by Michelle
Mon Aug 08, 2016 4:15 am
From: Justin Patel [email protected]
Subject: Re: Apartments.com Network lead for 10724 Wilshire Blvd
Hello Michelle
I can rent it for as long as you want.
I will gladly sign the contract with you if we can reach an agreement. As I explained in the previous email, I live in Italy. 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 $2300 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,
Justin
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, MoneyGram or Bank Transfer 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.
