Madison police are investigating an incident of fraud after a local woman learned the hard way you can’t trust everyone you meet online.

According to a Madison Police Department incident report:

A fraudster using the name Ravi Kumar Reddy Ambati duped a 25-year-old female student after she put her downtown apartment up for sublet on sulekha.com.

The suspect contacted the victim with a picture of his supposed drivers license and a $3,980 check for rent. But the victim told Ambati she wanted him to send the money directly to the property manager. The victim deposited the check, after which the suspect told her to return the money to an account for “Elizabeth Rodriguez” in San Benito, Texas.

The victim complied with the request and soon discovered the check was invalid. Realizing she had been bamboozled, she reported the incident to MPD.

The victim said she was going to use the money to further her education after she moved. MPD is investigating the incident.