Philip Lester apartment renter in Singapore--scam?

Here's the email. I'm nervous. It seems fishy.

To secure the Apartment down for your dates, a 50% prepayment is required to confirm a reservation with the balance due in cash upon arrival. 50% of the rental fee will be ($500) + $300, a fixed refundable damage security deposit. The total amount you need pay to book down the Apartment for your desired dates is = $800.

Details of this apartment includes.

Large living / dining area with sofa set, armchairs, cable TV, DVD player. A dining set for 6 persons. A fully equipped kitchen with fridge/freezer, combined microwave/convectional oven, gas cooker, cooker hob, kettle, toaster, coffee maker, complete set of kitchen wares. A master bedroom with queen size bed, bedside tables and lights, writing table with chair, large wardrobe. Attached bathroom with bathtub, shower tub, toilet, all marble tiled. Two standard bedrooms with queen size bed, bedside tables and lights, writing table with chair, large wardrobe. A common shower room with toilet. A laundry area with washing machine, dryer, iron, ironing table, drying rack. Store room. Maid shower room with toilet. Fully air con - video com- parking - 24h security- WiFi Internet.

In a luxurious high rise condominium very close to the Green MRT Line which serves the city in 15 minutes. Walking distance to Holland Village and its famous restaurants and shops, it also offers numbers of bus services and affordable taxi services island wide. Golf, fresh markets and food courts are a stone's throw away. This condominium offers 3 swimming pools, splash pools, tennis courts, BBQ pits, a golf practice, nice and safe children playgrounds and very nice areas to chill out.

Accommodation and Amenities for this vacation apartment rental in Singapore

Property Type:
apartment
Accommodation Type:
self-catering
Floor Area:
1165 sq. ft.
Location Type:
resort
town
Theme:
family
activity
General:
safe
toilet paper
towels provided
fitness room
linens provided
air-conditioning
Kitchen:
refrigerator
freezer
microwave
washing machine
clothes dryer
coffee maker
stove top burners
cooking utensils
toaster
iron & board
hob
grill
4 ring stove
Dining:
dining area
child's highchair
seating for 6 people
Bathrooms:
2 Bathrooms
Bathroom 1 - Toilet, Combination Tub/Shower, Shower
Bathroom 2 - Toilet, Shower
Bedrooms:
3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6
Bedroom 1 - 1 Queen
Bedroom 2 - 1 Queen
Bedroom 3 - 1 Queen
Each bedroom has a built-in wardrobe, a desk with a chair and a safe box.
Entertainment:
TV
satellite or cable
DVD
Internet Access:
wireless broadband
internet access
Outside:
child's swing
tennis court
gated community
garden
barbecue
parking
Swimming Pools:
outdoor pool
Suitability:
long term renters welcome
suitable for elderly or infirm
pets considered
wheelchair accessible
children welcome
Local Activities:
walking
swimming
water skiing
cycling
golf
roller blading
tennis
Onsite Services:
housekeeper included
Attractions:
ATM/bank
botanical garden
hospital
museums
cinemas
water parks
rain forests
theme parks
duty free shops
Leisure Activities:
gambling casinos
outlet shopping
bird watching
jet skiing
Nearby Attraction / Facility:
zoo
restaurants
Nearby Services:
medical services
massage therapist

Special interest holidays: Singapore offers numbers of holiday activities. The most famous are The Night Safari The Beautiful Singapore Zoo The Underworld Aquarium The Dolphins Show The Musical Fountain Shopping in luxurious shopping centres Walk in Singapore with an Historian. The Seafood restaurants on East coast Beaches Clubbing on Clark Quay

Other Activities: Shopping- travelling

Please note, the balance 50% of the rent will be paid when you arrive at the Apartment and the security deposit will be refunded in cash to you on your departure date.

NOTE: I`d Love to provide you 2 References. My past Tenants, so you wouldn't need to waste your time making a Decision..

Brad Cole from London, England stayed a week in my Apartment with his fiance and friends.
[email protected]

Mr. Pete Goldman from Oklahoma, stayed 2weeks with his family.
[email protected]

Many More..

Get back to me asap if you`d love to Book, so I can send you the Booking Agreement form, and payment instruction to secure this Wonderful Apartment for your dates.

Reserve asap, before someone else does.

Regards.

Philip.

Hi singapore renter,

I need some more information to do a research:

- to compare prices with legitimate offers, I need to know how long you want to stay;
- to find out if the scammer is active elsewhere, I need his email address;
- if he has a website, I need the address, too;
- what form of payment does he require: Western Union maybe?

The urgency of his email -"reserve asap" is highly suspicious.

In this case, more info is not really necessary to determine this is a scam.

The English, when not copied descriptive text, is African, and a quick google here and here confirm this.

Without doing any searches, gut feeling screams scam. The 'references' will just be the scammer himself, replying from a different mail address.

Sorry if I was confusing.

The searches I posted above confirm without a doubt that it is a scam.

I am searching for a vacation stay in Paris and received this reply to my enquiry!! SAME references, same tone and writing style so yes, it's definitely a scam.

Thanks for your interest in my apartment. This is a 2bedroom apartment.

I confirm, it is still free for September 2012, so you can have a week.

The total amount is EUR630 for 7-nights @EUR90 per night, which includes cleaning fee and tax. However, my weekly rate is EUR600.

To secure the Apartment down for your dates, a 50% prepayment is required to confirm a reservation with the balance due in cash upon arrival. 50% of the rental fee will be (EUR300) + EUR300, a fixed refundable damage security deposit. The total amount you need pay to book down the Apartment for your desired dates is = EUR600.

Located at: Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris.

This beautiful apartment is situated on the fourth floor of the Haussmanian building with elevator. The apartment can comfortably accommodate up to six people. It contains two bedrooms, one of which has a double bed, whilst the other has two single beds, which can be placed together in order to form a double bed. A flat screen television, DVD and WiFi connection are at your full disposal. The American style kitchen is fully equipped, so that you will not be at a loss for anything. The comfortable bathroom, containing a wash-basin, a towel dryer, linens and bath tub, is ideal for relaxing after a long day strolling the streets of Paris.

From the Bastille and the Arsenal port, you can also embark on a trip across the Seine, passing through the famous locks of the Saint Martin canal, one of the most authentic and romantic locations of the capital, appreciated by all Parisians.

The metro station Saint Sébastien Froissart (line is situated just 100m away, easily allowing you to reach the République or Bastille stations. From this last station, line 1 will take you directly to Saint Paul, the Louvre museum, Concorde, Champs Elysées &ect.

You shouldn’t have any problem finding numerous shops, restaurants and bars in the surrounding areas, which will be enough to satisfy all of your needs.

Please note, the balance 50% of the rent will be paid when you arrive at the Apartment and the security deposit will be refunded in cash to you on your departure date.

NOTE: I`d Love to provide you 2 References. My past Tenants, so you wouldn't need to waste your time making a Decision..

Brad Cole from London, England stayed a week in my Apartment with his fiance and friend.
[email protected]

Mr. Pete Goldman from Oklahoma, stayed 2weeks with his family.
[email protected]

Many More..

Get back to me asap if you`d love to Book, so I can send you the Booking Agreement form, and payment instruction, to secure this Wonderful Apartment for your dates.

Reserve asap, before someone else does.

Regards.

Philip.

Unfortunately I can confirm that it is a scam. I DID send money via Western Union. Bugger. I got suspicious (well more suspicious) after I had transferred the money and got not more replies. I had paid 50% deposit.

I then got one more email saying it was double booked, and that I could secure it by paying the remainder. Classic. I too had the same two referees. I looked at the originating IP addresses to see if the referees were in fact in US and UK, and found they plus Philip were in Nigeria! If only.....

I am sorry you got scammed DoneLikeADinner. As you probably know now, don't sent money for an apartment by a money transfer service. There is no way for you to retrieve the money once you realize it is a scam.

Thank you for using your experience to help others who might be in touch with this scammer.

Hi there,
I had exaclty the same email as everyone else:

Thanks for your interest in my apartment.

Luckily, the apartment is still free for your dates, 16th to 22nd October.

The total amount for your stay is $840 for 6-nights @$140 per night, which includes cleaning fees and tax.

To secure the Apartment down for your dates, a 50% prepayment is required to confirm a reservation with the balance due in cash upon arrival. 50% of the rental fee will be ($420) + $300, a fixed refundable damage security deposit. The total amount you need pay to book down the Apartment for your desired dates is = $720.

This is one of the nicest unit in the development, renovated less than 2 years ago, with modern open kitchen, large living-room. Bedrooms are on a separate floor. Fantastic green view overlooking the residential area of Leedon Rd, Astrid, 6th avenue, up to Bukit Timah hill.

I confirm there is free WiFi internet connection for your use.

Located at, Leedon Heights, Singapore 267937

Please note, the balance 50% of the rent will be paid when you arrive at the Apartment and the security deposit will be refunded in cash to you on your departure date.

NOTE: I`d Love to provide you 2 References. My past Tenants, so you wouldn't need to waste your time making a Decision..

Brad Cole from London, England stayed a week in my Apartment with his fiance and friends.
[email protected]

Mr. Pete Goldman from Oklahoma, stayed 2weeks with his family.
[email protected]

Many More..

Get back to me asap if you`d love to Book, so I can send you the Booking Agreement form, and payment instruction to secure this Wonderful Apartment for your dates.

Reserve asap, before someone else does.

Regards.

Philip.


and the 2nd

I got it from this website: ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

4 things made me suspicious:
- too cheap, to good to be true...
- de References
- some words were in hte middel of a sentence with capitals.
-too pushy to book.

Luckly I did not send the guy the money.

Never ever pay for an apartment using Western Union. If the landlord doesn't have a bank account - he doesn't have an apartment either - and make sure it's in the country where he claims the apartment to be.

Some of the more professional scammers can have bank accounts they use, but if you pay by Western Union you're kissing your money goodbye. Do you know anyone who doesn't have a bank account ?

When he asks for payment by 'Western Union' he's actually telling you he's a scammer. It's a perfect way to pay money to someone you know personally but it's not designed to pay strangers or any sort of commercial transaction.

Hi, i was looking for a rental vacation on a site and i did get replies emails from different agents one of the reply came from phillip lester too, i cross checked all rhe replies and i didnt understand why their attached pictures looked so perfect and kinda similar. Anyhow, i have never sent money unless its verified recipients so i googled for few days And brought me to this site. Thank you. I

We are pleased the information here helped you Anipi. Please take time to look around and educate yourself about the various kinds of scams which are on the internet.