Rental Scam - [email protected]

Joseph Craig < [email protected] > wrote:

Hello xxx,

Thanks so much for your interest in renting my apartment. My name is Joseph Craig, I'm happily married and am a professional architectural engineer, i just invested in a modern architectural engineering and interior designing company which is a dream come true for me here in Texas, so that's why am placing my tastefully spacious one bedroom one bathroom apartment for rent and before me and my wife moved down here in Texas, we couldn't get a reliable property agent to handle the welfare of the apartment and because i really cherish my property, we decided to take the keys and the documents with us.

Address: 3439 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94118

This is an absolutely beautiful apartment, pets allowed and it's located in prime neighborhood that is close to all amenities- public transits, shopping, grocery stores, schools, restaurants with appliances including refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, in-suite washer/dryer, cable ready, high speed internet Wifi as well as storage space and one secured parking space included. The rent per month is $1,000 including all utilities for either short or long term lease and $1,000 security damages deposit which will be refunded to you in full amount after your tenancy that is when you want to move out of the apartment. I will like you to tell me about your renting experience and how you can take very good care of the apartment, so that i can forward the rental application form to you as well as the interior pictures of the apartment to show you how spacious and beautiful the apartment is and we can proceed further to the next steps.

Awaiting Your Prompt Response.

Regards

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.