2010 – she continued to send unusual texts in an attempt to send me all over town to get my deposit back.  At this point, another Craigslist User (see attached email) informed me that she attempted to scam them at another apartment on March 6th.  They also took a photo to confirm her identity (see attached photo).  Several other users began sending messages that she is attempting this scam on them as well, showing that she has intent to continue this crime until she is brought to justice.  Another user sent me a link to her most recent arrest for grand larceny and I realized that she is most likely dangerous, and I told her that it was best that I don’t meet her alone.  She told me that I will never get my money with the police because “the police are idiots and they only get that job because they can’t do anything else.”   She told me that she would show the text messages to the police and have me arrested.  I am now awaiting contact from a detective on how to proceed in this matter.  

Property 702 Collins Avenue Unit 28

She attempted to defraud a couple @ - 2301 Collins Avenue 9th Floor
(903)

Her Various Phone #'s -

347-239-5263 (She claims that this phone was stolen from her)

646-305-8338

Her Various Email's -

mnycmtv@gmail.com

monicabrownl@yahoo.com

Craigslist Ad:

$750 *****HUGE FURNISHED BEDROOM NEEDS A COOL ROOMMATE! (south beach)

http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/roo/2211625139.html