Dear Michelle,
You’re doing a great thing! I was super happy that he answered to my message posted on his ads. The ‘apartment’ was looking great in pictures (see attached) and the price awesome. But I became a bit suspicious right after his first email received: “
[email protected]” saying:
“Hello,
I have received your email regarding my apartment to rent.
I am the owner and I want to rent the apartment for a longer time.
Please let me know if you want more details. My German is a bit rusty, so if you can, answer me in English.
I will wait your email.
Regards!”
It was sent at 1AM. Which German is writing emails in the middle of the night
. Plus, his ad was deleted (I kept the track via the ad ID).
I answered by giving my overview of what I’m doing in Frankfurt, asking to have a phone/video call and to propose a date&hour for it.
The second email made me 80% sure that it is a scam. See the email below:
“
[email protected]”
“Nice to hear from you!
I am the owner of the apartment, situated in: Rossertstraße 3, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland.
Rooms : 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Living Area approx: 63,00 m²
The apartment is fully furnished and renovated . You can use my furniture, or you can also use your own if you prefer. If you decide to use yours, you can store my furniture in the large basement cellar.
The monthly rent price is 600 EUR, including all utilities (gas / electricity / phone / cable / internet / parking / heating), and its for an indefinite period. The apartment is in good condition, clean and ready to use. The kitchen is fully equipped.
In the apartment you find a refrigerator, a freezer, a washing machine, a dryer, an iron, an oven, a toaster, coffee maker, Internet access and Wi-Fi access.
We have the apartment since 2015 and we lived there until last month,then my work contract ended and we returned home to Kampen, Netherlands.
The apartment has public transport near and not far away of shopping center, sports club and other amenities. Pets are allowed, but I ask you everything to be kept clean. The apartment has a parking place. I have invested a substantial amount in this apartment and would be very grateful if you we would treat like being your own property. I am interested in a long-term tenant who cares about the property not to earn money by rental income .
Because of my unexpected return to Netherlands its been short time to find a reliable tenant. I have the keys. Once I find a serious tenant I come back to Germany, to show it and sign the lease.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Thanks for your time!”
So: different email, deleted ad, not referring to my name, but just hello, completely ignoring what I wrote earlier (to talk to each other), offer too good to be true and that “he’s out of the country”
)
Giving him still a small chance, I wrote back, telling him my arrival date and that I want to talk to him. I assure him that I will give all the needed docs (passport, contract info etc) but he needs to provide me his proof of ownership, a copy of his ID and that I will buy him the plane tickets towards Frankfurt to show that I am serious (and paying the first rent less the plane ticket).
The last email (same address) completed my suspicions. See it below:
“ Hey,
Thank you for your response!
The apartment it`s available for a long-term rent , so you can stay there how long you want .
As I mentioned in my first email, Kerkstraat 24, 8261 AS, Kampen, Netherlands, is my current place of residence. I am ready to travel as soon as possible back to Germany to sort out the lease. I came back once already for a supposed tenant that realized he had no enough funds so I need to be sure before my coming and understand my proposal thats is way I entrusted Airbnb which offers a simple control process for owners and new tenants. They will check me as the owner of the apartment and you as potential tenant.
Here is a brief description of the process:
- As owner I need to submit to Airbnb information about rental agreement ,copies of some documents;
- After Airbnb accepts the transaction and complete the verification of the documents has to contact you as potential tenant and check if you have enough money to rent the apartment;
- After I receive the confirmation I get back to Germany to show and sign the lease contract;
If you agree with the process, please provide the following information:
- Complete name of the future tenant;
- Current address ( street , city , country, zip code );
- Direct telephone number;
- E-mail;
- I need also a copy of your ID or passport to complete the lease agreement
The price you shall pay for 1 month of rent will be 600 Euros and I want also guarantee deposit 1200 Euros ( the kaution 1200 Euro you will receive back when you leave the apartment ), with no extra taxes to pay. The rent , I want to receive it monthly to my bank account, so I hope it will be no problem for you to wire the money.
When I have the details Airbnb will contact you but you need to be sure before my coming from Netherlands so it has to be fully interest from your side .
Looking forward to hear from you.
Thanks for your time!”
So: the same Hey shit, not referring to my name, completely ignoring my connection request, my proposal, basically all I’ve wrote and the last thing: the Airbnb ‘proof’.
He attached some photos sent towards me with the apartment but I don’t know how to attach them here.
How can we catch this guy? I’m still ‘in touch’ with him. Any police can be involved, to track him, or my ‘future deposit’? I can play along.
