11/08/2026
A Single Mom of Two Trying to Recover After a Devastating Rental Scam 💔
I never imagined I would find myself writing something like this, and honestly, it’s taken a lot for me to put my pride aside and ask for help.
My name is Liz, and I’m a single mother to two incredible boys who are my entire world. Everything I do, every long day, every late night, every sacrifice, is for them.
I work two jobs to support my family. During the day, I’m a lunch lady at a school, and in the evenings and on weekends, I run my own tattoo business, Crimson Red Tattoos. There are days when I leave one job just to go straight to the other, barely having time to catch my breath.
But I do it because my boys deserve a stable home, a happy childhood, and a mother who will do absolutely everything in her power to provide for them.
Unfortunately, something happened recently that has left me feeling completely defeated.
I became the victim of a rental scam that cost me $2,080.
I had been searching for a new home for my boys and me when I found a rental property listed on Redfin. I contacted who I believed was the landlord, went through the rental process, and was even given access to physically walk through the empty house.
Everything seemed real. I saw the home with my own eyes. I truly believed I was making a responsible decision for my family and taking another step toward giving my children the stability they deserve.
I paid $2,000 in security and pet deposits, along with an $80 application fee.
And then I discovered it was all a scam.
That money was my entire paycheck from working at the school.
It wasn’t money I had to spare. It wasn’t savings I could easily replace. It was money I had worked incredibly hard for, money that was supposed to help pay our current rent, utilities, groceries, and other bills.
In an instant, it was gone.
I’ve filed a police report, made a report with the FTC, contacted Apple Cash, and gone directly to my bank to dispute the transaction. I’ve exhausted every avenue I know of, and so far, nobody has been able to help me get my money back.
What makes this situation even more devastating is the timing.
Tattooing is currently in its slow season, and my business income has been significantly lower than usual. I’ve already been struggling to balance everything financially, despite working two jobs.
Losing $2,080 has pushed an already difficult situation into something that feels almost impossible to recover from.
I’m now in a position where I can’t afford my current rent, I’m falling behind on bills, and I’m terrified of what this means for my children and me.
And with Christmas just around the corner, it hurts even more.
My boys don’t understand the financial stress, the bills, or how much their mom worries about making everything work. They just deserve to be kids. They deserve to feel safe, secure, and excited for Christmas.
I don’t want them carrying the weight of something they had absolutely no part in.
As their mom, I try so hard to shield them from the difficult parts of life. I want them to remember the love, the laughter, the traditions, and the memories we make together, not the times I was struggling to keep everything together.
But right now, I’m scared.
I’m exhausted.
And I’m heartbroken that someone could take advantage of a person who was simply trying to find a home for her children.
One of the hardest parts of being a single parent is knowing that so much rests on your shoulders. There isn’t always someone to fall back on when things go wrong. When an unexpected expense comes up, when work slows down, or when something like this happens, you still have two little people depending on you to figure it out.
And I always try to figure it out.
I’ve spent years working hard to build my tattoo business while also maintaining another job to provide a more consistent income for my family. I’m proud of what I’ve built, and I’ve never been afraid of hard work.
But working hard doesn’t always protect you from falling on hard times.
And right now, I need help.
Creating this fundraiser is incredibly difficult for me. I’m used to being the person who figures things out, pushes through, and keeps going, even when I’m overwhelmed.
But I’ve reached a point where I have to admit that I can’t fix this situation entirely on my own.
I’m asking for help to recover some of the money that was stolen from me so I can catch up on our rent, pay our essential bills, keep groceries in the house, and give my boys some stability while I work to rebuild financially.
I’m not asking for luxuries or anything beyond what we need. I just want to get us through this difficult time without the fear of losing the stability I’ve worked so hard to create.
If you’re able to donate, even a few dollars would mean the world to us. If you can’t donate, sharing this fundraiser would help more than you know.
I know so many families are struggling right now, and especially with the holidays approaching, I understand that not everyone has something extra to give.
Please know that any kindness, support, or encouragement is deeply appreciated.
I wish I could go back and change what happened, but I can’t. All I can do now is keep moving forward, keep working, and keep doing everything I can for my boys.
I refuse to let the actions of someone who took advantage of us define our future.
Thank you for reading our story, for caring, and for helping a mom who is trying her absolute hardest to hold everything together.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. ❤️
— Liz
A mom who just wants to give her boys the life they deserve.
I’m a single mom to two boys, and everything I do is for them. I work two … Elizabeth Mcfann needs your support for Recovering After a Devastating Rental Scam
