Rental scammer - [email protected]

On gumtree there was an ad for an affordable 1 bedroom holiday rental on Sloane Street, London with a link to a website http://lourdeslettings.com/index.html. IT'S A SCAM!!!



Here are some corresponding emails:

"
Thanks for completing our online booking and reservation form and for also confirming your interest in booking our self catering apartment.

In response to your booking inquiry, we have availability in the Sloane Square one bedroom self catering apartment from (23rd - 30th Nov, 2010) 1 week stay at the rates of 300/wk 50/night.

The rent rate includes all utilities (water, electricity, gas etc), VAT and all taxes/surcharges. This is a fully equipped kitchen and well furnished apartment. We supply all linens, and there is a free parking space and high speed wireless Internet facility for your convenience.

COST OF BOOKING/SECURITY DEPOSIT

The Rent Cost for the 1 week is 300-GBP.

The Security Deposit is 300-GBP. (Refundable on your departure date)

The Total Cost of Booking is 600-GBP.


Payment Terms:

All reservations are subject to availability. Please note that your reservation is ONLY confirmed upon receipt of payment in accordance with our terms and conditions.


Payment Method:

We accept Cash Deposit into our Bank Account.

Please let us know your thoughts and views on the apartment being offered; and whether you would like to proceed with this booking?

Your satisfaction is always guaranteed and you can be assured of exceptional quality, security and comfort, all at an attractive price, for less than the cost of a comparable hotel stay.

I look forward to hearing from you shortly;

Warm Regards

Stevenson

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"
Thank you very much for sending us your inquiry about our self catering apartment.

The availability and the total cost of booking the flat as been forwarded to you, kindly check your junk/spam folder if you have not received it in your in box folder.

You are advice to acknowledge the receipt of our mail response to your booking inquiry and get back to us as soon as possible because we are receiving so many inquires everyday.

Regards
Stevenson

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"
Thanks for your swift response.

You can only make a cash deposit into our bank account, we do not accept cash in hand.

Yes, the minimum deposit we accept is 200 pounds for booking of 3 nights and 300 pounds for booking up to 1 week stay and above. You are to know that the security deposit is refundable back on your departure day.

Kindly write back and let us know if you would like to proceed with the booking so that our bank account details would be email to you and you can make the cash deposit at the bank branch on Monday morning.

Thanks
Stevenson


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"
Thanks for your prompt response and for also confirming your interest in renting our apartment.

You are to send the payment by western union money transfer with the following information below.

Payment Beneficiary Details:
Receivers Name: Mrs. Mariana Clifton
Address: Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9PJ

Send us the MTCN, Amount Sent/Currency, Senders-Name and Address, after you send the money.

You are advice to make deposit as soon as possible so that we can reserve you the apartment because we operate on a first-come, first pay, first-served basis, as we receives a lot of booking/reservation inquiries everyday.

Upon receipt of your booking/reservation payment more details about the apartment would be provided to you, like map/direction to the apartment, Key collection/airport transfer, signing of the contract/occupancy terms, and other necessary things.

Once again, thank you for having interest in our properties and sincerely we will like to have you in our place where hospitality is being displayed beyond satisfaction.

Thanks!
Stevenson


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On another account the last email was:
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"
Thanks for your mail response and for confirming your interest in proceeding further with the booking of our apartment.

You are to make the full payment deposit (600-GBP) into the account details below, the security deposit is fully refundable back to you on departure day;

Bank Name:- HSBC
Account Name:- DANIEL BROWN
Sort Code:- 40-31-14
Account Number:- 01-40-20-48

Note: It is very important you make a cash deposit at any HSBC Bank Branch so that the payment could reflect within few hours after deposit, inter-banks takes up to 3 working days before the payment would reach us, kindly visit any of the bank branch to make the cash deposit to the bank account details above.

You are advise to send us a scanned copy of the transfer confirmation receipt after completing the transfer.

Thanks
Stevenson

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Note: This scam artist never answered the question of the exact address is (though it was asked countless times) and want a deposit or all the whole fee with the "deposit refunded at the end of the stay" before a viewing and picking up keys for the rental. Though on holiday rentals people don't usually view the apartment first anyway which makes it a little more tricky.

It is indeed a scammer. I recognise the template of the website, I think I've reported about 5 earlier sites of this gang already. I'll make sure that this one will get pushed under the daisies aswell. Thanks alot for reporting!