by Michelle
Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:57 am
From: [email protected]
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: RE: Reply to your ad: 2 bed flat to rent, Cresswell Gardens, Earls Court, SW5
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 11:53:58 +0200
Hello,
First I need you to know that you can rent the flat for as long as you want, but for at least 2 months, that is my condition. The flat is available for renting right away. The price for the rent is 280+100 GBP/month (including all taxes and bills) and you will pay for the first 2 months of rent in advance (760 GBP). The flat is very clean and I want to leave the flat to a person who is a clean and responsible tenant. As you can see in the photos everything is new in the flat. I am working in Switzerland (Zurich) and I am here with my family. 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. 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 gave 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.
David Rountrees
Marktgasse 17
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
From: [email protected]
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: RE: Reply to your ad: 2 bed flat to rent, Cresswell Gardens, Earls Court, SW5
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2010 19:40:11 +0200
Hello,
I work for Credit Suisse Group 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 to Switzerland. Of course there is the possibility for you not to want the rent, and I perfectly understand. My only worry is traveling all over to UK for the meeting with you and when I show up at the meeting, you will not be there. That is my concern.
In order to be sure you are a serious person, this is what we can do:
You will make the payment from your name and address to your best friend (it can be a family member) with name and address in UK using Western Union for 2 months rent that means 760 GBP and send me the scanned receipt. As soon as I see the scanned receipt that you have made the payment, the proof that you have the money and you are a serious person, I will come to UK and you will see the flat and maybe rent it. After that, we will go together at the Western Union office and you will take the money back and pay me. So all you have to do is to find a Western Union office and wire 760 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 situation.
Please understand that the payment will not be made to me, it will be made to a friend of yours, or family member. This deposit with Western Union is not a pay for the flat, it means that you will show me that you really have money for the flat and that you really will be at the meeting point when we will meet. I had bad incidents in the past when I have made arrangements with other people to meet, and when I came to UK, they didn't show up for the meeting. And I traveled all the way to UK for nothing. This payment will prove to me that you are a serious and reliable person.
P.S : As I have 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 Western Union. As soon as I have the confirmation from Western Union that the money are available on his name I stop the transactions with all the other customers.
I am waiting for your response.
David Rountrees
Marktgasse 17
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
The thief will tell you that you can rent his accommodation only if you can prove that you have genuine interest. He will ask you send money by wire transfer (normally Western Union) to yourself or a member of the family to show that you have sufficient finances and that you are not a "time waster".
Another variation of this scam is that you need to send (by Western Union) money in order that the keys and other documents can be couriered to you
He will ask you to send him the transfer details.
Make no mistake ! Western Union Transfers can be picked up virtually anywhere in the world and with the minimum of identification. They are almost impossible to trace once the money has been collected. You will never get to see the accommodation or your money 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 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.
