Rental Scams in Oxford

Thanks to this website, i managed to avoid 'Lora Colin's' Gumtree flat rental scam a month ago.
I answered another add yesterday, different address but still within Oxford, and got a suspiciously familiar response from 'Lori Grant'...

The followings are the basic details you need to know about the one bedroom flat:
its available on both short and long term basis;
The rent is £ 80.00 per week and Security Deposit is £ 400.00 which is refundable after 1 month of staying in my flat .
The utility bills ( gas,water TV,Internet and council tax) are included in the rent with exception of electricity bill ,the flat has separate electricity meter .
Moreover, the flat is one bedroom fully furnished and equipped with all necessary house facilities ,gas heating central system also benefits from a secured parking space . At this stage that you want to rent my flat, i need to ask some few questions . Can you take good care of my flat as it is? How long do you intend to rent and pay for? Do you have any landlord or character reference in Oxford ?
Kindly reply for further information and also i would like to know where you are coming from to stay in my flat.
Regards
Mr/Mrs Grant

needless to say, i will not be entering into further communication this time around!

Hi Bexie7. Thanks for the info.
Would you mind posting the email address that the scammer used.
It helps others who might be researching their potential "landlord"

Hi there

I'd like to join Bexie7 saying thanks to this website!

I'm also confirming Lori's "nice" tries and adding a couple "don't reply" ones that I ran into.

Don't respond to
Anthony Baker ([email protected]) - wire transfer then Western Union suggestion
Christy Sanya ([email protected])

Loris,last email to me (about a 2br fully furnished flat in Nottingh Hill:

"we are more than willing to make a reservation for you. However, it is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view or reserve my flat without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled, has brought about great loss to me.
Some outside tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturb the the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who lives close by, also some do not meet up with the appointments which causes a lot of inconvenience for me.
However, you will need to make a reservation deposit but before that, my lawyer will need some information from you to draft a contract which you will print and bring along with you on your arrival date to my flat.
Your full name:
Present address:
Confirmed move in date:
Tel. no :
Kindly get back to me with these information so that i can tell you how to proceed with the reservation deposit.
Regards
Mr/Mrs Grant"
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[quote="Bexie7"]Thanks to this website, i managed to avoid 'Lora Colin's' Gumtree flat rental scam a month ago.
I answered another add yesterday, different address but still within Oxford, and got a suspiciously familiar response from 'Lori Grant'...

Hi Timi769.
Please post the email address from "Lori Grant". It will help others in their search.

Hi, I just found this page by googling "Lori Grant landlord" so thank you all very much! I received an almost identical email about a flat that seemed too good to be true

"Hello there, I am happy for your interest in my apartment but I have received many replys so I will have to decide who I will let stay in my apartment. I must ask you few questions first like you saw pictures of the apartment its new one bedroom apartment and fully furnished, a gas heating central system and a secure parking. Can you take a good care of it? How many months do you like to stay? both short and long lets are welcome . Do you have any references in Newcastle ?
The rent is £ 80.00 per week and Security Deposit is £ 400.00 which is refundable after a month of staying in my flat .
The utility bills gas,water TV,Internet and council tax are included in the rent with exception of electricity bill ,the flat has separate electricity meter.

Regards
Mr/Mrs Grant"

The email was [email protected] and this is the Craigslist ad - http://newcastle.craigslist.co.uk/apa/2386493039.html

This scammer has also tried it on with me re: a flat in Poole. Definitely thought it was a bit dodgy when they asked me to remind them of which was my post on Gumtree and proceeded to send me pictures of a very luxury apartment which were ridiculous!! The language used is very off target so it is likely they are foreign. Foreign ans stupid.

Our friend Lori Grant is now running this scam in Liverpool, I was offered a one bedroomed flat in the city centre, 90 pound a week and the same 400 pound security deposit, I've offered now to Western Union Mrs Grant the money, will update with a reply, here are the email addresses she's been using to communicate with me.

[email protected]
[email protected]

Hello,
We really appreciate your reply and interest in our property. Actually my solicitor and i have concluded on conditions for intending tenant to be met and we have agreed to rent the property to you if you could able to meet the conditions.However,it is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people for a viewing without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping to schedule time, has brought me an enormous lost. I actually work and live in Ireland and i have to travel all the way from Ireland to arrange a viewing with so call interested candidates .

Some outside tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturbs the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who lives close by, likewise some do not meet up with the appointments as scheduled.

Henceforth, my lawyer and i have decided to carry out a simple test on seriousness and financial ability to pay for the rent before coming for a viewing. I would not ask you to send your bank statements or pay slip . But you will have to transfer 1 month rent £360 through Western Union Money Transfer agent to any of your trusted friend or relative in UK premises as a Receiver and yourself as a Sender or vice versa.

Once you have done this, scan the receipt to me and if you do not have scanner, you may write out the details on the receipt which i will send to my lawyer to verify if it's truly genuine and available in your relative or friend's custody, after the verification by my lawyer, then we could proceed for the viewing.
Note that the transfer must be confirmed valid before the receiver picks up the money and also, i will refund you the cost of transfer when we shall meet if eventually you dont want my property. I look forward to read from you soon.
Regards
Mr/Mrs Grant

I today thanks to this website avoid lori grant. my gut told me to google her, i guess i was right.
This is the email address she used

[email protected]

This div "Lori Grant" tried to scam me too, except she said she had a property to let in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Same message format as those earlier mentioned, but the e-mail address used was:

[email protected]

"Lori" just replied to me using

Lori Grant [email protected]

Her suspicious message was

Hello there, I am happy for your interest in my apartment but I have received many replies so I will have to decide who I will let stay in my apartment. I must ask you few questions first like you saw pictures of the apartment its new one bedroom apartment and fully furnished, a gas heating central system and a secure parking. Can you take a good care of it? How many months do you like to stay? both short and long lets are welcome . Do you have any reference ?
The rent is £ 90.00 per week and Security Deposit is £ 500.00 which is refundable after a month of staying in my flat .
The utility bills gas,water TV,Internet and council tax are included in the rent with exception of electricity bill ,the flat has separate electricity meter.

Regards
Mr/Mrs Grant

This is for a flat advertised on the Cambridge Craigslist (http://cambridge.craigslist.co.uk/apa/2624286890.html, but I will mark it as spam).