A scammer on Instagram was impersonating a real estate agent named Hairo, who sells and rents properties in New York City. The scammer created a fake Instagram account in Hairo's name and was collecting money from would-be renters and homeowners by asking them to pay an application fee of $150, which is illegal in New York. The real Hairo contacted the YouTuber who made the video, saying that the scammer was giving him a bad name. The YouTuber decided to investigate and caught the scammer by sending him a trackable link, which revealed the scammer's IP address and location. The scammer was found to be living in Nigeria, not New York City. The YouTuber also had a phone conversation with the scammer, who claimed to be Hairo, but was unable to answer basic questions about the property or the area. The scammer eventually blocked the YouTuber, but the YouTuber's friend was able to send the scammer a message, revealing his location in Lagos, Nigeria. The video aims to expose the scam and prevent others from falling victim to it.
Here are the key facts:
1. A scammer is impersonating a real estate agent named Hairo on Instagram and collecting money from would-be renters and homeowners.
2. The real Hairo sells and rents properties in New York City.
3. The scammer's Instagram account is fake, and he is using it to scam people.
4. The real Hairo contacted the YouTuber who made the video, saying that the scammer is giving him a bad name.
5. The scammer is charging an application fee of $150, which is illegal in New York.
6. At least three people have fallen for the scam and lost money.
7. The YouTuber tried to contact the scammer by sending him a message on Instagram.
8. The scammer responded, asking the YouTuber to fill out an application and pay an application fee.
9. The YouTuber used a trackable link to get the scammer's IP address and location.
10. The scammer's IP address showed that he was located in Nigeria.
11. The YouTuber had a phone call with the scammer, pretending to be interested in renting a property.
12. The scammer claimed to be a Realtor in New York City, but was unable to answer basic questions about the area.
13. The YouTuber's friend Tyler sent the scammer a message, pretending to be interested in renting a property, and the scammer responded.
14. The scammer was blocked by the YouTuber and his friend Tyler after he realized he was being watched.
15. The real Hairo advises people to never send money or fill out personal information before meeting a Realtor or seeing a property.