craigslist roommate scam

I did a google search on E-mail 1 (see below) and in came up word-for-word in many blogs. I had one more where I did a google search for the scammers address in E-mail 2 & 3 (also below) "2900 E FIRESIDE CIRCLE,
SIOUX FALLS, SD 57103" and it came up on many blogs as a scam as well. I wanted to share my experience too. I found it best to find someone who is local and looking for a room.
It has been reported to [email protected], [email protected] (from spammer 1), and [email protected] (from spammer 2)
Thank you for having this site available! I'll keep everyone updated with any new craigslist scams.
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Here are the two scam emails:

E-mail 1:
subj: CAN I HAVE THE ROOM.
from: Juliana Scott <[email protected]>
** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html


Hello there
My name is Juliana Scott, I'm a student from Maryland Annapolis, MD USA , am coming pertaining to my research course on tourism and culturism,and i'll like to know if you still have the room advertised on the site available for rent. i won't mind to know more about you ,neighborhood,room size and total move in cost including untilities cost. You can mail me back at [email protected],i really need the place asap.Thanks as i await your reply.
Hope to read from you soonest.
Julie.
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E-mail 2:
** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html


Good day,

How are you? I contact you regarding to your posting i saw on craigslist today......I hope the room is still available presently for rent.........
Am Adalia Eloy by name,am interested in the room,i will like to know more about the place,environment,and the utilities surrounded.......

My job--- Am a medical humanitarian nurse,have been doing this for the past 8 years back,our work is to take care of motherless babies,homeless one and all of that,am still kind of young,i just clock 27 years old... Am originally from Finland,i can speak Finnish,swedish very well,and as well as English,i love to live in clean environment,to live with clean people,caring ,responsible,and neat type.... I don't smoke or drink alcoholic drink,but i can live with people that do smoke or drink,that is not a problem for me.... And as well,i don't have a pet,but i can live with a pet that is not a problem for me........If there is any form am going to fill,you can send it for me to view,if am ok with it i will let you know,so when i arrive i will fill it in person....

I will be happy to read from you,i will want to move by the ending of Oct.,depending on the availability of the room....... I will tell you more about me if the room is still available ...

Hope to read from you...

Thanks
this message was remailed to you via: [email protected]

-----------
E-mail 3:
subj: Really Interested
from: adalia eloy <[email protected]>
Hello,

Thanks very much for e-mailing me back,i really appreciate it.. I would have been kind of happy if we can meet,before making any plans,but am very busy and i have a lot of things to do right now.. I will really appreciate it if you can tell me more about the place and tell me little about you,because my uncle is presently very sick,and i have to travel to Finland to see him,but i want to secure the place down before going..


Right now,am in South Dakota,am staying in the address below:::

2900 E FIRESIDE CIRCLE,
SIOUX FALLS, SD 57103

My rent is going to due in 2 weeks time....

More about me,am a neat type of person,honest,humble and responsible. I like honest,responsible,and hardworking people while i hate the lazy,messy and uncaring people....well,am a quiet and gentle going person to live with....I am 5.7 in height,i like tourising,and i don't keep late at nights,neither i will have overnight guest around,but am ok if you do..

I was born and brought up in Finland,i studied there,i had my university education right there while staying with my uncle.. I lived all my life in Finland before coming down to South Dakota(SD),have been living with my uncle since have been 13 years old of age...Then i was member of the Red Cross Association,it really sounds interesting for me...

Why am moving and my work:

Am moving over to your state because i understand that i'll be doing good over there,as have been told by my uncle's friend who have once live over there. And i will be working with any hospital around you as i am also making necessary enquiries on that now....


Am sure You 'll really like the person that i am ,because i will also do the dishing if you like,I work when i am to and relax when i am to,I also like sharing my thoughts also....paying rent on time will not be a problem as i will also be making the rent fee before the month ends....
Right now.I ve the support of my uncle about my well being,so you shouldn't be bothered about if i am competent of paying the rent ..


I must confess am comfortable with the price and I will want to secure the place down before my arrival so i will want you to tell me all about the place,as i can't see it before my arrival but the pictures...I also will want you to know that i have my car that i will be coming over with,and little of my furnitures,please let me know if there will be room for them..
With all that i ve said above,I have told you more about me and more picture of mine will be attach in the next email,Let me also know how i can go about securing the place down before my arrival as i will also be busy from next week preparing to come over and let me know if you can take off the ad off the site as i am going to secure the place with a deposit
Feel free to ask me any question and as i ve said,i am looking to move in by the availability of the place,but want to secured it now
Thanks..

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Welcome to Scamwarners net. Thank You for posting these scams.

If you have any questions or concerns please post - a support team member will be glad to help you.

Mail one has many similarities to these posts here click here

Mail two - see this search result on phrase from scammers mail click here

Mail three - see this site http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/roo/1342986820.html

Thank you very much for the welcome and again for this site.

Hi and welcome to Scamwarners.

At Scamwarners, our number one concern is that our members and visitors remain safe, in keeping with that we ask that people use usernames that do not lead to their personal life, if you have a significant other with red hair, please let me know an alternative username and I will ask one of our admins to change it for you.

Now, onto your post.

Thank you very much for posting, the more information we have on scammers the more likely it is we can prevent others from being scammed.

I do need to make one point though, your reporting of his email addresses is counter productive, by adding his imformation here, you give others a good chance of finding it with searches, one of the more common searches and the only way to know if it is the same scammer is by searches on the email addres.

By reporting the email addresses and having them closed, the email address we have is worthless to us, the scammer will simply spend 2 minutes to create a new email address and continue scamming, the major difference now is that his new email address will not yet be posted and therefore it will not come up in searches.

It is a common misconception that closing their email addresses prevents them from scamming, that is far from the truth

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask

Note to support team, please do not use the username in your posts

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

--
Hi there

I am Morgan I'm replying to your ad on craigslist and I'd like to know
if the place is still available.Also let me know the neighboourhood
and the utilities included in the place A liittle about my
personalty. I am 28 year old,5"7' straight,single and nice,I'll love
to live with clean,caring and responsible people.I am presently in
south-Dakota,I will love to move in as soon as possible, but it all
depends on the availability of the room.Just so you know,I am french
but I do speak english the best way i can so pls pardon my mistakes I
am serious about renting and I would like to move in before or by the
end of this month depending on the avalability of the room I will try
as much as possible to pay my rent before due.
I would wait impatiently for your next email.
Thank You...Aviour
Nancy Morgan

Hmmm

French but can't spell au revoir. Also can't spell the name of the state "she" 'is living in. I think that says it all right there.

Note that this is how scammers evolve, though. Someone has probably pointed out to this scammer in the past that he is obviously lying because of his English, so he starts with the explanation right from the start. If you deal with people from other countries regularly, you would realize that the types of mistakes he makes are not consistent with someone from France, but are very much consistent with someone from Africa--but an American who has not dealt much with foreigners might accept this explanation for the poor English. This is one reason we try not to educate scammers about their mistakes.

I did not contact the spammer this time nor did I contact the support. I'm going to continue to deal with local people. Still no luck with finding a roommate. I also started looking on rent.com Here is a warning they had on scammers:

Fraud Warning:

It has come to our attention that a scam is being perpetrated on many rental websites, most commonly directed towards those with a room available for rent. The scammers are typically foreign (many state they are from Nigeria or the UK). They will send an overpayment for a rent deposit in the form of a cashier's check. The scammer will then ask for a partial refund (their overpayment minus the deposit). After the money has been refunded, the victim finds that the cashier's check was counterfeit.

Victims have lost thousands of dollars as a result of this scam. Please be cautious when receiving deposits. If someone writes you a check and later asks for a refund, call your bank to make sure the funds are securely in your account before returning payment.

While the majority of our members have honest intentions, there are always a few "bad apples". If you believe you are being scammed by a Roommates.com member, please contact [email protected] with the nickname and/or email address of the potential scammer. We will do our best to stop them in their tracks.

Thank you,

Roommates.com Customer Care

Strictly speaking this is incorrect

...................later asks for a refund, call your bank to make sure the funds are securely in your account before returning payment.

Clearance is a two step progress.

STEP 1 - Having funds available to draw on (known in the UK as 'cleared for funds'). Even this step may be broken into two sub steps
a) where your bank may charge interest
b) where you are not charged interest

STEP 2 - Where the bank that the cheque is drawn on has confirmed that the cheque has cleared (known in the UK as 'cleared for fate'), in other words cannot be returned unpaid. My experience is that banks will be reluctant to confirm this to you, as a customer is able to repudiate a cheque weeks or months later, certainly if it is forged or counterfeit.

STEP 2 is the crucial step. Accepting cheques from stranger is risky.

If it ever appears that a person has set up or engineered a situation where a refund against a cheque has to be made, then you must be very cautious.

I changed my ad around on craigslist and got 2 new messages. The new ad I posted clearly stated it was an apartment and included the rental price per month. A few things in both emails that made me suspicious. Both asked for information that was already stated in the ad. The first email was from [TURKEY]. The second had many spelling mistakes and also the Pls gave it away as a scam.

I hope this helps someone feeling they are getting scammed.

~Mike


First message:

ROOM/SUBLET ENQUIRY
...
From:
Eric Fugate <I removed email address from here>
...
Add to Contacts
To: <an email address that was not mine>


--
Hello
My name is Eric, a very simple and quiet person to live with. Ilove traveling, sporting and enjoy meeting people. I don't smoke but do notmind people who do being around me.. I am cool, pretty laid back and easy going person . I saw your advert and I am sincerely interested in the
room/apt/house/condo advertised as I will be moving in there as soon as leave here [TURKEY],I will also like to know the price/month and the term of lease.Thanks as I anxiously await your response. I am looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Regards,
Eric

------------------------------------------

Second email:

I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR ROOM!!!
...
From:
Daniella James <I removed email address from here> [Chat now]
...
Add to Contacts
To: <email address area in the original email was left blank>
Hello,

How are you doing?I saw your advert online and I am interested in your room Or apartment,I was born in east-croydon london in united kingdom and I will be having my Study leave as a student doctor coming up soon in the USA.Right now I am in new south wales Australia for a programme on children with heart related probs.My next programmes will be in the USA and I will be needing a room to stay for this programme and I need to secure a room before my arrival to the US.I am having fun here in south wales and I can't wait to arrive to the states.Pls do get back to me with the room description,move in rent fees for the first month and any deposit if included.I await your reply ..

Regards,

Daniela

full headers from second email

From Daniella James Fri Sep 4 07:35:32 2009
X-Apparently-To: [email protected] via 76.13.12.224; Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:35:38 -0700
Return-Path: <[email protected]>
X-YMailISG: Removed domain key
X-Originating-IP: [209.85.220.169]
Authentication-Results: mta291.mail.re4.yahoo.com from=googlemail.com; domainkeys=pass (ok); from=googlemail.com; dkim=pass (ok)
Received: from 209.85.220.169 (EHLO mail-fx0-f169.google.com) (209.85.220.169)
by mta291.mail.re4.yahoo.com with SMTP; Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:35:36 -0700
Received: by mail-fx0-f169.google.com with SMTP id 17so21739fxm.10
for <[email protected]>; Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:35:36 -0700 (PDT)
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed;
d=googlemail.com; s=gamma;
h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:sender:reply-to:received:date
-google-sender-auth:message-id:subject:from:content-type;
Removed domain key
DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws;
d=googlemail.com; s=gamma;
h=mime-version:sender:reply-to:date:x-google-sender-auth:message-id
:subject:from:content-type;
Removed domain key
MIME-Version: 1.0
Sender: [email protected]
Reply-To: [email protected]
Received: by 10.204.152.22 with SMTP id e22mt11911383bkw.93.1252049733018;
Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:35:33 -0700 (PDT)
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 00:35:32 -0700
X-Google-Sender-Auth: 6b1b7d1ab4e0332d
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Subject: I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR ROOM!!!
From: Daniella James <[email protected]>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=0015175d046cc8f4e20472bb8bd6
Content-Length: 1773

OK, the first one is no doubt a scam

You can tell by this search result Click Here

I will look into the second one, meanwhile, could you please replace the scammers email address

Thank you for posting

Editing to add
I have no doubt about the second one but I will not point out why as I would not like to scammer to get my help to point out the many errors in his email if he happens to visit.

Just out of curiosity, do you understand IP addresses and how to find a header, if not I can teach you which will help immensly with these types of scams.

Could you also put back the scammers email address for the second one you posted

Thanks again

Yes I understand IP addresses and how to find the headers. Ive posted the headers (see above message)

Thank you

Although not a great deal of use to us in this case, The IP has been stripped by the email providor so it will come up as mountainview,

Not a worry, I was hoping to see the location to show it was not New South Wales

While Ralph continues to search to provide the best proof possible, I can tell you that the language/sentence structure on the 2nd one scream scammer, and the fact that "she" doesn't know how to spell her own name (compare beginning to end of email) just confirms the scammer status. Please go ahead and post the email address, as many potential victims will google the email address, and we want to make sure potential victims can find it. If you continue to communicate while waiting for additional information, I would avoid providing any more personal details than this person already has.

And for some reason, scammers love to use the name Daniela (and often spelled with one l, while the more common spelling is with two). Google Daniela and Scam, and you will get pages of results.

I can confirm this is a scam. This person has been communicating with me as well. I found this thread a while ago and opted to go along with the conversation with this person as long as possible to get as much out of them as I could. In my next posts I will be including a number of email messages from 'Daniela James' to me or in reply to my messages. Some may not make total sense as my side of the conversation isn't listed, but the way the writing is should indicate some similarities. They also sent a picture of themselves when I asked for it.

Hope this helps everyone.


---------------------------------------------------------------


Subject: AM INTERESTED IN YOUR ROOM!!!

Body:

Hello,
How are you doing?I saw your advert online and I am interested in your room Or apartment,I was born in east-croydon london in united kingdom and I will be having my Study leave as a student doctor coming up soon in the USA.Right now I am in new south wales Australia for a programme on children with heart related probs.My next programmes will be in the USA and I will be needing a room to stay for this programme and I need to secure a room before my arrival to the US.I am having fun here in south wales and I can't wait to arrive to the states.Pls do get back to me with the room description,move in rent fees for the first month and any deposit if included.I await your reply ..
Regards,
Daniela



------------------------------------

Hello,

Thanks for your email, Well my name is Daniela James and I am 27 years old.I am a humanitarian officer involved in projects that includes orphans,orphanages,heart related diseases in children betweeen the ages of 4-10yrs.I will be staying for a minimum of 12 -13 months.I don't drink nor smoke,no pets and no boyfriend because I am a very busy woman.I like honest,responsible,trustworthy and hardworking people while I dislike lazy,messy,uncaring people and .I like the job because it involves travelling which is one of my hobbies.i will be through with my programme soon and will be on study leave in states, i will still be getting paid,so paying my rents on time won't be an issue of discussion. so i want you to get back with me with the full name and the address the payment will be send to with your contact cell number and a pics of the room if available. i wont mind if you can please tell me about your self in your next mail. i will be expecting to hearfrom you soon
. .

Best Regards,

Daniella

N.B Can you please take the room advert off internet for a security deal as amextremely interested in renting from you.

-----------------------------------------

Hello,
It's really great to keep contact close with you in respect of the room, I have informed my boss about this and he promised to make sure that I will meet up with the payment arrangement so that I can depart from here as scheduled.He also said I will have the advantage to make payment for deposit,I should arrive to US on or before 5-10 days after today if everything worked out as planed so pls keep room for me till my arrival, my mode of payment will be in US Certified Money Order or a certified cashier check as it pleases you , so pls let me know if this mode of payment is ok by you, and if YES pls provide me with the following information to get the payment to you.(1)Your full name as it will appear on the Money Order or cashier check ,(2)your work or home address to ensure delivery in your hands through regular mails or a courier service,(3)your phone number to keep contact close and avoid package missing in transit. Kindly get back to me as soon as possible with this requested address contact information so that we can proceed as soon as possible.i await your reply.

Best regards

Daniella

N.B Can you please take the room advert off internet for a secure deal as amextremely interested in renting from you.

--------------------------------------

Daniela James to me
show details Sep 2 (4 days ago)


Thank for getting Back to you i would like to know your full name and i hope to hear from you and i will want you to get back to me as soon as you get my payment.

----------------------------------------------

Daniela James to me
show details Sep 3 (2 days ago)


Thanks for Getting Back to me i would let you know as soon as the Payment Have Mail To You and i want You To Remind You that have you remove the Ad of the Room In That site if you have not i would want you to plzz do that now thank you, i hope to hear from you soon thank and GOD bless.

Daniella

----------------------------------------------

Yes i know, i would want youto give me your phone number so if am at the Airport iw ill give you all to come and pick me up or if the payment is coming my boss will give you a call befor it get there,thank hope to hear back from you soon thank you..


Daniella

----------------------------------------------


Hello,
Thanks so much for the response, i have forwarded your address to my financier to issue out the payment for my rent and deposit available to you asap.Thanks so much for everything.He will also made arrangements for my flight ticket and very soon my travel agent and my shipper will all receive their payments and when they do i will let you know my flight information .pls do keep the room tidy and clean for my arrival because i will becoming down to the house from the airport , I will let you know if there is any more updates .

Regards.

----------------------------------------------

Daniela James to me
show details Sep 3 (2 days ago)


Yes i Understand Thank for getting back To me here is my pic you ask from and i will get back to will the tarking number assap my boss send it to me thank you and take care.

----------------------------------------------

Daniela James to me
show details Sep 4 (2 days ago)


Yes am faxing It Out But as soon as The [payment Mad To You i would let you know and i would send you the Tracking Number.

----------------------------------------------

Daniela James to me
show details Sep 4 (2 days ago)


why do You ask and May i View The Pic Of The Room and Your Pic, Hope To Hear FromYou soon.

----------------------------------------------

Daniela James to me
show details Sep 4 (2 days ago)


wow i Naver know That You are Suck a Hardsome Guy How old are you,what are you really doing for a living and how about Your Parents and are You the Only and Only Of Your Family.

----------------------------------------------

Daniela James to me
show details Sep 5 (1 day ago)


Hi lan,
How are you doing, i hope there is not problem that i have not heare from you for the pass few days i hope all is well with you, i hope to hear from you soon.

----------------------------------------------

Hi Ian,

How are you doing today ? i just wanna tell you more about me and i will like you to do the samething aswell, because i really need to get to know you more and more than this before we finally meet in person , are you still single or married ? because am single and searching for real love once i get to the state , because my ex-boyfriend let me down and i decided not to go out with anyone again here in UK , till i arrive to the state and start new life with someone that will care so much about me .

More about me:
Name: Daniela James
Eyes: Green
Age: 27yrs
Height: 5' 6' (167cm)
Weight: 122 pounds (55.0 kg)
Body Style: Athletic/Fit Activity
Level: Active
Smoking: No
Drinking: No
Marital Status: Single
Children: I have no kids
Sign: Virgo
Languages I speak: English & Spanish and french
Ethnicity: Spanish
Religion:Catholic/Christianity
Education: MCSA/MCSE
Occupation: Humanitarian officer

My favorite cuisines: Barbecue, Chinese/Dim Sum, Deli, Eastern-European, Fast Food/Pizza,French, Greek,Indian, Italian, Japanese/Sushi, Mexican, Seafood,Soul Food, Thai, Vietnamese My favorite music: Dance/Electronica, Disco, Easy Listening, Pop/Top 40, Rap/Hip Hop, Soul/R&B and Soundtracks.My favorite physical activities: Basketball, Working Out, Dancing, Swiming and Hiking/Walk

I love travelling, sporting and enjoy meeting people. I don't smoke or drink but i do not mind people who do being around me. Am cool headed and easy going person with no criminal records and i like to have a roommate or neighabour who is very responsible and understanding,someone i can really get a long with. Do you have yahoo IM maybe we can chat much more better than this , have a nice wonderful day ........hope to read from you soon .

Best regards,

Welcome to Scamwarners iherndon. Thank You for posting this information on this scammer.

It will alert and save many from being scammed. Well Done

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Note this search on phrase from scammers mail click here

Also here http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/ClassifiedAd_scams_RentingRooms.php

This mail is featured;

jullian williams [email protected]

Thanks for your email, Well my name is Jullian and I am 27 years old.I am a humanitarian officer involved in projects that includes orphans,orphanages,heart related diseases in children betweeen the ages of 4-10yrs.I will be staying for a minimum of 12 -13 months.I don't drink nor smoke,no pets and no boyfriend because I am a very busy woman.I like honest,responsible,trustworthy and hardworking people while I dislike lazy,messy,uncaring people and I love pets so much.I like the job because it involves travelling which is one of my hobbies.i will be through with my programme soon and will be on study leave in states, i will still be getting paid,so paying my rents on time won't be an issue of discussion. so i want you to get back with me with the full name and the address the payment will be send to with your contact cell number and a pics of the room if available. i wont mind if you can please tell me about your self in your next mail. i will be expecting to hear from you soon .