For you folks who have called me an idiot and for being a sick-o, you're being too kind. When I read what I'd written to my husband, he was stunned and told me it was not like me to feel that way, nor to speak that way to anyone, and that I'm usually the one championing the causes for folks like this lady; and he's right. Reading back to what I wrote in my two posts, I was nasty, cruel and vicious in my comments and I'd like to apologize to the lady in this story who I was directing my comments to. I have no excuse for my thoughless comments. Again, my sincere apologies to the lady who has endured this miserable situation as well as my heartless and disgusting judgement of her unfortunate situation.

craigslist is a haven for scam artists, I won't have anything to do with it, you can use it if you want to.......

CanOrAz is the sick-o. Berating as stupid someone who was so desperate that they did something that many of us not in their situation would not. I can only hope that CanOrAz someday gets to learn what it is like to be in the situation and then see how viciously CanOrAz has judged this poor woman. Then maybe CanOrAz can learn something and maybe even qualify to join the human race.

deanna, I do feel sorry for the folks that are struggling financially and may be forced out on the streets, but come on...."pay me X amount of dollars and you can live in a foreclosed home for 6-18 months for free" could not in any way be legitimate and these folks had to know this. They were willing to give this con artist their last $250 to do something that was plain 'shaky' at best and downright illegal at worst. Banks own foreclosed homes, so why would an individual - and not the banks - be offering this deal...and how many times do people have to be told NOT to give anyone money 'up front' for any promised service? The list goes on and on, but points to only one thing - a reckless, possibly illegal, and stupid action on these people's part.

Everyone needs to realize here that it wasn't "stupid". Things are bad for thise economy, people are very desperate. They are afraid of living on thes streets with their babies so they here of something that sounds good and it will help them so they go for it. I feel bad for these people, they do not need to hear that they are "stupid"! They are going through their own private hell right now. Give them a break, show some empathy. Don't make them feel worse than they all ready do! What's wrong with everyone? These are some hard times! Everyone feels it differently, some harder than others. We should all be helping each other out, not ridiculing each other!!!!

Thank God my wife was watching the news lastnight, we were supposed to meet this guy on Saturday to give him $250 and get this so called list. this guy has signs posted all over the valley, We live in goodyear and he told us he lived in Mesa. I'm very sorry for the lady and her family but thank you for bringing this to everyones attention

I'm glad my wife was watching the News lastnight, we were just about to do this. We were supposed to meet with this guy on Saturday. Thank you for saving us $250 and the headaches, this Guy has signs posted all over the valley

added to my list of things not to do... avoid Craigs List and Ebay. Full of scammers. The only winning move is not to play. Never do business with telemarketers or door to door sales people. Even if the person represents a company they think you know, never do business with them. All telemarketers are thieves. Never open spam. Never click on links in emails or on banner ads. Never enter into an agreement where you must respond immediately. Remember, roughly 70% of the ads on radio and TV are scams or really really bad deals. "Free" is seldom truly free - if you hear the word "free" in an advert - it is probably not free and the company is dishonest.

There are serious horror stories out there about people who legitimately lease a home, sign a lease agreement, pay the first and last month, etc. and then shortly find out (after they've moved into the home) that the 'owner' they were dealing with was a scam artist and not the owner of the home. For those folks, I feel very sorry. For these stup-o's, I feel only pity that they were that ignorant and willing to do something that obviously was illegal - and then are willing to 'tell their story' to the press for lots of people to see. If I'd done something this stupid, I sure wouldn't be telling anybody about it!

well that was just stupid.