Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2010 22:24:52 +0300
Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: 2 bedroom apartment to let: City Road, Clerkenwell, London EC1
From: [email protected]
To: Con Warner


Hello,

First sorry for my late reply, My asking price is 320+100(including all taxes and bills) GBP per month and the first payment will be 2 months of rent GBP 840,because the minimum period of rent is 2 months.The flat is very clean and i want to leave the flat to one person clean and responsible tenant.
For me is very hard to come in UK and if i will come i must be 100% sure that I will not come for nothing. As you can see in the photos everything it's new in the flat.I am working in Germany (Berlin) and I am here with my family.
As regards the viewing,i think we could fix a date i come in UK for the viewing and we reach an agreement.The property has a fully furnished kitchen,clean and well tidy sitting rooms,laundry room,and fully furnished with all home utilities like: electric shower, Lounge,Vacuum Cleaner,Toaster, Oven and microwave, dryer, iron, washing machine , refrigerator , dishwasher, power shower, heater, cable ready, tv set and dvd player,internet connection, equipped kitchen and all utilities.
I await your mail to know if you are satisfy with the details of my flat give to you as well to know and arrange for the viewing of the flat and arrange for the necessary thing that is also needed.
I wait your response.


Kevin Anderson
Auguststrasse 52
10119 Berlin
Germany

Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2010 17:01:00 +0300
Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: 2 bedroom apartment to let: City Road, Clerkenwell, London EC1
From: [email protected]
To: Con Warner

Hi,

Yes there is a lot of space for a couple.
The 100gbp is for gas,and all bills of the flat.
I work for SBG - Sales Business Germany GmbH and is very hard for me to come in UK. I can't take the risk to leave my new job for days and when I arrive in UK to see that I come for nothing. I want to be 100% sure that when I will meet you, we do the rent papers then i can come back in Germany.
So i can be sure of that look how we can do:
You make the payment from your name and address to your best friend name and address in UK using WesternUnion for 2 months rent that means 840 GBP and send me the scanned receipt. As soon as I see the scanned receipt that you have made the payment, I will come in UK and you will see the flat and maybe rent it. After that, we will go together at the WesternUnion office and you will take the money back and pay me.So all you have to do is to find a WesternUnion office and wire 840 GBP from your name to your friend name and send the scanned receipt.I am asking you this to be sure that I do not come in UK for nothing. Hope you can understand my situations.
P.S : As I told you,I have a lot of customers interested to rent the apartment. I will reserve the apartment to the first one that provides
me the scanned paper from WesternUnion. As soon as I have the confirmation from WesternUnion that the money are available on his name I stop the transactions with all the other customers
I wait your response.

Kevin Anderson
Auguststrasse 52
10119 Berlin
Germany

This person asks 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 payment to a friend or family member.

Sounds safe. It's not!

At other times, this person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union and they will send the keys through a courier company.

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.

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 by Western Union 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.

Hi,
I went through the same thing and wished I had just searched his name and address on google and would have not been a victim of it.
If anyone else has gone through the same thing, what was the end result.
I do not know what to do and how this matter can be resolved.

Just found another one of these. Thought it sounded far too good to be true. Got these mails relating to Albion Riverside (A stupidly high end place designed by Norman Foster):

Hello,

First sorry for my late reply. My asking price is 640+100(including all taxes and bills) GBP per month and the first payment will be for 2 months of rent (1480 GBP), because the minimum period of rent is 2 months. The flat is very clean and I want to leave the flat to one person who is a clean and responsible tenant.
For me it is very hard to come in UK because of my working place, and if I will come I must be 100% sure that I will not come for nothing. As you can see in the photos everything it's new in the flat. I am working in Germany (Berlin) and I am here with my family.
Regarding the meeting, I think we could fix a date when I can come in UK for the viewing and we can reach an agreement. The property has a fully furnished kitchen, clean and well tidy sitting rooms, laundry room, and fully furnished with all home utilities like: electric shower, lounge, vacuum cleaner, toaster, oven and microwave, dryer, iron, washing machine , refrigerator , dishwasher, power shower, heater, cable ready, tv set and dvd player, internet connection, equipped kitchen and all utilities.
I am waiting for your mail to know if you are satisfied with the details of my flat which I have you, as well to know and arrange for the viewing of the flat and arrange for other necessary arrangements that are needed.
I am waiting for your response.

Kevin Anderson
Auguststrasse 52
10119 Berlin
Germany

Alarm bells rang. I found a legitimate add for a 3 bed place here for £12,000 a month. I've responded though and will try and get as much out of him/her to make this thread more complete. But basically, do not deal with Kevin Anderson ([email protected])!

This is the reply. Clearly a scam, and not a very clever one at that. I can't think that many would fall for this anyway. But hopefully this might help someone.

From: Kevin Anderson <[email protected]>

Hi,

The 100gbp is for gas,and all bills of the flat.
I work for SBG - Sales Business Germany GmbH and is very hard for me to come in UK. I can't take the risk to leave my new job for days and when I arrive in UK to see that I come for nothing. I want to be 100% sure that when I will meet you, we do the rent papers then i can come back in Germany.
So i can be sure of that look how we can do:
You make the payment from your name and address to your best friend name and address in UK using WesternUnion for 2 months rent that means 1480 GBP and send me the scanned receipt. As soon as I see the scanned receipt that you have made the payment, I will come in UK and you will see the flat and maybe rent it. After that, we will go together at the WesternUnion office and you will take the money back and pay me.So all you have to do is to find a WesternUnion office and wire 1480 GBP from your name to your friend name and send the scanned receipt.I am asking you this to be sure that I do not come in UK for nothing. Hope you can understand my situations.
P.S : As I told you,I have a lot of customers interested to rent the apartment. I will reserve the apartment to the first one that provides
me the scanned paper from WesternUnion. As soon as I have the confirmation from WesternUnion that the money are available on his name I stop the transactions with all the other customers


I wait your response.

Kevin Anderson
Auguststrasse 52
10119 Berlin
Germany

it does catch people, I'm afraid. If you don't know how insecure Western Union is, it doesn't seem unreasonable.