SHELBY CO., Tenn. — The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says at least five people who thought they had found the perfect homes to rent were swindled out of thousands of dollars by people who didn’t own or manage the properties.

Sharhun Blount said she and her sister had already moved some of their belongings into a house on Sweet Whisper Lane in Southeast Shelby County when they found out they had been scammed.

“It was a nice house. It was three bedroom with a garage. I think the rent was $900,” said Blount.

Blount said they rented the house after spotting an ad on Facebook Marketplace. She said they texted a man who claimed to be the owner and paid him $1,700 through an app. Blount said the man even gave them a code for a lockbox on the house, but it turned out he didn’t own the house.

“We realized it was scam when a family member researched the house for us and found out the house was listed by another company. He came to us like he was the owner of the house,” said Blount.

Deputies said just days after the scammer fraudulently rented the house on Sweet Whisper Lane to the sisters, he offered the home to another man.

Ahadi Costa told WREG he also saw the house for rent on Facebook Marketplace and handed over $1,600 dollars via a cash app. He said he found out the man didn’t own the house when he called a locksmith to open a lockbox on the home.

“The locksmith asked him to prove he owned the house and he couldn’t,” said Costa.

Another couple was moving into the same house on Sweet Whisper Lane Thursday afternoon. Brandon Smith said he rented the house from an actual rental company, and he had no idea about the other renters’ bad luck.

“They should have called that company.  I actually went on the internet and called the actual company, and had relatives who were familiar with the company, and that’s how I got it the legit way,” Smith said.

Sheriff’s deputies said another woman who thought she had rented a house on Farkleberry Drive last month was scammed out of $3,400 dollars. She said she found the home on Rent.com and paid the suspect through a cash app.

Another victim told deputies she transferred $1,800 dollars to a man she thought was the landlord of a house on Griffin Park Drive. The victim said she found the house on Facebook Marketplace and later found out the man she paid did not work for the leasing company.

The sheriff’s office has not given any indication the Cordova cases are connected to the ones on Sweet Whisper Lane. Blount had this advice for others.

“Be careful pay attention. Do a lot of research. When they are looking at homes on Facebook marketplace,  or whatever it is,” said Blount. “Look at reviews, research the company and see if they are on the Better Business Bureau. Just things like that.”

Police have not released a description of the suspects because the victims never met them in person. If you have any information that can help police call Shelby County Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH.