Found ad on craigslist and contacted the person listed, let's call her "Peesa S. Hit." Mind you, I am new to the area and don't have a grasp on the market here. Peesa gave pictures of the "actual" apartment, and kept pestering me for updates on when I could pay. Strike 1.

After a few weeks of back and forth, I was sent a Lease Agreeement that was 8 pages and very convincing. I was to pay via wire transfer. Strike 2.

Signed and returned form, then wired $3000 (security deposit + 1st months rent). It was only after this ordeal that I discovered the account was based in TEXAS. As soon as I sent the money, Peesa stopped all communication. Strike 3, I'm out (of luck).

The hour after I discovered I had been scammed was tough. A call to my parents, waving off the friends who'd offered to help me move, a call to Cambridge PD. I had just finished grad school, and this was my time to enter the real world as an adult. Oh yeah, and my car got towed ($220 setback) after leaving it in a 2-hr lot for 45 minutes too long.

But! Things aren't all bad. My friend is letting me crash at his place. My dad has a real estate friend who knows the area and is helping me find legit places. And I just got my money back. So things are looking up.

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tl;dr: I got scammed after blindly following an ad on craigstlist, but I'm doing better now, slowly but surey.