Rental Scammer in Geneva - [email protected]

Just a warning, been corresponding with this guy about an apartment in Geneva and all signs point to a scam. The email is [email protected], and it says his name is "Robert Ciarlante". He asks for a contract to be signed and a deposit paid before seeing the place or getting keys because he's "in Scotland".

First email:

"Thanks for having interest in my apartment and the apartment is located at Rue des Glacis de Rive 1207 Genève Switzerland Good public transportation near the, shops and is location is quiet also i will like to tell you the kind of tenant i need, I need someone that will be able to take good care of my apartment and mentain everything in the apartment because have relocated to Scotland due to my work and the apartment is available for long and short term.

More about the apartment is a very attractive living room,dining and has a fireplace. There is a dining area and adjacent to the living room and there is a well furnished and well equipped kitchen with a fridge, microwave and cooker.A washing machine and a separate dryer in the utility cupboard adjacent to the bathroom The bathroom has a bath with shower,A vanity unit with separate W.C. and the bedrooms are well furnished, and have good looking doors. There is a colour tv in all the apartment and a dvd player. also with internet facilities, i believe you will like the apartment, also the rent is 1200sfr monthly and the security deposit which will be refund after your stay in the flat without any damage is 1300sfr so get back to me so that we can proceed with the necessary arrangement and i will send the picture of the apartment to you if you are ok with the location...

Regards
Robert"


Second email:

"...as you can read from my advert and here is the picture of the apartment and all i need from my tenant is to take good care of it and be a good tenant to me after moving in, so if you are ok with the apartment and you will like to proceed then we will have to sign a contract to legalize the rent after which you will proceed with the payment of the deposit and this will serve as an assurance that you really have interest in my apartment and the apartment will be reserve for you, also after the payment have been confirm here then a receipt will be issue back in return to guaranty the payment with the key of the apartment will be send to you and this are the things you will come down with on your movein date to the apartment and you make the payment of the first month rent on your movein date..

Waiting for your answer

Regards
Robert"

Third email after I had asked about seeing the place:

"I would love to meet you, get to know you and show you round the flat so that you can see what you are renting but I have been having problems with time wasters who could not keep to there end of deal.Its really time wasting because i am a very busy person and do not really have much time to waste. To me, every seconds count

Remember am in scotland at moment and i will like to be sure of my tenant before travel down there because i will not like to waste my time or money coming down there so thats why we will have to sign a contract first and you make the payment of the deposit only and this will serve as an assurance that you really have interest in my apartment and after i confirm the deposit here, then the key of the apartment and a receipt to guaranty the deposit payment will be send to you and this are the things you will come down with on your moving date to the apartment and you make the payment of the first month rent on your moving date aswell...

Waiting for your answer

Regards"

He asks for a contract to be signed and a deposit paid before seeing the place or getting keys because he's "in Scotland".

That is all that I had to read to confirm the scam. No legitimate landlord will ask for a deposit before meeting you in person and letting you view the property.

Thanks for posting the information on this scam.

Hello,

Thank you for posting this, I have just encountered 'Robert Ciarlante' as well.

With almost promising rewards of cheap accommodation, but I would've had to send him money as well I guess.

The first email that I received.

'appreciate the interest you have in my apartment. also i will like to tell you the kind of tenant i need, I need someone that will be able to take good care of my apartment and maintain everything in the apartment because have relocated to Scotland due to my work and the apartment is available for long and short term.

There is a dining area and adjacent to the living room and there is a well furnished and well equipped kitchen with a fridge, microwave and cooker.A washing machine and a separate dryer in the utility cupboard adjacent to the bathroom The bathroom has a bath with shower,A unit with separate W.C. and the bedrooms are well furnished, and have good looking doors. There is a colour tv in all the apartment and a dvd player. also with internet facilities

- The apartment is located at Invalidenstrasse ,10115 BERLIN - GERMANY and it is very close to metro stations, restaurants and stores.

- The rent is Eur 300 per month including all bills such as water, electricity, gas e..t.c with a refundable deposit of Eur 600 which will be refund back to you at the end of your stay in my apartment

Anyway my apartment is located in a very safe and quite neighborhood. There is no noise. My apartment is very clean and well equipped with all necessities.

so get back to me so that we can proceed with the necessary arrangement and i will send the picture of the apartment to you if you are ok with the location.....

Regards
Robert'

However, Robert was offering his apartment in Berlin.

Glad, I am suspicious and hope this will help people avoid these scammers.

Dudley

Hi guys!

Thank you so much for this post... I was looking for a room to rent in Copenhaguen and I found out the post of the same person... this liar.
I contacted him via website, using a browser of flats/rooms to rent in Copenhaguen. As I didn't trust him and his post, I searched his email, that's why I found you guys.

This time, he/she changed the email to contact me ( [email protected] ). He told me his name was Robert Ciarlante, and the emails he sent me where exactly the same, but changing the address from the room.


First email:
"Thanks for having interest in my apartment and the apartment is located at Toldbodgade Copenhagen DK 1253 Denmark, Good public transportation near the, shops and is location is quiet also i will like to tell you the kind of tenant i need, I need someone that will be able to take good care of my apartment and maintain everything in the apartment because have relocated to Ukraine due to my work and the apartment is available for long and short term.


More about the apartment is a very attractive living room,dining and has a fireplace. There is a dining area and adjacent to the living room and there is a well furnished and well equipped kitchen with a fridge, microwave and cooker.A washing machine and a separate dryer in the utility cupboard adjacent to the bathroom The bathroom has a bath with shower,A unit with separate W.C. and the bedrooms are well furnished, and have good looking doors. There is a colour tv in all the apartment and a dvd player. also with internet facilities, i believe you will like and the flat the rent is DKK 3000 monthly and the security deposit which will be refund after your stay in the flat without any damage is DKK 5000 so get back to me so that we can proceed with the necessary arrangement and i will send the picture of the apartment to you if you are ok with the location...

Regards
Robert"

Second email:
"Yes. all the utilities bill are included in the monthly rent and the Toldbodgade is nearthat street there is a big square called Amalienborg

Moreso. here is the picture of the apartment and all i need from my tenant is to take good care of it and be a good tenant to me after moving in, so if you are ok with the apartment and you will like to proceed then we will have to sign a contract to legalize the rent after which you will proceed with the payment of the deposit and this will serve as an assurance that you really have interest in my apartment and the apartment will be reserve for you, also after the payment have been confirm here then a receipt will be issue back in return to guaranty the payment with the key of the apartment will be send to you and this are the things you will come down with on your movein date to the apartment and you make the payment of the first month rent on your movein date..

Waiting for your answer

Regards
Robert"

Same story here: Copenhagen apartment. Glad I google his name. But isn't there anyway to entrap these people?