Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Fra: Michael Rice < [email protected] >

Til: rice
Emne: Re: $1300 Charming Studio in Palo Alto

Hey,

Thank you for your interest in my apartment located in 525 Hamilton Ave,
Palo Alto, 94301. The apartment is in excellent condition and it's just
like in the pictures, very clean and very well taken. Honestly from
point of view I'm sure that you will rent it on spot. I'm not looking
to make a business or a profit with the apartment, I'm just trying to
find a good and trust person to take good care of the place. It is
furnished but if you want you can use your furniture and deposit mine
in the storage unit that is located near the building not far away.
The rent is 1300 /month with everything included (heat, hydro, water,
electricity, cable and internet-full package, 2 parking spots, laundry
in-suite, washer and dryer). You will have full access to all the
amenities of the building. Pets are allowed. I stayed in the apartment
with my wife for 3 months. I'm a civil engineer and I work for a
company that has an auction for a project in construction in London,
United Kingdom, so my accommodation period in England will be about 4
years. Everything in the apartment is new so there will be no need for
repairs.

Thank you and look forward hearing from you!
Michael

Fra: Michael Rice <[email protected]>

Til:
Emne: Re: $1300 Charming Studio in Palo Alto

Hello ,

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately there is a problem showing you the apartment, because I already left with my job in United Kingdom, and the keys are with me. Before I had to leave for United Kingdom I had someone interested in the apartment, he said that he will take the apartment, I waited for him, but unfortunately he didn't managed to get the money to rent it, I had to leave and I was unable to rent the apartment when I was still there. Obviously this brought me financial loss. So I can tell that I have a bitter experience of making reservation, for this reason I decided to use an specialized company in this kind of transactions.

As I told you before the rent for 1 month will be $1300 with no extra fees and you will have full access to all the amenities of the building. The price will not increase for the whole period that you will stay there. I would also like to know how many people will live in the apartment and also which rental contract do you prefer- 6 months or 1 year rental contract with option of renewal. The monthly payments can be wired directly to my Bank Account or we can setup a payment method that is suitable for both of us.

The apartment is in excellent condition, you only need to receive the keys and the contract so you could check it out, and see if you like it. Since at this moment I'm in London, United Kingdom and obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal.The solution is a worldwide third party company called Roomorama (www.roomorama.com) ,they will provide assistance in handling the payment and delivery of the rental package.

We use this company to see that you are an trusting and serious person. They will provide assistance in handling the payment and delivery of the rental package. With this procedure you will be able to check the apartment before I receive the payment. Please be aware that is NOT necessary for you to register with Roomorama for this transaction, I've made over 5 transactions with them so far. They are really professional and they have great services.

My phone number is +44 20 8123 0997. You can call me or e-mail anytime you wish.

Let me know if you are interested so I can provide with all the steps of this transaction. You need to know everything about this process before we get this started. I think is right for both of us.

Thank you and hope to hear from you soon!
Michael

Hi again,

This transaction is not made face to face, this is the whole reason for using Roomorama, for both of us to be 100% protected. For security and for your peace of mind I had attached an copy of my PASSPORT to build up some confidence. Also please read this email carefully, I know that is very long, but it has all the transaction details.

Regarding the process, you will only have to deposit to Roomorama the first month rent, an total of 1300$ so they can proceed with the shipping, and you can receive the rental package (keys and documents). I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the keys and the contract signed by me right away. I will explain you step by step how this process will work:

1 - To start the process all I need is your full info (full name, address and a cell phone number).
2 - I will go at Roomorama to deposit the keys and the contract on your name as the intended receiver.
3 - Roomorama will check the package to see if everything is in order and also the legal papers that will come along with the keys and proof of ownership with their Real Estate Professional Department in London. They will also confirm that I'm the legal owner of the apartment I'm renting to you.
4 - Roomorama will send you a delivery notification to let you know they have the keys and the papers in their custody. They will also send you all the payment instructions to complete the rental transaction.
5 - At this point you will have to make a money deposit on the Roomorama account for the amount we agreed, the total amount you shall deposit for the first month of rent. The payment needs to be sent within 24 hours after you receive the transaction details or else they will charge me an additional fee.
6 - After you make the deposit you will have to send the payment details to Roomorama.
7 - Roomorama will verify the transfer and if everything is in order they will start the shipping procedures using UPS Next Day Shipping Service.
8 - After you receive the package, you will go by yourself and check the apartment and in 5 days (inspection time) you must contact Roomorama to inform them if you keep the apt or not and if everything is in order you will instruct Roomorama to send me the information about the money deposit and I will be able to receive the funds. If you don`t like the apartment they will be sending the money back to you and you will send back the keys and contract. Roomorama can't release the funds without your approval.

Using Roomorama involves three parties: me as owner, you as a potential tenant and Roomorama as a responsible third party authorized to handle this transaction. Roomorama works the same way as the escrow account on which you place the deposit when you rent an apartment, except that instead of a bank, we use Roomorama. Of course, nobody can take that money until you will sign the lease agreement.

Let me know if you have the funds available (1300$) so we can move forward and e-mail me your full information I requested. Any further questions regarding the transaction you can call or e-mail me.

Thanks
Michael

Fra: Michael Rice <[email protected]>

Til:
Emne: Re: $1300 Charming Studio in Palo Alto

,

I received your email with your details, tomorrow morning before I go to work, I will go to Roomorama office and start this transaction. Please know that I will pay all the fees for this transaction (around 80$), I will pay for an 2 days delivery, so you can get the keys and documents asap.

Roomorama will contact you with all the transaction details (steps, how to make the deposit..etc), also they will send you official documents (invoice and rental agreement).

Please prepare your time to make the deposit to Roomorama tomorrow, because if the deposit is not made within 24 hours since you receive their email with the Rental Agreement, I will be extra-charged.

Finally, please let me know if it is fine for you to start the transaction tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
Michael

Domain Name: ROBINS-MORTON.COM
Registrar: GODADDY.COM, LLC
Sponsoring Registrar IANA ID: 146
Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
Referral URL: http://www.godaddy.com
Name Server: NS67.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Name Server: NS68.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Status: clientDeleteProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientDeleteProhibited
Status: clientRenewProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientRenewProhibited
Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Status: clientUpdateProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientUpdateProhibited
Updated Date: 02-sep-2016
Creation Date: 02-sep-2016
Expiration Date: 02-sep-2017

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.

This scammer is now using the email address [email protected] and going by the name Michael Rodi, but the emails he sent me were the exact same, except for the address and the rent amount.

Ad Title: $900 Lovely Studio in Back Bay
The address was for: 252 Newbury Street Unit 103 Boston MA (Back Bay)
Rent amount was for $900

Again the email chains he sent were the exact same - the only difference was the amount and location.