CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- For Tanya and Pia Harrison, it was all they could do Friday morning to hold back their anger. Pia held three receipts in her hand – deposits she’d paid so she could move into a house on Santa Cruz Trail in east Charlotte.

“Altogether, $850 for that house right there,” Pia Harrison said.

But only after she’d paid cash up front did Harrison discover that she wasn’t the only one expecting to move in to the home.

“I couldn't believe it. There were 10 other families out here wanting to rent this same house that already put money down,” she said.

Her angry mother was by her side as she met Eyewitness News.

“Lived in New York all our lives and never had anything like this happen. This is horrible!” Tanya Harrison said.

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SURVEY: Have You Ever Been The Victim Of A Scam?

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Moments later, even more people expecting to rent the home showed up.

“That's our truck. We're supposed to move in today,” the man said.

“The 15th was supposed to be our move-in day but he told us the house wasn't ready,” another woman told him.

“How much did you pay?” the man asked.

“$900 dollars,” she replied.

Dwayne Jones said he too is out about $1,000.

“Yeah, we thought we were going to have a place, but apparently we don't!” he exclaimed.

“The same thing he was telling us, he was telling them, so we decided we have to catch this guy,” said Ferdinand Johnson.

Johnson was the first to sense something was wrong. He contacted the others and found they’d all paid their money for the Santa Cruz Trail or another home nearby to a man named Daryl Patterson, he said.

Real estate records show Patterson doesn’t even own the two homes.

Eyewitness News was there when officers escorted him out of the Santa Cruz Trail home to be handcuffed. Those who claim they were scammed by the man started clapping.

"You're going to pay us our money too. We're going to get our money back,” yelled Tanya Harrison.

“Lock him up! Make sure those handcuffs are tight!” exclaimed Pia Harrison.

“Put him under the jail, not in it, with no water and free meals -- that's right!” shouted Tanya Harrison.

Eyewitness News tried to talk with Patterson as officers put him in the back of the patrol car, but he didn’t respond. He’s been charged with one count of false pretense. Police are expected to file more charges.

Eyewitness News also tried to reach the woman who actually owns the Santa Cruz Trail house, but she didn’t return the phone calls.