rent fraud? - [email protected]

I found a website called "London Apartments Lettings", which had excellent studio and one bedroom apts. in central locations for good prices! The website asks you to send an inquiry for availability and then they answer by e-mail. Immediately I got a response that it was available. The numbers did not answer, but I got the bank info via e-mail and asking for international wire transfer or bank transfer from England (no credit cards). The payment was 50% of cost and 100 damage deposit, which came up to 340 pounds sterling. Since then, I have sent several e-mails and no answer. In a separate link, they asked for arrival details and if a taxi service was needed, which I also filled. But still no answer and I travel tomorrow. Is this a scam?

Welcome to Scamwarners,

You provided basic information. With what you have described there are a lot of red flags pointing to a scam.

1: No Credit Card accepted.

2: No more contact.

3: Prices to good to believe.

4: No answer at the telephone number.

Please post the email address, a couple of emails they sent you, any websites they had, the email headers and where they asked you to wire the money to a bank account.

Also post the phone number they used.

London Apartments Lettings is the website i found to rent a studio in london. it was all central locations and for excellent prices. the inquiry was made on the website and they responded by e-mail on availability. They then sent me their bank info to make a wire transfer for half the rent and 100 damage deposit. As soon as they acknowledge payment, I got no further answer from them in response to my e-mails. they sent me a link to know arrival details and if I needed taxi to pick me up, which I filled. However, all my e-mails go unanswered, leading me to believe that this was a scam. Their phones also do not answer.

I found a website called london apartments lettings

London Apartments Lettings

Spring Villa Road, Edgware, HA8 7EB, United Kingdom

[email protected]

Tel: 020 8133 7451 / 020 8133 7433

Our Holiday London Apartments are close to a Tube Stations and well connected to Central London. They have with their own bathroom and kitchen facilities. You don’t have to share with anyone else.

Could someone advise if this is a scam, since I have already sent a deposit and they do not respond to my e-mails any longer.

Domain name:
london-apartmentslettings.co.uk

Registrant:
CHRISTOPHER WARREN

Registrant type:
Unknown

Registrant's address:
44 GRAYS STREET
NORTHAMPTON
NN1 3QQ
United Kingdom

Data validation:
Nominet was able to match the registrant's name and address against a 3rd party data source on 06-May-2015

Registrar:
Gandi [Tag = GANDI]
URL: http://www.gandi.net

Relevant dates:
Registered on: 19-Aug-2015 <<<< Red Flag
Expiry date: 19-Aug-2017
Last updated: 19-Aug-2015

London Apartments Lettings

Spring Villa Road, Edgware, HA8 7EB United Kingdom

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 8133 7451 / 020 8133 7433

Fake testimonial:

Added by : Sep 25, 2013 by Giovanni - Location: Surrey

Just a little problem with the door key, nevertheless my in law enjoyed the holiday, and the studio-flat was quite comfortable and very close to transport and shops. Booking and communication have been very satisfying as usual (thanks Irene). Looking forward to next in law or friends visit

.

Stolen from http://s349772299.websitehome.co.uk/cus ... ml?start=5

Sorry to say it but you are a victim of a scam.

Here's another one that shares the same phone number

http://www.londoncityrentals.co.uk/#/contact-us/4585605816

LondonCityRentals.co.uk
Correspondence office:
17 Waterloo Place London, SW1Y 4AR
United Kingdom

Tel: 020 8133 7451

Fax: 020 7174 338

The simple fact that it has made its details un-indexable by Google indicates that it is hiding itself whereas a normal company seeks exposure.

The websites appear to be stealing the identities of real companies.

Here is another one that belongs to the same gang

www.londonapartmentsrentals.co.uk/

London Apartments Rentals
The Exchange Brent Cross Gardens, London, NW4 3RJ , United Kingdom

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 8123 6917 / Fax: 020 8123 3794

Found on the testimonials page:

Below are just some of the things people have been saying about london-shortlethomes.co.uk

This must have been the previous name of the website; the About page calls it "Short Let" several times.

It\'s a great company!
Added by : Tasha Date added : May 14, 2014. Country : USA

I was looking for a short let for 7 days and here I solved my problem in an hour. High-level service, constant concern about clients.
Mayfair apts - excellent! I suppose everyone\'ll like it. It is clearly as on photo!
Special thanks to Alton, I\'ll recommend you anyone who\'ll go to London.

As the domain was created in August, less than a month ago, and it is now September, it is impossible for anyone to have added to it in May.

This is the last info they sent me.

Shokralla,

Your Booking reference is: 092014178

To complete your booking, follow the steps below:

Step 1, Visit the link below to send your arrival details:

http://www.london-apartmentslettings.co ... 4589689941

Below is the information to make the deposit of £440


SORT CODE: 77-91-19
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 86379560
Account Name: London Aparts Lettings
IBAN: GB12LOYD77911986379560
SWIFT CODE: LOYDGB21J03
BANK NAME: TSB BANK PLC
Beneficiary Address: 101 Uxbridge Road,London,W7 3ST,United Kingdom
Bank address: CCSC Dept. 9119 1 Legg Street Chelmsford, United Kingdom
Bank account noted MW
We will need the copy of the transfer confirmation from your bank, the scanned copy,very important.

We will send the booking confirmation and how to receive the keys once we have received your deposit and confirm your booking.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.



Kind regards.

Robert L. Nobert

Booking Manager,

London Apartments Lettings

Spring Villa Road, Edgware, HA8 7EB, United Kingdom

[email protected]

Tel: 020 8133 7451 / 020 8133 7433

Our Holiday London Apartments are close to a Tube Stations and well connected to Central London. They have with their own bathroom and kitchen facilities. You don’t have to share with anyone else.

london-apartmentslettings.co.uk and other fake domains mentioned above are in the process of being reported for fraud.

Hi,

We're also got caught in this trap and unfortunately transferred money as we needed a place quick. They use different bank accounts as well. Our payment was requested to go to Barclays. We've reported this to Action Fraud.

SORT CODE: 20-32-06
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 33166937
Account Name: London Aparts Lettings
IBAN: GB83 BARC 2032 0633 1669 37
SWIFT CODE: BARCGB22
BANK NAME: Barclays Bank PLC
Beneficiary Address: 101 Uxbridge Road,London,W7 3ST,United Kingdom
Bank address: Barclays, Leicester LE87 2BB , United Kingdom


Bank account noted MW

We will need the copy of the transfer confirmation from your bank, the scanned copy,very important.

We will send the booking confirmation and how to receive the keys once we have received your deposit and confirm your booking.





We look forward to hearing from you soon.



Kind regards.

Robert L. Nobert

Booking Manager,

London Apartments Lettings

Spring Villa Road, Edgware, HA8 7EB, United Kingdom

[email protected]

Tel: 020 8133 7451 / 020 8133 7433

Our Holiday London Apartments are close to a Tube Stations and well connected to Central London. They have with their own bathroom and kitchen facilities. You don’t have to share with anyone else.

Hello smarternow,
I am sorry to hear that you lost money to this scam. Thank you for taking the time to post the new bank account they are using.

If you have any additional questions about this scam please ask.

My Son was scammed by these scum bags this weekend to the tune of £750. He paid into an account number already stated above (sortcode 20-32-06 Acc No, 33166937. I've also been in touch with this company and they have told me to pay into Barclays sortcode 20-29-81 Acc No. 93362817 so this is another of their accounts. (Account Details noted -- MB)

The address that they say the bank account is listed to is 101 Uxbridge Road, W7 3ST. This is listed to a company called London Short Stay Flats Limited. This company was dissolved by Companies House in July 2015 as they had not filed any returns.
. He is also a Director of other companies, some live and some dissolved. He lives in Ealing, West London and as soon as I have his full address and telephone number then I will list that too.

He has a LinkedIn page and here is the link to him and one of his live companies. https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/yacer-rouibah/18/930/415

Action Fraud have been given all this information and I hope if everyone else does the same that we can all sleep that little bit easier at night.

[AlanJones]

as soon as I have his full address and telephone number then I will list that too.

Please don't - there is no evidence that this individual is involved in the scam. Scammers regularly steal the identities of legitimate registered companies and use those as part of their scams.