by momo1tx
Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:41 pm
The only reason I didn't get scammed was I somehow decided I should Google my potential "rental agents" before succumbing to the "wow I'm getting such a GREAT deal" feeling. One search hit paydirt on the TripAdvisor website; this was enough for me to have serious doubts about the other "great" deal I was getting. So I'm posting here in the hopes that someone out there doing a search will benefit from my nearly bad experience.
#1 A "Mark Dowry" ([email protected]; full header upon request...)answered my email for a vacation rental flat in Paris:
Hello [myname],
Thanks for your interest on our property Advert.Those dates Requested are unbooked on our reservation calender. Our Nightly Rate are EUR100 and EUR500 refundable security damage which will be refunded back to you on your departure day ,if there is undamaged property incurred during your stay in the Property .
The rent rates includes bills and utilities like Linen, Washing Machine, Dryer, Iron, vacuum cleaner. The Property is a furnished with new and well decorated furniture's ,The apartment is located near public transport,Shopping mall,Gym, and more better facilities are just walks to the Property..
Amenities in the property Includes- Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Freezer, Cooking rings, Oven, Dinnerware and serving pieces, Toaster, Coffee Maker, Kettle, Mixer TV, cable TV basic access, Internet by ADSL-CABLE + WIFI ACCESS.
Hope you will indeed spend your vacation Holiday in our Lovely Home. We cant wait to offer you a world class Accommodation .Payment to be made via PayPal payment.
We Hope to hear from you ,
Mark Dowry.
*******************
Response for more info--notice how the English isn't that great in any of these communications...
Hello [myname],
Thanks for your quick responses, Attached are the contract form .Below are the payment quoted.
Payment Summary.
==============
Total of 7 nights:€1400,60% of the total night which is €840,Then added with €400 security deposit which would be refunded in full to make it €1240to hold down the apartment. There is a enough space and kitchen which you can prepare a lot beautiful meal in this lovely apartment .
€560 to be paid in person.
€400 would be return at check out.
I will be waiting to have the reservation form today as soon ask the contract have been preview for approved i will email out the payment details for the deposit so we can finalize the reservation with out any delay.
We hope to hear from you soon
******************
Rental agreement he sent in .rtf format: Now here's where I first got suspicious: the rate quoted in the rental agreement is twice the rate in the Craigslist ad (200E/night not 100E/night):
VACATION RENTAL AGREEMENT & BOOKING FORM
(Intended for occupancy of 30 days or less)
(N.A.R Form V.R.A Revised 1/09)
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN WITH PAYMENT SLIP
49 Rue Rodier 75009 Paris, France.
The rental is between the following parties:
OWNER: Mark Dowry
OCCUPANT: __ __________ please fill
Email: -----------------------------------------------------------------
N.B; Please fill below for receipt of payment to be sent.
Address: _________________________________
City/ State / Zip: ___ ____/___ _____/_________)
Cell phone: _______ (__________
Phone: (Home) ______________ (Work) ______________Extension___
1. DATE OF AGREEMENT: ---------- --------------------
2. TERM: The term of this lease is for -------------- -------------- commencing on (Arrival Date) And ending on (Departure Date) --------(leaving before 9:00am)------- -------------------
The Premises will be ready for occupancy at 9:00 a.m. on the commencement.
3. RENT: The rent is €1400 for 7 Nights {Tax and utilities Fee Inclusive}
NO OF NIGHTS TO BE SPENT: 7 NIGHTS
PAYMENTS {Occupants agrees to the Following Payments condition and Charges}
4. DAMAGE DEPOSIT: €400 (Refundable on Departure where no damages were Incurred during stay at the Apartment.) and shall be given by Tenant as part of the rental Fee summing the total amount to be paid as (€1800 which includes Rent and Damage deposit) 60% of $1400 is $840, then added with the security fee of €400 to make it €1240 to hold down the date.
PAYMENT TO BE MADE PAYPAL TRANSFER
[email protected]
5. RULES/ORDINANCES: TENANT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT PREMISES ARE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WITH NEIGHBORS ON EITHER SIDE. LOUD, NOISY OR OFFENSIVE PARTIES OR ACTIVITIES ARE NOT ALLOWED.
Tenant agrees to comply with all covenants, conditions and Restrictions, rules, regulations, and decisions of Landlord, which are at any time posted on Premises or delivered to Tenant. Tenant shall pay any fines or charges imposed by local authorities, due to Violations by Tenant, or the guests or licensees of Tenant. Tenant shall not, and shall ensure that guests and licensees of Tenant shall Not disturb, endanger, or interfere with neighbors, or use the Premises for unlawful purposes, including, but not limited to, using, Manufacturing, selling, storing, or transporting illicit drugs or
Other contraband, or violate any law or ordinance, or commit waste or A nuisance upon or about the Premises.
6. MAXIMUM OCCUPANTS: The Premises are for the sole use as a personal Residence by the following named persons only:
List below: Names; Occupation/ age (if child)
7. Owner is to be responsible for insect, rodent, and pest control.
8. Resident agrees not to assign this Agreement, nor to sublet any Part of the property, nor to allow another person to live therein Other than as named in paragraph #7 above, without first receiving WRITTEN permission from the Owner/Agent and paying the appropriate Surcharge.
9. Resident will not be responsible for payment of the following: Electricity, water and sewer, garbage pick-up, telephone, cable TV, and other bills incurred during residency.
10. No rights of storage are given by this Agreement. The Owner/Agent Shall not be liable for any loss of property by fire, theft, breakage, Burglary, or otherwise, nor for any accidental damage to persons or Property in or about the leased premises resulting from.
11. Any removal of Owner/Agent's property without express WRITTEN Permission from the Owner/Agent shall constitute abandonment and Surrender of the premises and termination by the Resident of this Agreement. Owner/Agent may take immediate possession, exclude resident from property, and store all Resident's possessions at Resident's Expense pending reimbursement in full for Owner/Agent's loss and Damage.
12. Owner/Agent has the right to emergency access at any time and Access during reasonable hours to inspect property.
13. Rental keys, receipt and signed part of this lease form shall be mailed to address given upon Tenant of deposit to enable tenant move In the event Resident takes the apartment, deposit shall be refunded at the end of Lease Term under the condition the apartment is damage Free.
14. NOTICES: Notices to the parties may be served at the Above-referenced addresses.
15. TENANT REPRESENTATIONS: Tenant warrants that all statements made By Tenant in this Agreement and in Tenant's application rental Application is accurate. Landlord may cancel this Agreement, at any Time, upon discovering that the information provided by Tenant is False.
16. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS: Time is of the essence. All prior Agreements whether written or oral are incorporated in this Agreement which constitutes the entire contract? It may not be contradicted by Evidence of any prior agreement or contemporaneous oral statements or Agreement.
17. OTHER TERMS: PETS AUTHORIZED BY OWNER OR OWNER'S AGENT WHICH WILL INCLUDE AN INCREASED CLEANING AND SECURITY CHARGE.
18. FACSIMILE: The parties agree to accept facsimile transmission of this contract bearing their respective signatures in lieu of Originals.
19. FINAL & BINDING: Accepts from Tenant the SECURITY DEPOSIT of the Rent as provided.
Tenant: ______________Dated _____ _____sign
Owner______ Mark Dowry ___Dated_____2/1/2011___sign
***************
Answer to my email regarding the differing numbers:
"Omg.am sorry that was a typo. You can make change to it an email me the form."
More like OMG, sorry I am screwing up this scam!!! Notice, too, the address to PayPal the deposit to: "[email protected]". What legitimate owner would use that for a PayPal email--in hindsight of course everything is clear! That's when I Googled and found out that "Mark Dowry" apparently "rents" properties all over the world, except this person(s) takes the money and runs. PayPal shuts off the email, but by then the damage is done...and PayPal apparently does not refund the money (another person who fell for this scam told me he/she never was able to recover his/her money from PayPal).
#2 I then Googled my second "great" deal, from a "Rosario Casse" at "[email protected]." This one wanted Western Union which Craigslist explicity warns against. I Googled the apt. description which came up on a legitimate apt. rental site (at nearly twice the rental rate), and emailed the owners asking about this "Rosario Casse" person. They confirmed that this person was not associated with the place and this was a scam. In the meantime I had asked about PayPal, "Rosario Casse" responded:
"I do accept payment by Paypal but my paypal account has exceeded it's transaction limit so i am unable to receive funds via paypal at the moment. For now i only receive payment by Western Union."
which is another classic scam line.
Anyway FWIW, I was at one point so close to sending payment to either of these scumbags
and my heart breaks reading about those who have, so I feel anything I can do to help some other person who might be in my shoes is the least I can do. The internet is both terrible and great!!!
#1 A "Mark Dowry" ([email protected]; full header upon request...)answered my email for a vacation rental flat in Paris:
Hello [myname],
Thanks for your interest on our property Advert.Those dates Requested are unbooked on our reservation calender. Our Nightly Rate are EUR100 and EUR500 refundable security damage which will be refunded back to you on your departure day ,if there is undamaged property incurred during your stay in the Property .
The rent rates includes bills and utilities like Linen, Washing Machine, Dryer, Iron, vacuum cleaner. The Property is a furnished with new and well decorated furniture's ,The apartment is located near public transport,Shopping mall,Gym, and more better facilities are just walks to the Property..
Amenities in the property Includes- Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Freezer, Cooking rings, Oven, Dinnerware and serving pieces, Toaster, Coffee Maker, Kettle, Mixer TV, cable TV basic access, Internet by ADSL-CABLE + WIFI ACCESS.
Hope you will indeed spend your vacation Holiday in our Lovely Home. We cant wait to offer you a world class Accommodation .Payment to be made via PayPal payment.
We Hope to hear from you ,
Mark Dowry.
*******************
Response for more info--notice how the English isn't that great in any of these communications...
Hello [myname],
Thanks for your quick responses, Attached are the contract form .Below are the payment quoted.
Payment Summary.
==============
Total of 7 nights:€1400,60% of the total night which is €840,Then added with €400 security deposit which would be refunded in full to make it €1240to hold down the apartment. There is a enough space and kitchen which you can prepare a lot beautiful meal in this lovely apartment .
€560 to be paid in person.
€400 would be return at check out.
I will be waiting to have the reservation form today as soon ask the contract have been preview for approved i will email out the payment details for the deposit so we can finalize the reservation with out any delay.
We hope to hear from you soon
******************
Rental agreement he sent in .rtf format: Now here's where I first got suspicious: the rate quoted in the rental agreement is twice the rate in the Craigslist ad (200E/night not 100E/night):
VACATION RENTAL AGREEMENT & BOOKING FORM
(Intended for occupancy of 30 days or less)
(N.A.R Form V.R.A Revised 1/09)
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN WITH PAYMENT SLIP
49 Rue Rodier 75009 Paris, France.
The rental is between the following parties:
OWNER: Mark Dowry
OCCUPANT: __ __________ please fill
Email: -----------------------------------------------------------------
N.B; Please fill below for receipt of payment to be sent.
Address: _________________________________
City/ State / Zip: ___ ____/___ _____/_________)
Cell phone: _______ (__________
Phone: (Home) ______________ (Work) ______________Extension___
1. DATE OF AGREEMENT: ---------- --------------------
2. TERM: The term of this lease is for -------------- -------------- commencing on (Arrival Date) And ending on (Departure Date) --------(leaving before 9:00am)------- -------------------
The Premises will be ready for occupancy at 9:00 a.m. on the commencement.
3. RENT: The rent is €1400 for 7 Nights {Tax and utilities Fee Inclusive}
NO OF NIGHTS TO BE SPENT: 7 NIGHTS
PAYMENTS {Occupants agrees to the Following Payments condition and Charges}
4. DAMAGE DEPOSIT: €400 (Refundable on Departure where no damages were Incurred during stay at the Apartment.) and shall be given by Tenant as part of the rental Fee summing the total amount to be paid as (€1800 which includes Rent and Damage deposit) 60% of $1400 is $840, then added with the security fee of €400 to make it €1240 to hold down the date.
PAYMENT TO BE MADE PAYPAL TRANSFER
[email protected]
5. RULES/ORDINANCES: TENANT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT PREMISES ARE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WITH NEIGHBORS ON EITHER SIDE. LOUD, NOISY OR OFFENSIVE PARTIES OR ACTIVITIES ARE NOT ALLOWED.
Tenant agrees to comply with all covenants, conditions and Restrictions, rules, regulations, and decisions of Landlord, which are at any time posted on Premises or delivered to Tenant. Tenant shall pay any fines or charges imposed by local authorities, due to Violations by Tenant, or the guests or licensees of Tenant. Tenant shall not, and shall ensure that guests and licensees of Tenant shall Not disturb, endanger, or interfere with neighbors, or use the Premises for unlawful purposes, including, but not limited to, using, Manufacturing, selling, storing, or transporting illicit drugs or
Other contraband, or violate any law or ordinance, or commit waste or A nuisance upon or about the Premises.
6. MAXIMUM OCCUPANTS: The Premises are for the sole use as a personal Residence by the following named persons only:
List below: Names; Occupation/ age (if child)
7. Owner is to be responsible for insect, rodent, and pest control.
8. Resident agrees not to assign this Agreement, nor to sublet any Part of the property, nor to allow another person to live therein Other than as named in paragraph #7 above, without first receiving WRITTEN permission from the Owner/Agent and paying the appropriate Surcharge.
9. Resident will not be responsible for payment of the following: Electricity, water and sewer, garbage pick-up, telephone, cable TV, and other bills incurred during residency.
10. No rights of storage are given by this Agreement. The Owner/Agent Shall not be liable for any loss of property by fire, theft, breakage, Burglary, or otherwise, nor for any accidental damage to persons or Property in or about the leased premises resulting from.
11. Any removal of Owner/Agent's property without express WRITTEN Permission from the Owner/Agent shall constitute abandonment and Surrender of the premises and termination by the Resident of this Agreement. Owner/Agent may take immediate possession, exclude resident from property, and store all Resident's possessions at Resident's Expense pending reimbursement in full for Owner/Agent's loss and Damage.
12. Owner/Agent has the right to emergency access at any time and Access during reasonable hours to inspect property.
13. Rental keys, receipt and signed part of this lease form shall be mailed to address given upon Tenant of deposit to enable tenant move In the event Resident takes the apartment, deposit shall be refunded at the end of Lease Term under the condition the apartment is damage Free.
14. NOTICES: Notices to the parties may be served at the Above-referenced addresses.
15. TENANT REPRESENTATIONS: Tenant warrants that all statements made By Tenant in this Agreement and in Tenant's application rental Application is accurate. Landlord may cancel this Agreement, at any Time, upon discovering that the information provided by Tenant is False.
16. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS: Time is of the essence. All prior Agreements whether written or oral are incorporated in this Agreement which constitutes the entire contract? It may not be contradicted by Evidence of any prior agreement or contemporaneous oral statements or Agreement.
17. OTHER TERMS: PETS AUTHORIZED BY OWNER OR OWNER'S AGENT WHICH WILL INCLUDE AN INCREASED CLEANING AND SECURITY CHARGE.
18. FACSIMILE: The parties agree to accept facsimile transmission of this contract bearing their respective signatures in lieu of Originals.
19. FINAL & BINDING: Accepts from Tenant the SECURITY DEPOSIT of the Rent as provided.
Tenant: ______________Dated _____ _____sign
Owner______ Mark Dowry ___Dated_____2/1/2011___sign
***************
Answer to my email regarding the differing numbers:
"Omg.am sorry that was a typo. You can make change to it an email me the form."
More like OMG, sorry I am screwing up this scam!!! Notice, too, the address to PayPal the deposit to: "[email protected]". What legitimate owner would use that for a PayPal email--in hindsight of course everything is clear! That's when I Googled and found out that "Mark Dowry" apparently "rents" properties all over the world, except this person(s) takes the money and runs. PayPal shuts off the email, but by then the damage is done...and PayPal apparently does not refund the money (another person who fell for this scam told me he/she never was able to recover his/her money from PayPal).
#2 I then Googled my second "great" deal, from a "Rosario Casse" at "[email protected]." This one wanted Western Union which Craigslist explicity warns against. I Googled the apt. description which came up on a legitimate apt. rental site (at nearly twice the rental rate), and emailed the owners asking about this "Rosario Casse" person. They confirmed that this person was not associated with the place and this was a scam. In the meantime I had asked about PayPal, "Rosario Casse" responded:
"I do accept payment by Paypal but my paypal account has exceeded it's transaction limit so i am unable to receive funds via paypal at the moment. For now i only receive payment by Western Union."
which is another classic scam line.
Anyway FWIW, I was at one point so close to sending payment to either of these scumbags
and my heart breaks reading about those who have, so I feel anything I can do to help some other person who might be in my shoes is the least I can do. The internet is both terrible and great!!!