My six-month sojourn in Buenos Aires concluded on a sour note this past Tuesday when I fell victim to a scam, losing the deposit for the apartment I had rented for three months starting in August. The owner of the apartment, Valeria de Santos, is associated with a unit in Recoleta, situated at Larrea 1393, at the intersection of French, specifically apartment #PB2. I discovered this rental opportunity on Craigslist and, enticed by the prospect of living in a nice area at a reasonable cost, decided to go for it. In hindsight, opting for a rental through an agency or a referral might have been a wiser choice.
On the day of my departure, I informed Valeria that I needed to check out at noon due to a prearranged cab waiting to take me to the airport. She arrived late, accompanied by her mother, and conducted an inspection of the apartment, ensuring everything was in order (which it was). Valeria then informed me that my deposit was awaiting me at her mother's office, purportedly just a few blocks away, off Pueyrredon and Santa Fe. She asked if her mother could ride in the cab with me, disembarking at her office to retrieve the deposit and return it to me.
Having interacted directly with the mother earlier when I first moved into the apartment, I didn't find her suggestion suspicious at the time. However, in retrospect, I recognize several mistakes on my part. Firstly, I handed back the keys to Valeria before receiving my deposit. Secondly, I failed to accompany her mother to the supposed "office" after dropping her off at the corner, choosing instead to wait for her in the cab with my luggage.
The mother disappeared down the street and never returned. After waiting for 45 minutes, making numerous unsuccessful calls to Valeria, and realizing I couldn't miss my flight, I reluctantly left with the driver. I tried reaching Valeria multiple times at the airport, followed by emails, all without any response. I finally connected with her on Wednesday, and despite her assurance that she would wire the funds via PayPal that same day, the transaction never materialized. Subsequent attempts to contact her have been met with silence. My frustration escalated to the point where I threatened to board a plane the next day and confront her, a notion I'd entertain if I were confident in tracking her down.
What perplexes me is that Valeria and her mother were pleasant to deal with throughout my three-month stay in the apartment, promptly responding to calls and emails and addressing any issues promptly. It's bewildering that they would resort to such deception at the very end.
My relentless pursuit of justice involves continued calls, emails, and any form of harassment directed at Valeria and her mother until I recover my money. Perhaps I'll find myself back in Buenos Aires sooner than expected. For now, my aim is to share my ordeal on every relevant forum, shedding light on my experience and, hopefully, preventing others from making similar mistakes.
On the day of my departure, I informed Valeria that I needed to check out at noon due to a prearranged cab waiting to take me to the airport. She arrived late, accompanied by her mother, and conducted an inspection of the apartment, ensuring everything was in order (which it was). Valeria then informed me that my deposit was awaiting me at her mother's office, purportedly just a few blocks away, off Pueyrredon and Santa Fe. She asked if her mother could ride in the cab with me, disembarking at her office to retrieve the deposit and return it to me.
Having interacted directly with the mother earlier when I first moved into the apartment, I didn't find her suggestion suspicious at the time. However, in retrospect, I recognize several mistakes on my part. Firstly, I handed back the keys to Valeria before receiving my deposit. Secondly, I failed to accompany her mother to the supposed "office" after dropping her off at the corner, choosing instead to wait for her in the cab with my luggage.
The mother disappeared down the street and never returned. After waiting for 45 minutes, making numerous unsuccessful calls to Valeria, and realizing I couldn't miss my flight, I reluctantly left with the driver. I tried reaching Valeria multiple times at the airport, followed by emails, all without any response. I finally connected with her on Wednesday, and despite her assurance that she would wire the funds via PayPal that same day, the transaction never materialized. Subsequent attempts to contact her have been met with silence. My frustration escalated to the point where I threatened to board a plane the next day and confront her, a notion I'd entertain if I were confident in tracking her down.
What perplexes me is that Valeria and her mother were pleasant to deal with throughout my three-month stay in the apartment, promptly responding to calls and emails and addressing any issues promptly. It's bewildering that they would resort to such deception at the very end.
My relentless pursuit of justice involves continued calls, emails, and any form of harassment directed at Valeria and her mother until I recover my money. Perhaps I'll find myself back in Buenos Aires sooner than expected. For now, my aim is to share my ordeal on every relevant forum, shedding light on my experience and, hopefully, preventing others from making similar mistakes.
