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LA Comedian Loses $2,000 In West Hollywood Rental Scam

WEST HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — A rental scam involving a West Hollywood apartment was no laughing matter for an LA comedian.

Vicki Eisenstein says she thought she was looking at a great West Hollywood apartment for a spectacular deal at $1,100 a month.

However, the listing agent said he couldn't show the apartment in person because of COVID-19. The agent wanted to complete the new tenant process online, which included a $2,000 deposit.

vicki eisenstein rental scam
(credit: CBS)

When Eisenstein tried to move in, there were no keys, and she discovered a tenant in the apartment who had no idea his apartment had been rented out.

"And now we're seeing somebody lives in unit 1. I've got the sheriff's department with me. They'll get to the bottom of this," she said in a video she took on what should have been her moving day.

Anyone else searching for an apartment can protect themselves from similar scams by verifying the rental company online, comparing prices, taking a tour of the property and visiting the location to look for signs with the name of the property owner or manager.

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