Rental Scam - [email protected]

From: Christopher M < [email protected] >
Subject: Re: $650CAD Beautiful Studio in Centretown

Hello,

Thank you for your interest in my apartment, it is still available. I
will try to give you as many details as I can regarding the apartment
in the following email.

The full address of the apartment is 234 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 0A9.
Everything is just like in the pictures, fully equipped with all the
appliances you need, very clean and well kept. The apartment can be
rented furnished or if you want you can use your furniture and deposit
mine in the storage unit. I work as an civil engineer and the company
I work for has developed projects all around the world. Now, I have
received an very good offer from them to move to the United Kingdom
department, offer that I have accepted.

The apartment is vacant so you can move-in anytime you want, also my
contract in UK is for the next 6 years, so for this period, I will not
return 100%.

The rent of 650$/month is for the whole apartment and includes all the
utilities: heat, water, electricity, parking, laundry in-suite, washer
and dryer also included, cable and internet. You will have full access
to all building amenities. Just in case repairs are needed there, I
will cover the costs, so no worries. The price I'm asking is below the
market because I want to find a responsible tenant to take good care
of the place.

I'm the owner of the apartment, it's already paid in full and there is
no mortgage on it. You have everything you need near-by (public
transportation, schools, groceries etc.). Also I love pets, so if you
have any pets, I won't have any problem, pets are allowed. Honestly
from point of view I'm sure that You'll love it for sure and rent it
on spot.

I would like to know how many people will live in the apartment and
also which rental contract do you prefer to start with - 6 months or 1
year with option of renewal?

Please let me know if you are really interested in the place so we can
discuss further.

Thank you and look forward hearing from you!
Chris

PS: I attached you all the pictures that I have with the apartment (as
you can see everything is in absolutely perfect condition).

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.

I got the same email twice from the same person regarding 2 different properties.
The first one is a Mississauga condo and the second one is a Scarborough condo. It's ridiculous!

Christopher M <[email protected]>
AttachmentsJul 14 (2 days ago)
to me
Hello,

Thank you for your interest in my apartment, it is still available. I
will try to give you as many details as I can regarding the apartment
in the following email.

The full address of the apartment is 3880 Duke of York Blvd,
Mississauga, ON L5B 4M7.
Everything is just like in the pictures, fully equipped with all the
appliances you need, very clean and well kept. The apartment can be
rented furnished or if you want you can use your furniture and deposit
mine in the storage unit. I work as an civil engineer and the company
I work for has developed projects all around the world. Now, I have
received an very good offer from them to move to the United Kingdom
department, offer that I have accepted.

The apartment is vacant so you can move-in anytime you want, also my
contract in UK is for the next 6 years, so for this period, I will not
return 100%.

The rent of 650$/month is for the whole apartment and includes all the
utilities: heat, water, electricity, parking, laundry in-suite, washer
and dryer also included, cable and internet. You will have full access
to all building amenities. Just in case repairs are needed there, I
will cover the costs, so no worries. The price I'm asking is below the
market because I want to find a responsible tenant to take good care
of the place.

I'm the owner of the apartment, it's already paid in full and there is
no mortgage on it. You have everything you need near-by (public
transportation, schools, groceries etc.). Also I love pets, so if you
have any pets, I won't have any problem, pets are allowed. Honestly
from point of view I'm sure that You'll love it for sure and rent it
on spot.

I would like to know how many people will live in the apartment and
also which rental contract do you prefer to start with - 6 months or 1
year with option of renewal?

Please let me know if you are really interested in the place so we can
discuss further.

Thank you and look forward hearing from you!
Chris

PS: I attached you all the pictures that I have with the apartment (as
you can see everything is in absolutely perfect condition).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christopher H <[email protected]>
AttachmentsJul 14 (2 days ago)
to me
Hello,

Thank you for your interest in my apartment, it is still available. I
will try to give you as many details as I can regarding the apartment
in the following email.

The full address of the apartment is 330 McCowan Rd, Scarborough, ON M1J 3N3.
Everything is just like in the pictures, fully equipped with all the
appliances you need, very clean and well kept. The apartment can be
rented furnished or if you want you can use your furniture and deposit
mine in the storage unit. I work as an civil engineer and the company
I work for has developed projects all around the world. Now, I have
received an very good offer from them to move to the United Kingdom
department, offer that I have accepted.

The apartment is vacant so you can move-in anytime you want, also my
contract in UK is for the next 6 years, so for this period, I will not
return 100%.

The rent of 860$/month is for the whole apartment and includes all the
utilities: heat, water, electricity, parking, laundry in-suite, washer
and dryer also included, cable and internet. You will have full access
to all building amenities. Just in case repairs are needed there, I
will cover the costs, so no worries. The price I'm asking is below the
market because I want to find a responsible tenant to take good care
of the place.

I'm the owner of the apartment, it's already paid in full and there is
no mortgage on it. You have everything you need near-by (public
transportation, schools, groceries etc.). Also I love pets, so if you
have any pets, I won't have any problem, pets are allowed. Honestly
from point of view I'm sure that You'll love it for sure and rent it
on spot.

I would like to know how many people will live in the apartment and
also which rental contract do you prefer to start with - 6 months or 1
year with option of renewal?

Please let me know if you are really interested in the place so we can
discuss further.

Thank you and look forward hearing from you!
Chris

PS: I attached you all the pictures that I have with the apartment (as
you can see everything is in absolutely perfect condition).

Hi there;
I just got one of these emails but it was sent from [email protected].
Of course, with my luck, my perfect apartment is a scam!