[email protected] - [email protected]

I was looking for a roomshare in London and registered on the moveflat site. Then I got contacted by "Fisher Julian Robert Walker", who turns out to be a really cunning scammer.

He sent me four photos of the flat and an additional one of the room when I asked him to photograph the other side. I found it to be a scam after doing a google image reverse search on the bathroom - the exact same bathroom can be found on http://www.luxuryvillaindubai.com/batterseaapartment.php
Also, when searching for the email "[email protected]" in google, I found a flat advertisement at rentjungle.com with the exact same photo depicting the room that he sent me, but on rentjungle the flat is supposedly located somewhere else. You cant access the page anymore, as the entry was taken down, but you can use the google cache to still see it.

Below you can find the email history and the photos and documents he provided - he even sent me a scan of his passport!

Hi Daniel, my double bedroom in Mile End will suite your search. Kindly reply for further details. Robert

Hey Robert,

that sounds interesting. I am pleasantly surprised that it's apparently possible to search for a room this early, after all - the rental market in London seems so unbelievably fast-paced that I was told to start searching just a few weeks beforehand.
I would be glad to receive some details of the room, some photos in addition would be even better of course. If you have any questions about me and the room I look for, feel free to ask, too.

All the best,
Daniel

Hello Daniel,

•Double Bedroom
•Central Heating
•Permit-free on-street parking

Gernon Rd, Mile End, London E3 5Tl

Information:

•Rent £700 pcm
•All Bills Included (electricity, water, gas, council tax, TV license and wireless Internet)
•1 Calendar month rent in advance plus £600 security deposit (refundable).
•Tenant Suitability: Mature Students • Professionals.
• Other Rooms: Living Room, Kitchen • Bathroom en-suit.

Features: Shower • Secure Entryphone • Wi-Fi Internet • Living Flame Fire • Electric Goods: LED Flatscreen TV with over 100 channel • VCR/DVD • Wardrobe, chest of drawer, Microwave • Washing Machine • Fridge/Freezer• Dish Washer.


This is ideally located moments away from Victoria Park, and the amenities along both Roman Rd and Bethnal Green High St.

10mins walk from Mile End tube (Zone 2 Central Line, District Line & Hammersmith & City Line), 10mins walk from Bethnal Green tube (Zone 2 Central Line)
5mins walk from Queen Mary University.


The property comprises of sitting room, well appointed kitchen and double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and modern fitted en-suite bathroom. The apartment is tastefully furnished. This property offers you the optimal value from which to have a truly superb visit to London.

Regards
F. Robert Walker

3

Dear Robert,

thank you for the quite extensive information. The rooms and the location are very nice.
I have some questions and I'd appreciate your answers:

How many and what kind of people live there that I would have to share the flat with? Do you live there, too?
I would be very thankful about another picture of the room showing its other side, because I require at least some space for a desk to put my PC equipment on and on the photo you have provided there does not seem to be enough space for that. Also, would I be allowed to replace the double bed with a single bed of my own to save some space?
Also you mention Wi-Fi internet, is it broadband and is it possible to connect via a networking cable to the modem instead of Wi-Fi? Stable, high-speed internet with low latency is an important factor for me.

Greetings and all the best,
Daniel

Hello Daniel,

Thank you for your reply. Regarding your questions,

My property is a 2 double bedrooms with separate bathrooms en-suite and you will be sharing the flat with two lovely brothers in their early to mid 20s who are also working/postgraduate students.

I don't live in the flat, I am a live out landlord.

I have attached the other side of the room to this email as you have requested.

There's no problem if you replace the double bed with a single bed to create more space but the room is big enough for you to do extra activities.

Yes the Internet is a broadband and you can connect a networking cable to your modem if that's how you want it.

Kindly let me know if I have answered your questions correctly.

Regards
F. Robert Walker

Hello Robert,

thank you for your answers and the photo, they addressed my concerns and now I am very interested in actually seeing the flat (and possibly the flatmates?) in person.
Under the condition that the flat will not be reserved for someone else until then (so I am not travelling to London just to find out that I have no chance to get the flat anymore), I would like to propose a flat viewing in about two weeks. I'd need this time in advance at least to book a flight from Germany and prepare the visit. Apart from that, I am very flexible, so you could basically pick any date after the 20th of July for the viewing.

Regarding a tenancy agreement - would such a contract entail an obligation to pay the rent for a fixed term without being able to end the tenancy or is it cancellable with a proper notice given a certain time in advance? In general, are there minimum or maximum limits to how long a tenant has to/can stay and what are the rules for ending a tenancy?

Thank you in advance and all the best,
Daniel

Hello Danielle,

Thank you for your reply. I am willing to offer to you the flat for a short/long term. You would be required to give four weeks notice if you decides to terminate the tenancy. My flat is available and I am willing to make a reservation of my flat for you. However, it is always an issue to make a reservation for outside tenants which has brought about great loss to me.

Some outside tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and security deposit yet they disturb the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who are in London, also some do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in office by their employers.

Nevertheless, you would need to make a reservation deposit into my solicitors bank account to secure the flat but before that, my Solicitor would need some information from you to draft an Assured ShortHold Tenancy Agreement which you will print and bring along with you on your arrival date to my flat.

Your full name:
Current address:
Confirmed move in date:
Confirmed move out date:
Mobile number:

Please get back to me with these information so that I can tell you how to proceed.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards
F.Robert Walker

Hello Robert!

Am 06.07.2015 um 08:03 schrieb Fisher Julian Robert Walker:
> My flat is available and I am willing to make a reservation of my flat for you. However, it is always an issue to make a reservation for outside tenants which has brought about great loss to me.
>
> Some outside tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and security deposit yet they disturb the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who are in London, also some do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in office by their employers.
>

I can understand the skepticism particularly about tenants from outside of the UK. If it helps, I can send you the documents I signed regarding my four-year stipend and the confirmation of my place at QMUL to prove I will have a stable income.

> Nevertheless, you would need to make a reservation deposit into my solicitors bank account to secure the flat

How much is that and would it count towards the rent payments if we arranged an actual tenancy agreement? We would need to sign some kind of written document about this deposit to make clear what the money is for and under what circumstances it will be payed out.

> but before that, my Solicitor would need some information from you to draft an Assured ShortHold Tenancy Agreement which you will print and bring along with you on your arrival date to my flat.
>
Here are my details. DETAILS REMOVED

Hello Daniel,

Thank you for the information provided, I have forwarded it to my solicitor
to draft the contract. I will get back to you as soon as I receive copy of
the contract perhaps tomorrow.

Regarding your questions,

- The reservation deposit is £700 which covers your first month rent.

- As soon as I receive the tenancy agreement, I will forward it to you
so that you can print it out and sign then you will send the signed
copy to me.

- After you might have agree with the terms of the tenancy agreement,
I will send a signed undertaken to you to make clear what the money is
for and under what circumstances it will be payed out.

Have a great evening ahead!

Regards
F. Robert Walker

Hello Daniel,

I have received the contract from my solicitor, find the enclosed
document file together with my certificate of ownership of the flat
and a copy of my passport with this email. Please read through the
Assured shorthold Tenancy Agreement and get back to me if you are okay
with the obligations. Print out the last part of the Tenancy
agreement, sign it and send it back to me via email, thereafter, you
will be required to proceed with the payment of one month rent
reservation deposit of 700 GBP as stated in the contract terms after
agreeing with the obligations.

Hope to read from you soon.

Regards
F. Robert Walker

Proposed Contract:
http://imgur.com/a/FQrT7

Hi! Had the exact same email, except i was looking for a place in Glasgow! Just warning. Exact same photos and everything, except his email address was [email protected]
I'd attach a photo, but not sure how on here. I'm glad i Googled his name first and found this thread!

Hi!
Thanks for the post, it saved me...i received the exact same series of email and pics when i searched 2 bed flat, Exact same photos and everything, except his email address was [email protected]
I'm happy that i Googled his name and found this thread!

similar to this i also received scammed mails from Barr. Lisa Owens <[email protected] and [email protected] beware of these also...

http://www.christianflatshare.org/detai ... pe=offered

Same situation happened here. he goes by the name Julian Walker Robert Fisher. ([email protected])

This is in response to my email enquiry:

1st:

Hello xxx,

•Double Bedroom
•Central Heating
•Permit-free on-street parking

Flat 7, Birkenhead Street, London WC1H 8BP

Information:

•Rent £800 pcm
•All Bills Included (electricity, water, gas, council tax, TV license and wireless Internet)
•1 Calendar month rent in advance plus £500 security deposit (refundable).
•Tenant Suitability: Mature Students • Professionals.
• Other Rooms: Living Room, Kitchen • Bathroom en-suit.

Features: Shower • Secure Entryphone • Wi-Fi Internet • Living Flame Fire • Electric Goods: LED Flatscreen TV with over 100 channel • VCR/DVD • Wardrobe, chest of drawer, Microwave • Washing Machine • Fridge/Freezer• Dish Washer.


This Flat is ideally located for students due to its proximity to University College London UCL, LSC King's College and Westminster University. The flat is also close to the amenities of Bloomsbury and Kings Cross, which has a good range of shops, bars and restaurants.

Local transport links:

The nearest Underground Station is Kings Cross (Circle, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, Metropolitan, Hammersmith and City lines) as well as Kings Cross Overground Station (National, Eurostar, Intercity Rail Services).


The property comprises of sitting room, well appointed kitchen and double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and modern fitted en-suite bathroom. The apartment is tastefully furnished. This property offers you the optimal value from which to have a truly superb visit to London.

Regards

[b]2nd:/b]

Thank you for your reply. My flat is available and I am willing to make a reservation of my flat for you. However, it is always an issue to make a reservation for outside tenants which has brought about great loss to me.

Some outside tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and security deposit yet they disturb the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who are in London, also some do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in office by their employers.

Nevertheless, you would need to make a reservation payment into my solicitors bank account to secure the flat but before that, my Solicitor would need some information from you to draft an Assured ShortHold Tenancy Agreement which you will print and bring along with you on your arrival date to my flat.

Your full name:
Current address:
Confirmed move in date:
Confirmed move out date:
Mobile number:

Please get back to me with these information so that I can tell you how to proceed.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards

This guy just stole me 1000 euros! I made the journey from France and when I arrived in Southampton the flat existed but belongs to other people!

Today this "Robert Fisher" sent me this:

Hello Segolene,

Sorry for the disappointment yesterday, you don't need to report this to the police, I can't imagine how bad that would make you and your father felt. I promise to refund your money on Tuesday after the bank holiday without any deduction.

Once again I am sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused you and your father.

Regards
Aiden

I know he is lying, but there is anything I can do now to get my 1000 euros back... and I feel stupid

I'm sorry you were scammed. Unfortunately, if you sent the money through Western Union or MoneyGram, your money is long gone.

What you do need to do is file a report with your local police making sure to show them all the emails and documentation you have, since you traveled to the UK under the pretense that you had a rental lined up.

Also file a complaint with Action Fraud if you sent your money to the UK: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud

Can you post the emails and/or phone numbers he is using in this scam? This will help warn others and may prevent more victims.

If you have additional questions, feel free to ask them here.