Room for Rent and other rental scams
by Michelle Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:47 pm
From: Paul Hartley <[email protected]>

Thanks for your interest in the apartment, yes the apartment is still available and here are the necessary things you need to know about the rent and deposit.

Type of property : Fully furnished and modern one bedroom apartment(Living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen),it is also available unfurnished.

Rent : $850 per month

Minimum lease : 1 Month

Maximum lease : 1 year(contract renewed every 1 year)

Type of lease : Both short and long term

Security Deposit: $850.00 (Refundable at the end of tenancy)

Utilities Included ( water, gas, electricity and wireless Internet)

The apartment is fully furnished with a fully-equipped kitchen.

Dish Washer
Washer/dryer in the unit
Central Heating & Double Glazed
Air conditioning
modern furniture
Reserved parking
pets allowed


Available for now.
viewing is strictly by appointment..

Get back to me if you are satisfied and your present location.


Paul.


From: Paul Hartley <[email protected]>


Attached is the lease agreement, Kindly get it signed and scan back to me asap.

Payment Information
====================
The Payment has to be wired to the below attorney's account

Name : Casey Aaron Schofield
Account Number : 3122855319
Routing Number : 121000248
Bank Name: Wells Fargo


As soon as the payment has been confirmed, the receipt of payment will be forwarded to you and the apartment will be reserved for your moving in . Kindly get back to me as soon as possible.. Thank you

Paul


This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union, MoneyGram 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.
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by Brienneotarth Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:24 am
I contacted Paul Hartley about a listing he had up on apartments.com - 2201 Colorado St, Santa Monica, for $2000 month. I immediately suspected it was a scam based on the price as well as the fact that no such condominiums exist at that address (one does exist, however, at 2200 Colorado St.) I received the same response email you posted.
I just noticed a similar listing on MLS that was posted for 2200 Colorado for the exact same price by someone named Paul Hartley who seems to have a legit MLS license. He seems to have multiple listings posted and the number listed on his MLS profile is the exact same one he refers to in his email responses, (415)548-5514.
How can he still have a license if this is the same guy? Or do you think it’s someone different?
Here’s his MLS profile: https://www.mlslistings.com/FindAnAgent ... e/00606758

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