Rental Scammer - [email protected] or [email protected]

If you see anyone posting online and telling you to send an enquiry via [email protected], it's a scam. I was looking for the perfect property to rent and came upon what seemed to be the perfect match. The information posted was quite limited and the pictures were somehow not the actual ones but I was excited to know more so I sent an email.

Apparently the person behind this is using different names. Here is the reply.

Hello,

I am glad that you are interested to rent my apartment.
My name is Felicia Williams, I'm 44 years old and I am working as a project manager for ADCO Construction. I lived in this apartment until May 2016, when my company started a new project in Ireland and I had to move here for the next 5 years, so the apartment is available for long-term. The apartment is fully furnished with all the necessary equipment and appliances.​ As you saw in the pictures it is in excellent condition, very clean and well kept. The rent will be $250 per week including utilities (hot/cold water, electricity, internet, cable TV). Also, a security deposit (bond) of $1000 is required at the start of the lease and it will be refunded at the end of the contract (a 30 day notice is required). You have full access to all building amenities. Pets are allowed. That's all i can say for now until you have a taste of my place.

In the meantime, can you please confirm the following:

· How many people would be living at the property?
· When would you like to move in? (check-in date)
· What term/length lease would you like?
· Do you have any pets?
· When are your most suitable times/days to view the property?

If further interested, please give me some information about yourself (age, job, lifestyle or whatever you think makes you a good tenant).
Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you.

I got really excited because of this reply and eagerly tried to convince "her" that we would be the right people to rent out the place. But after sending the email, I just felt like something was wrong. I couldn't find the property on the site that it was initially posted. I couldn't find the person's profile on the internet, and the email address she replied with gave me no results.

After googling "[email protected]", I came upon this site. I just knew it! The scammer hasn't replied yet but I feel concerned that he/he knows my name, age, email, and more. I haven't sent any IDs but I wish I was a little more cautious. Hope people get to read this before it's too late.

Thanks!

I received an identical email from the same email address. I was looking at homes only through AllHomes and Domain and they wanted me to pay through "Air BnB". I tried to search again for the property but it seems to have been removed from the original website. Also, after a bit of searching in to Air BnB scams I think I know what they were planning (multiple look alike sites).

Thank you for the original post to help confirm my suspicions.

[email protected]

Hello,

I am glad that you are interested to rent my apartment.
My name is Felicia Williams, I'm 44 years old and I am working as a project manager for ADCO Construction. I lived in this apartment until May 2016, when my company started a new project in Ireland and I had to move here for the next 5 years, so the apartment is available for long-term. The apartment is fully furnished with all the necessary equipment and appliances.​ As you saw in the pictures it is in excellent condition, very clean and well kept. The rent will be $250 per week including utilities (hot/cold water, electricity, internet, cable TV). Also, a security deposit (bond) of $1000 is required at the start of the lease and it will be refunded at the end of the contract (a 30 day notice is required). You have full access to all building amenities. Pets are allowed. That's all i can say for now until you have a taste of my place.

In the meantime, can you please confirm the following:

· How many people would be living at the property?
· When would you like to move in? (check-in date)
· What term/length lease would you like?
· Do you have any pets?
· When are your most suitable times/days to view the property?

If further interested, please give me some information about yourself (age, job, lifestyle or whatever you think makes you a good tenant).
Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you.

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.

So glad I came across this. I just got this email and decided to Google it and read this. Identical email, identical listing.