by Michelle
Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:48 am
From: tracey stephen < [email protected] >
Date: 25 July 2010 14:59
Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: Beautifully finished 1 Bedroom studio apartment for rent in Leeds
To: Michelle
Dear Michelle,
Thanks for your reply. using bank statement, payslip, transfer to account, guarantor's letter e.t.c as proof is no longer acceptable as it has been abused by some intending tenants in the past so, I wouldn't want you to get me wrong as i didn't ask you to send the deposit to me directly, the idea of making a confirmation of your financial ability is not only my idea, my lawyer and i decided to use that process and i can't violate the procedure.
However, i didn't want to collect any money from you as long as you have not sign a contract neither have i taken you round my flat. All i request of you is to transfer the deposit to your friend or relative within the UK through western union , once you've done that, you get back to me with a scan copy of the transfer receipt and if you do not have access to a scanner you can as-well write out the details on the transfer receipt to me so that i can forward it to my lawyer to confirm if the transfer is valid and is ready for pick up by your friend or partner. After the confirmation might have been made by my lawyer, i will then ask you to tell your friend or partner to pick up the money for you, and schedule a convenient day and time for the viewing. I will return the cost of the transfer without any deduction due to the fact that my lawyer and I adopted the procedure which was as a result of the past unpleasant experiences with intending tenant.
Kindly let me know your opinion as soon as possible and if you are not comfortable with my lawyer procedure, i strongly suggest that you look for another flat in other to avoid time wasting.
Kind regards
Mrs Monicca
The thief will tell you that you can rent his accommodation only if you can prove that you have genuine interest. He will ask you send money by wire transfer (normally Western Union) to yourself or a member of the family to show that you have sufficient finances and that you are not a "time waster".
Another variation of this scam is that you need to send (by Western Union) money in order that the keys and other documents can be couriered to you
He will ask you to send him the transfer details.
Make no mistake ! Western Union Transfers can be picked up virtually anywhere in the world and with the minimum of identification. They are almost impossible to trace once the money has been collected. You will never get to see the accommodation or your money again.
If you are reading this because you are looking for property to rent, and you are in contact with this thief you are probably searching Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment by Western Union before viewing, then it will also be a scam. Please forward the mail to me at the address in my signature line and I will investigate and list them if necessary.
