INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Dakota Tharp works hard and earns every penny.
"Definitely work hard," he said. "Try to provide for my family as much as I can."
Sadly, someone targeted Tharp in a scheme that cost him nearly $1,500.
Having just received an income tax refund, Tharp knew exactly what he wanted to do with it. He would rent a new home for his family, including his wife and child and his brother and his child.
"Where I lived in previous years just wasn't suitable," Tharp said.
He found a home on the east side that checked all the boxes. He contacted the man named in the online listing, completed an application and was approved.
The man wanted cash to complete the transaction.
"He wanted to meet up at the house," Tharp said. "We got the keys and started moving in."
Their time as new home renters didn't last. Not even a full day.
"It all went downhill," said Tharp. "Saturday morning, I woke up to a lady banging on the door with police and basically telling me that I had no right to be in the house, she lives there."
The woman was the actual paying tenant and had just moved out of the house. Now Tharp is out.
"About 14, 15 hundred dollars," he said. "Puts me down into a deeper hole, really."
A work colleague of Tharp's called the scam upsetting.
"Dakota had been talking about how much he was looking to this house for his family," said Josh Conrad.
Tharp's co-workers began scouring the web for clues. They think they’ve found the man who took Dakota’s money and are turning information over to police.
"It's unfortunate that you have people who would prey on people who are just trying to do the right thing. He needs to be behind bars. Nobody should be able to do that," Conrad said.
Experts advise to be cautious if the person handling a rental listing wants cash. Also, you can check on the name of the real owner of the property by contacting the township assessor. Then you can call them and check on whether the listing is legitimate.