A three-bedroom, lovely lawn, spacious home at a monthly price of $1,500 in Modesto had been the advertisement in March of 2020.

Turns out, Angelica Cuevas said in Spanish, she was sold a lie. Now, she and her family are out $1,500. Cuevas said she, her husband, and her kids scrimped and saved the money, because at the time, her husband had been out of a job due to pandemic-related issues.

“I cried because I was so angry and hurt at the same time,” Cuevas said.

Cuevas recalled seeing the ad for a rental over Facebook Marketplace in Spanish. She said the seller was Miguel Perez, also known as Victor Quiroz.

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She said she noticed red flags.

“I asked if I could go inside the home and he denied access,” she said.

Once Cuevas handed over the money, Perez signed the receipt with an alias.

“I asked him why was it a different name. He told me, to not worry about it,” she recalled.

The experience was so unsettling, she said she had her son record the exchange on his smartphone. The family shared the footage with KCRA 3.

“My intuition was like, ‘Hold on, son, record, because something about this guy is just like bells (going off),” Cuevas explained.

In the three short video clips, a man who looked like Perez is seen with a stack of papers. The family said Perez claimed the documents were housing applications from other people. A receipt book is also seen, as well as Perez looking over the victim’s identification card.

However, she said her need for a house was far greater than her skepticism. Eventually, the two families met to exchange cash for keys.

Cuevas may have targeted these families believing they were less likely to report the crimes, said Detective Frank Navarro with the Turlock Police Department.

“He would get mostly Spanish-speaking victims,” Navarro said.

Police believe Perez may have victimized several families in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Solano counties. Navarro is asking for families impacted to come forward.

“Not to worry about anything. We’re not immigration. We’re here to help them and get some justice,” Navarro explained.

As for Cuevas, she eventually found a home, and is relieved that Perez is in custody.

“I felt happy because he wasn’t going to be able to just take somebody else’s money anymore,” Cuevas said.

If you believe you may have been scammed by Perez, please contact your local police or sheriff’s department. In Turlock, Detective Navarro may be reached at 209-664-7319.