There is also likely 10 horror stories that is not shared for every 1 that is shared.I live in New York City and I invested in two long-distance cities successfully - Allentown, PA and Jacksonville, FL.I would like to share the tips that I took to become successful while avoiding getting scammed or taken advantage of.

My questions are, is this a scam?

Lastly, you might benefit from reading this: Tips for Avoiding a Scam on BiggerPockets. 

I was green and unsuspecting of his call and was caught off guard.

Sometimes it is the squatter who fakes the whole lease situation and other times it is someone posing as a Property Manager who takes the "tenant's" security deposit and rent under a scam. 

Do not be fooled by these scams!

Anyone asking for money upfront is a scam.  

I know there is quicken but I never had a good experience with those sites, aside from getting a lot of scam calls and emails.

@Deangelo Mack this is a common scam in the rental business.

We’ve already fallen for all the other scams & we’re tired of it!