How a Florida Rental Identity Theft Scam Left a New York Woman With the Bill

Green Acres, FL – This identity theft case shows how quickly stolen personal information can be turned into a fake life on paper, leaving the real victim with the bills, debt collectors, and long-term credit damage.

The story, featured in the YouTube video “Rental Scam Gone Horribly Wrong” on the Crime In All channel, follows investigators as they unravel how one victim’s identity was used to lease an apartment, open utility accounts, and register a vehicle hundreds of miles away from where she actually lives.

Watch: Rental Identity Theft Scam Gone Horribly Wrong

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How the Rental Identity Theft Scam Worked

The investigation centers on the Waterway Village apartment complex in Green Acres, Florida, where a lease was opened under the name Lee Ramnarine. According to property management, the renter presented a New York driver’s license and pay stubs from a company called Conduent Commercial Solutions to qualify for the unit—classic paperwork used to make an identity theft rental application look legitimate.

On paper, everything looked clean: a government ID, employment information, and a signed 23-page lease. In reality, detectives say the identity belonged to the real Lee Ramnarine in Ozone Park, New York, who had never lived in Florida, never worked for that company, and never agreed to the lease.

During a traffic stop tied back to the apartment, officers encountered a woman identified in the video as “Taylor”. Investigators confronted her with a New York state ID card bearing her photo but the victim’s name and details. Despite the ID, the lease, and utility accounts in the victim’s name, she denied knowing anything about the identity theft scheme.

• The suspect allegedly used a fake New York ID with the victim’s information and her own photo.
• Fraudulent pay stubs were submitted to get approved for the apartment.
• Utility service, including a Florida Power & Light (FPL) account, was opened in the victim’s name.
• A vehicle was registered using that same stolen identity, further tying the fraud together.

The Real Identity Theft Victim Finds Out in the Worst Possible Way

The real Lee Ramnarine only discovered what was happening in Florida when debt collectors started contacting her about an FPL utility account she never opened. On a video call with detectives, she explained that her information had been compromised earlier in 2023 and that she’d already been dealing with suspicious credit activity and inquiries from car dealerships.

She confirmed that she never signed the lease, never worked for the company listed on the pay stubs, and has never lived in Florida. She recalled only a brief trip to Florida in August 2023 for a cruise, which she believes might be when her information was compromised.

At one point, she reacts to the dollar amount associated with the fraud and collection attempts, describing how seeing a figure in the tens of thousands made her blood pressure spike and turned her life upside down. She also makes it clear she wants to prosecute whoever stole her identity and used it to rack up debt and obligations in her name.

Red Flags in Rental and Identity Theft Scams

Cases like this show how identity thieves can use stolen information to build an entire “fake life” around a victim’s name. Here are some warning signs your identity may have been compromised:

• Bills or collection notices for accounts you never opened, especially in states or cities where you’ve never lived.
• Credit inquiries from car dealerships, landlords, or lenders you’ve never dealt with.
• Utility accounts in your name with unfamiliar addresses.
• Mail or correspondence mentioning apartments, leases, or services you don’t recognize.
• Calls from landlords or property managers about past-due rent or damage to a unit you’ve never rented.

Identity theft often starts quietly. By the time you get a letter, a bill, or a collection call, the fraud may already be months old.

What To Do If You Think Someone Is Using Your Identity

If you recognize signs similar to this case—mystery utility bills, unknown leases, or vehicles registered in your name—take action immediately. The FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov site walks victims through recovery step-by-step.

• Contact the creditor or utility company’s fraud department and explain you’re the victim of identity theft.
• Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus.
• Pull your credit reports from a trusted source such as AnnualCreditReport.com and look for unfamiliar accounts or addresses.
• File an identity theft report with the FTC and follow their recovery plan.
• Make a police report with your local agency and provide copies of any fraudulent bills or documents.
• Document everything — screenshots, letters, emails, and phone call notes can all help later.

In multi-state cases involving landlords, utilities, and vehicles, good documentation and a clear timeline make it easier for investigators to connect all the moving parts—just like you see in this rental identity theft scam video.

Share Your Story with Stolen 911

If you’ve been hit with an identity theft case that involves rentals, utilities, or vehicles in your name, you’re not alone. Stolen 911 was created to help victims document what happened, surface leads, and get real information in front of the public.