Rental Scammer - [email protected]

David Walton <[email protected]> wrote:

Hello Michelle

Thank you for your interest. My name is David Walton, owner of the unit . I am happy to let you know that my unit is available for a long and short term lease period. I set the monthly rent at $900 with all utility bills included ( hot / cold water, gas, electricity, cable & Wi-Fi ) and I also require a security deposit $900 refundable after the lease period. It has all the necessary amenities such as cable TV, high-speed internet, air conditioning, own washer and dryer, private parking. Well behaved pets are allowed.
I bought this place for my daughter during her studies in the US, but now she's back home (Warsaw , Poland) permanently, so I'm renting the place for an unlimited time. My daughter is building her live here and I'am too old to move to the US so we won't disturb you and I will never ask you to leave the place. Since I am in the Poland, I found a way to rent my unit safe and fast trough a company called Airbnb , which will handle the rental agreement on my behalf. This won't affect you at all . All arrangements will be on my expense.
Before we go any further, I would like to know a little something about you, how many persons will inhabit there , and for how long.
Here is also the link with all pictures of my apartment:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B97C9 ... TFDR3pZQTQ

Thank you

David Walton <[email protected]> wrote:

I will gladly sign the contract with you if we can reach an agreement. As I explained in the previous email, I live in Poland. Unfortunately, I don't have any friends or other person back in United States who could arrange a viewing with you. In order to make the rental process easier for both of us, I would like to use Airbnb.com (https://airbnb.com/trust) as they are currently managing my property.
They will require the first month’s rent + one month holding deposit, meaning a total of $1800 has to be deposited with Airbnb.
You will be contacted by Airbnb and will receive their payment details with the warranty for your deposit. After you make the payment deposit to Airbnb, you will be contacted by an Airbnb agent to agree on a suitable date and time to view the property.
Upon viewing the property, if you decide to rent it, the Airbnb agent will provide you with the rental contract which you can sign on the spot. If you decide to sign and move in, Airbnb will release the payment to my account 30 days after your move in date, all this time your money will stay with Airbnb.
If, however you decide not to rent it your one month’s rent payment+ deposit will be fully refunded, they won't charge you a penny.

In this way Airbnb will handle the money and the keys so as to ensure a smooth processing.

Please provide me with the following details for your referencing application so that I can register the transaction with Airbnb and move forward.

First name:
Last name:
Full Address:
Phone number (a valid mobile number where Airbnb can contact you):
Passport , National ID or Driver license photo:


The Airbnb agent will require you to show the Passport or National ID in original when you move in.
The copy is needed in order to fill in your contract.
Let me know at your earliest convenience if you understand the process and I will contact Airbnb with your details.
Once I send them your name,address..etc they will register you in their database and contact you with the instructions for payment. Upon receipt of your payment, an Airbnb agent will arrange the viewing with you.


Kind Regards,
David

This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union, MoneyGram, pre-paid credit card or bank transfer with a promise that you can have the keys to a property that does not belong to him.

Sounds safe. It's not!

At other times, he will ask for proof that you are able to pay the deposit and rent due to a string of time wasters.
This proof is in the form of a Western Union or MoneyGram payment to a lawyer,a friend or family member.

In either case, if payment is made and you give this person the details, they will collect the money.
You will not hear from them again.

All the details such as names, addresses, pictures etc. that the scammer uses in order to back up his story, are stolen from elsewhere.

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 Craigslist, Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment 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.