Thinking of moving to Miami? Read this... (Tampa: lease, crime)

[Jmlacysr]

Most normal law abiding citizens coming from another part of the country can't even imagine the level of lawlessness and unconscionable behavior in south Florida.

It goes beyond the occasional criminal into something more in the general make up of this place. You can't trust ANYONE here and as soon as you think you can, you're just another victim.

Apparently, the law is too busy with "other" things and they have an attitude that's it's everyman for himself. If you are a scammer in Miami you are allowed to scam people simply because it's so prevalent. It's not likely the cops can arrest everyone who takes people for a ride, so they arrest nobody. It's also likely nobody will actually do anything about it because even the cops are on the take here and too lazy to do anything anyway.

People who have never lived here might think it's just an isolated case here and there and surely it can't be "that" bad. That's what I thought too, but I'm here to tell you as a short time resident, if you move here it won't be long before you're stung by one or more of the charlatans or better still, don't come here at all would be my advice.

How bad is it really?

I've been here for two months. I've got counterfeit money out of the ATM machines. I bought a car and the transaction was questionable at best. I bought a scooter and was scammed there. I put in 20.00 worth of gas and got 1/8th of a tank. 20 bucks usually gives me 1/2.

Even the dry cleaners is running a scam, advertising .99 cent shirts, go and pick them up and you'll find it's only .99 if you have a bill over 50.00. Of course there wasn't anything stating that before hand and they make no apologies for the mis-information.

I've been overcharged at the convenience store a few times. The ones you have to watch are those that have the register hidden. Check your receipts for the added gratuity they tack on.

I was in my usual store today. I normally buy cigarettes for 3.75. Today it was 4.50 because another guy was there. Next to me was a guy and when I told him the prices seem to vary from person to person around here he said this,"It's not that bad, you just need to smoke some weed and get a couple of *******." My guess is that he had both to sell.

You don't know what's fake and what's real here. Everyone is everything, everyone has an angle and side business.

I asked someone last month if they knew of a plumber. He told me everyone is a plumber, just ask them. He said people get plumbers licenses off the internet and advertise even though they have no experience. If they can complete the job and get paid fine, otherwise they become just another contractor missing in action.

Let's take another one. Plan on going to the Heat game? At 7:00 parking is $40.00, $30.00 at 7:15 and $20.00 at 7:30 for the same lot and $10.00 at 8:00 pm. You don't know what things cost here, it depends.

I could go on and on but you get my drift. There are many here who are all about exracting your money one way or another and have no morals about taking advantage of the unsuspecting. You think you might be savvy but it's hard to know who to trust so you can't trust anyone. These guys have scamming down to a science here.

What a way to live huh? Yeah, I agree so think twice about the hidden jewels of Miami, it's isn't all wonderful weather and beaches when you have to survive here.

[observer]

It is very interesting how your perception of Miami has changed drastically within a 2 month period.

I have a question: How long after you moved down to Miami did you begin to notice the problems and negative characteristics of Miami.

[StilltheSame]

Okay - now I am as critical of Miami as the avg former SFL resident, but this is not representative of living in Miami. You either have the worst luck combined with no judgment whatsoever or you are exaggerating.

I cannot recall ever getting counterfeit money. I have never been charged more than the person next to me for the same item, and on and on. Of course it costs more to park before a Heat game than during - that makes complete sense to me (but then I was raised in MIA~)

When you were starry eyed about Miami no one could tell you anything about the real Miami - fair enough. But now that you are disenchanted its not fair to promulgate an inaccurate representation of the Magic City. It has its flaws, and isnt for everyone to live - but it really is not what you are selling. I call foul!

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

counterfit money from an ATM? Twice? Impossible, just like the rest of your stories.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

Originally Posted by StilltheSame

I cannot recall ever getting counterfeit money. I have never been charged more than the person next to me for the same item, and on and on. Of course it costs more to park before a Heat game than during - that makes complete sense to me (but then I was raised in MIA~)

I call foul!

you or anyone that has ever withdrawn money from an ATM. And charging more, totally ridiculous story. What are the chances that you are buying the same item as the person in front of you?

[Jmlacysr]

I loved Miami when I first got here. I had all the earmarks of a starry eyed tourist. The price to move here seemed worth it.

Being here on vacation is different when you have to deal day to day. The more I had to actually do any business here is when I started to notice. Then once I started to notice is when I noticed more.

Now, after being stung just this week on a scooter repair job it put me over the edge.

To answer your question directly. I sensed there was a problem when several of my customers asked if I was going to show up and do the work. I'm am normally paid in full 100% before I ever do anything. They said they didn't feel comfortable paying me in advance because I was from Miami.

I lost some business from that and me not showing up has never been questioned in the decade I have been doing my business in Dallas. It's just a non-factor there. I thought it odd, but not something to worry about and now I see why their reluctance. It had nothing to do with me at all, but instead the reputation of the people of Miami.

That was my first clue and now I see why.

[seain dublin]

I really don't know what to think about the OP. Are his stories even true? I remember his original posts prior to moving to Miami and despite some very good advice about where to live and what to do and not to do, he did the opposite.

He wrote posts that only a travel agent or a realtor would write. Wouldn't listen to anyone who gave him accurate information.

I think if you asked most people even those not familiar with Miami or even FL, if you stopped them on the street and said "does an area called Little Haiti sound like a nice safe area"...ummmm....they would say doesn't sound like some place I would like to live.

Until I found out he was moving with an adult son( which meant he had to be at least in his mid 40s) I thought the posts were being written by a 23 yr old guy talking about the beach, the babes, and asking about nightclubs that 20 somethings go to.

He gave up pets to move here( I could never do that) because he never asked the landlord about having pets prior to signing the lease, because he heard a dog barking somewhere and assumed pets were OK. We know what happens when we assume.

Now in 2 months everything has soured? You have gone from one extreme to another? Very strange, I could see after 6 months or a year, but some drastic change in such a short period.

I also don't think the OP has a job but the son does. Either these posts aren't true or the OP really didn't plan this move well, and realizes he made a huge mistake and is blaming Miami for all his problems.

I don't believe it either about counterfeit money at the ATMs.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

Originally Posted by Jmlacysr

To answer your question directly. I sensed there was a problem when several of my customers asked if I was going to show up and do the work. I'm am normally paid in full 100% before I ever do anything. They said they didn't feel comfortable paying me in advance because I was from Miami.

I lost some business from that and me not showing up has never been questioned in the decade I have been doing my business in Dallas. It's just a non-factor there. I thought it odd, but not something to worry about and now I see why their reluctance. It had nothing to do with me at all, but instead the reputation of the people of Miami.

That was my first clue and now I see why.

thanks for the heads up. You see we are smart enough to con people but We hadn't figured out yet that all we needed to say was that we were from another city. Now I know I need to tell them I'm from Broward or Tampa. Thanks for figuring that out in Just two months and for sharing your wisdom and expertise.

[Jmlacysr]

Originally Posted by ♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥

you or anyone that has ever withdrawn money from an ATM. And charging more, totally ridiculous story. What are the chances that you are buying the same item as the person in front of you?

You have problem with everything I say Princess. You should read what I say more carefully perhaps.

What I said was, I buy one item from one clerk at one price and it's another price from another clerk on a different day. Go back on another day and it's the same price as the first clerk.

As far as the counterfeit money. The guy that pointed it out to me showed me where there was no watermark between the different 20.00 bills. He told me that the counterfeiters here have the paper so the ATM machines don't see it as a different paper and pass it. Was that a scam too?

Believe whatever you want, you will anyway, you always seem to have a problem with what I say, why not just put me on ignore and save yourself some frustration?

If you think you can change my mind based on my own personal experiences here, it's not likely to happen. I tell people here in detail my experiences without the sugar coating good or bad and I do so in more than two sentences.

Besides, this is not for people who live in Miami now anyway, it's for those people who are considering relocating here.

Miami has some intangibles not reported on this forum other than simple blanket statements like crime is bad in Miami. What that doesn't say is anything about the potential for becoming a victim when you are just trying to just live here day to day.

I'm done with this, it's a beautiful day, let's enjoy it!

[Osito]

Assuming the counterfeit money thing did happen, how does one think that it could only happen in Miami? What does that have to do with Miami at all?