My Husband and His Mom Scammed Me Out of $24,000 — So I Got My Revenge
For two years, I truly believed Jeremy and I were equals—sharing bills, rent, and life’s ups and downs 50/50. When he found us a cozy $2,000/month apartment and promised we’d each pay half, I trusted him completely and happily agreed. Everything seemed perfect. Until one casual elevator ride shattered that illusion.
Our neighbor, Taylor, smiled and said, “You live in Lorrie and Jeremy’s apartment, right?” My heart sank. Lorrie was Jeremy’s mom. What? They owned the apartment all along. For two years, I’d been handing Jeremy $1,000 every month—a total of $24,000—for “rent.” But there was no landlord. No real lease. Just lies. Worse? Taylor casually mentioned Jeremy’s ex had lived there before me. I was just the latest unsuspecting woman funding their mortgage.
I was furious. That night, I did what anyone would—I dug through public records. The apartment was co-owned by Jeremy and his mother. He’d forged a fake lease, lied right to my face, and pocketed my hard-earned money. But I didn’t yell. I didn’t cry. I planned.
Step one: Play it cool. I smiled, baked pies for his mom, and pretended everything was perfect—all while secretly preparing my escape.
Step two: The clean sweep. On rent day, December 28, I emptied our joint account—where my paycheck had been going. I used Jeremy’s money to pay the deposit on my new apartment across town. Then, I packed up everything, left the old place empty, and taped a note on the window:
Dear Jeremy,
Hope you enjoy YOUR apartment. Since you and your mother scammed me for two years, I figured it was time to return the favor.
My new rent’s paid—by you.
Don’t bother calling. I blocked you.
Happy New Year, loser.
—Nancy
Step three: Silence. I blocked his number, ignored the 27 missed calls, and deleted every guilt-tripping text from his mom. When I ran into her at the store, she begged to explain. I calmly told her: “Unless Jeremy agrees to my divorce terms—full repayment with interest—I’ll file fraud charges on both of you.”
Guess what? They paid up.
Three months later, I toasted my freedom with a glass of champagne, divorce papers in hand, and $24,000+ back in my account. Jeremy’s mom moved to Florida. Jeremy? Miserable.
Do I feel bad? Not even a little. If someone lies to you, plays you, and steals from you—make sure they never forget who they messed with.
