A Valley man is questioning what happened to the rental deposit and application he submitted to a Phoenix apartment complex.
Lawrence Gilliams says during the first week of August 2018, he submitted two money orders totaling $175 to hold a rental unit at Highland Park Apartments in Phoenix.
"They really ran me for a rollercoaster ride," he says.
Gilliams says he was told to sign his name on the money orders, and the property manager would fill out the rest. That's what he did. But a few days later when he came back to check on the status of his application, he says they couldn't find it, or his money. And he says the person he gave the money to just a few days before stopped working there.
"I'm like, wait a minute--there's something fishy going on here," he says.
Gilliams tried to stop payment but it was too late. They had already been cashed.
Copies show the money orders are made out to someone named Angelica, not Highland Park Apartments.
When ABC15 called to see if Angelica worked at Highland Park Apartments, we were told she was "no longer with the company."
Gilliams wants his money back but says after weeks of asking the complex isn't helping resolve the problem.
"He says, "she gets a nasty attitude every time I go in there so I just said I'm tired of fooling with it." So he let me know.
We went with Gilliams to get answers about where the money went.
The property manager in the office says she had only been working there a "couple of weeks," so she didn't know about Gilliams or his money.
After several minutes of going back and forth, she agreed to call the corporate office while we waited.
Once off the phone tells him, "they have to investigate...and most likely they will cut a check for you."
Within 48 hours of our visit, Gilliams picked up a refund check for the full amount.
A representative for Highland Park Apartments owner, Transpacific Asset Management tells us they weren't aware of Gilliams' situation until we showed up.
She also confirmed that they were looking into pressing charges against whoever cashed the money order and do not believe there are additional missing deposits. She added, "We apologize to Mr. Gilliams on the confusion. We are an honorable company and want to stay that way."
