Rental Scammer - Amanda Marshall

From a contributor to my blog:

FIRST EMAIL:

From: Amanda Marshall
Subject: $700 -- Redondo Beach Condo
To: ***
Date: Saturday, March 5, 2011, 6:05 AM

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. My name is Amanda Marshall, I'm 48 years old, I'm a construction engineer and I'm the owner of this condo(2 bedrooms,2 bathrooms,1246 square footage). I lived in it for over 5 years, loved every day of it. It's located at 531 Avenue A, steps to Redondo Beach, walk distance to beach, close to stores, main highway, residential street. The condo is fully furnished with all necessary amenities(exactly like in the pics), the unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat, it comes with two parking spots, a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture(if you don't like it and you want use your furniture), there is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier. Pets allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I can rent you the condo for min. 1 month max. 6 years(or more). I really want to find a good and responsible tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal information about yourself. The rent for the whole condo for 1 month is $700 including all utilities(water,electricity, internet, cable, parking , airconditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage) and the security deposit is 700$(you'll get the deposit back at your departure- or you can use it to pay your last month of rent) and I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. You can move in the condo in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo.
In order to check it, see if you like it(I'm sure that you'll love it), you need to receive the keys and the contract.
If you want to rent the condo, please e-mail me back and I will explain you how the payment and shipping will take place!

Here are a few pictures:

http://www.mypicx.com/01022011/Redondo_Beach/
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/1.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/2.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/3.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/4.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/5.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/6.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/7.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/8.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/9.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 277/10.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 277/11.jpg

Have a nice day.
---------------------

SECOND EMAIL:

Thank you for your reply.
Before going further with anything I must tell you that for payments I will use the eBay Company, they will secure the transaction of payments. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay Company for this transaction and I will give them your full name, shipping info, phone# and indicate you as my tenant. After that, they will contact you with the payment details, and they will ask you to send them a refundable deposit, $1400 in 24 hours(the money will be for the first month of rent + the security deposit). After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately to start the shipping of the keys and the contract. You will receive a tracking number in max 24 hours after they receive your deposit. The keys will reach to you in 3-4 days. After you'll receive the keys and the contract, the 14 days of inspection period will start( you'll have 14 days to see the condo, read the contract, decide if you keep the condo or not.After the inspection you will contact them and tell your decision: TAKE THE CONDO or NOT TAKE THE CONDO! In case you'll take it you'll have to send them a copy of the contract signed by you and they will release the money to me, if not you'll have to send them the contract unsigned and they will refund your money($1400), the contract and the keys will be shipped back at my expenses! I will pay the shipping and you'll have to pay the money transfer fee for the refundable deposit.
Once again:
1. If you have the money $1400 and if you want to rent it send me your full name, your shipping address and your phone#
2. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay Company for this transaction , and I will give them your info, and indicate you as my tenant.
3. After that, they will contact you with the payment details(you'll have to send them $1400 via money transfer in the next 24 hours-you'll need cash)
4. After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately to start the shipping, and you will receive a tracking number in max 24 hours after they receive your deposit.
5.From the moment you receive the keys the 14 days inspection period will start.I will make the transaction only in this way so if you have the money and if you want to rent my condo send me your full name, your shipping address, your phone# and I'll start the procedure.
Thank you.

I have recently received the first email from this Amanda Marshall but the renting price is for $800. The condo looks extremely beautiful and I became intrigued with the rent, the included utilities and amenities and so forth. I then decided to GOOGLE it because not only did she mention United Kingdom but it jus seems too good to be true.

I would like to know if this is a scam as well. I got the listing off of craigslist.org

Yes, it is 100% scam.

It is Monday May 16th. I got the same email from this Amanda Marshall. I just want people to know that this is the email they are now using. Got it off craigslist:

Amanda Marshall: [email protected]

---

Here is the link I used from craigslist to email them:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/ap ... 04825.html

Here is what I got in response:
Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. My name is Amanda Marshall, I'm 49 years old, I'm a construction engineer and I'm the owner of this condo(1 bedroom,1 bathrooms,over 700 square footage). I lived in it for over 5 years, loved every day of it. It's located at 531 Avenue A, steps to Redondo Beach, walk distance to beach, close to stores, main highway, residential street. The condo is fully furnished with all necessary amenities(exactly like in the pics), the unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat, it comes with two parking spots, a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture(if you don't like it and you want use your furniture), there is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier. Pets are allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I can rent you the condo for min. 1 month max. 6 years(or more). I really want to find a good and responsible tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal information about yourself. The rent for the whole condo for 1 month is $800 including all utilities(water,electricity, internet, cable, parking , airconditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage) and the security deposit is 800$(you'll get the deposit back at your departure- or you can use it to pay your last month of rent) and I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. You can move in the condo in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo.
In order to check it, see if you like it(I'm sure that you'll love it), you need to receive the keys and the contract.
If you want to rent the condo, please e-mail me back and I will explain you how the payment and shipping will take place!

Here are a few pictures:


http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/1.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/3.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/5.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/6.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/7.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 0277/8.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 277/10.jpg
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x41 ... 277/11.jpg


Regards

---

SCAM!

OMG... Thank you all for informing me of this. I received the 2nd email and this is what is said:

Thank you for your reply.
Before going further with anything I must tell you that for payments I will use the eBay Company, they will secure the transaction of payments. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay Company for this transaction and I will give them your full name, shipping info, phone# and indicate you as my tenant. After that, they will contact you with the payment details, and they will ask you to send them a refundable deposit, $1600 in 24 hours(the money will be for the first month of rent + the security deposit). After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately to start the shipping of the keys and the contract. You will receive a tracking number in max 24 hours after they receive your deposit. The keys will reach to you in 3-4 days. After you'll receive the keys and the contract, the 14 days of inspection period will start( you'll have 14 days to see the condo, read the contract, decide if you keep the condo or not.After the inspection you will contact them and tell your decision: TAKE THE CONDO or NOT TAKE THE CONDO! In case you'll take it you'll have to send them a copy of the contract signed by you and they will release the money to me, if not you'll have to send them the contract unsigned and they will refund your money($1600), the contract and the keys will be shipped back at my expenses! I will pay the shipping and you'll have to pay the money transfer fee for the refundable deposit.
Once again:
1. If you have the money $1600 and if you want to rent it send me your full name, your shipping address and your phone#
2. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay Company for this transaction , and I will give them your info, and indicate you as my tenant.
3. After that, they will contact you with the payment details(you'll have to send them $1600 via money transfer in the next 24 hours-you'll need cash)
4. After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately to start the shipping, and you will receive a tracking number in max 24 hours after they receive your deposit.
5.From the moment you receive the keys the 14 days inspection period will start.I will make the transaction only in this way so if you have the money and if you want to rent my condo send me your full name, your shipping address, your phone# and I'll start the procedure.
Thank you.

I just received the 2nd email and I totally can't stand scammers.

Thank you for your reply.
Before going further with anything I must tell you that for payments I will use the eBay Company, they will secure the transaction of payments. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay Company for this transaction and I will give them your full name, shipping info, phone# and indicate you as my tenant. After that, they will contact you with the payment details, and they will ask you to send them a refundable deposit, $1600 in 24 hours(the money will be for the first month of rent + the security deposit). After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately to start the shipping of the keys and the contract. You will receive a tracking number in max 24 hours after they receive your deposit. The keys will reach to you in 3-4 days. After you'll receive the keys and the contract, the 14 days of inspection period will start( you'll have 14 days to see the condo, read the contract, decide if you keep the condo or not.After the inspection you will contact them and tell your decision: TAKE THE CONDO or NOT TAKE THE CONDO! In case you'll take it you'll have to send them a copy of the contract signed by you and they will release the money to me, if not you'll have to send them the contract unsigned and they will refund your money($1600), the contract and the keys will be shipped back at my expenses! I will pay the shipping and you'll have to pay the money transfer fee for the refundable deposit.
Once again:
1. If you have the money $1600 and if you want to rent it send me your full name, your shipping address and your phone#
2. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay Company for this transaction , and I will give them your info, and indicate you as my tenant.
3. After that, they will contact you with the payment details(you'll have to send them $1600 via money transfer in the next 24 hours-you'll need cash)
4. After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately to start the shipping, and you will receive a tracking number in max 24 hours after they receive your deposit.
5.From the moment you receive the keys the 14 days inspection period will start.I will make the transaction only in this way so if you have the money and if you want to rent my condo send me your full name, your shipping address, your phone# and I'll start the procedure.
Thank you.