Room for Rent and other rental scams
by resmes08 Thu Jun 30, 2011 3:17 pm
Apparently this person is not yet being caught. I searched for an apartment in Ontario at http://www.rent-ontario.com and this ad caught my attention so of course I started to check it out. He's using the name Steve Thompson at [email protected]

It's the same initial contact letter and the same follow-up letter that states...

Hello,

The Apartment located in 23 Cox Blvd, Markham, ON is still available. It has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The company I work for has won the auction for a project, in construction, for a building that will rise up in London, United Kingdom. I am a civil engineer, so my accommodation period in England will be about 4 years. I don't want to make a business with the apartment or make a profit. Just want to find a good and trust person to take good care of the place because I really love it. I`m the owner of the apt and it's like in the pics.The apartment is unfurnished but if you want you can use my furniture from the storage unit. The rent for 1 month is 950CAD$ (for the whole apartment) including all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, 2 parking spots indoor, air conditioning, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, stove, laundry in-suite, washer and dryer). Everything in this apt is functional because is recently renovated. If you need to do some reparations (the worst case that could happen) in the apartment, I will cover the reparations cost, or I will deduct those from monthly payment. You can move in the apt in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys because it is a private property but I hope that we will find a compromise.
If you have any other questions please contact me back by e-mail.


Thank you for your interest and i`m waiting for your answer

Follow up letter:
Hello ,


Thank you for your reply. Like I have informed you before, the price you have to pay for one month of rent will be 950CAD$ with no extra fees you will have access to all facilities provide by the building. The utility bills are paid directly from my bank account. The price will not increase monthly, it will remain the same for the whole period that the contact will be signed for. We can start with a 6 months rental contract with the possibility of renewing it or with the period of time suitable for you. About the payment, I would like to receive it monthly into my bank account and I hope there will be no problem for you to wire the money to it. The apartment is ready for you, you only need to receive the keys and the contract so you could check it out, and see if you like it. The apt will be unfurnished but it can be rented very easily with the furniture at the same price. Also pets are allowed. Since I'm in London, United Kingdom we need a way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are asking for. I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast, and in this way you will receive the Keys in less than 2 days. The solution is provided by a company called TNT Express which will handle the payment and delivery of the Keys. I have found a procedure that will allows you to pay for the rent of the apt only after you will receive the keys, and through this way you will see it and decide if you like it or not, before sending the payment. Please click on the link bellow to see how we can complete the deal safely and fast directly from the web site of the company where this procedure is explained: http://www.tnt.com/express/en_gb/site/h ... vices.html ( if the link is not working please try and copy it in your web browser). Any further questions e-mail me back or you can call me at: +442071934858

I hope he gets caught and spend some time behind bars. I spoke to a representative associated with Rent-Ontario.com and told her about it and they've now disabled the link.
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by Emerald18 Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:16 am
If only 'Steve' were caught, we'd all sleep alot better. He goes by Ronald Freggs now by the way. See the emails below. Why aren't these guys caught I wonder? So incredibly grateful for this site. It's saved my husband, young daughter and I heartache after heartache.

On 15/11/2011 12:01 PM, ronald freggs wrote:

Hello,

Thank you for your interest in my apartment located in 23 Cox Blvd, Markham, ON, Canada. The apartment is in excellent condition and it's just like in the pictures, very clean and very well taken. Honestly from point of view I'm sure that you will rent it on spot. I'm not looking to make a business or a profit with the apartment, I'm just trying to find a good and trust person to take good care of the place. The apartment has 2 bedrooms+den and 2 bathrooms on top floor. It is furnished but if you want you can use your furniture and deposit mine in the storage unit that is located near the building not far away. The rent is 950CAD/month with everything included (heat, hydro, water, electricity, cable and internet-full package from Rogers, 2 parking spots, laundry in-suite, washer and dryer). You will have full access to all the amenities of the building. Pets are allowed. I stayed in the apartment with my wife for 3 months. I'm a civil engineer and I work for a company that has an auction for a project in construction in London, United Kingdom, so my accommodation period in England will be about 4 years. Everything in the apartment is new so there will be no need for repairs. The only problem is that I need to send you the keys and papers because it is a private property and I'm sure we can make this happen.




Thank you and look forward hearing from you! (note the English grammar. Does a person working in the UK really have grammar that bad? It improves significantly in the second letter though.)

My husband's reply:

Ronald,

In order to proceed we will need to have a viewing of the apartment. If you are unable to do this in person you can use a realtor as they commonly perform these tasks. Please contact me with appropriate information regarding how a viewing can be scheduled through appropriate channels. If we cannot meet you in person, or someone representing you in person we will be unable to do business with you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

'Ronald's' reply (did he even read the letter we sent?):

Hello,

Thank you for your reply. As I told you before the rent for 1 month will be 950CAD with no extra fees and you will have full access to all the amenities of the building. The price will not increase for the whole period that you will stay there. I would also like to know how many people will live in the apartment and also which rental contract do you prefer- 6 months rental contract with option of renewal or 1 year rental contract with option of renewal. The monthly payments can be wired to my Canadian Bank Account (TD Bank) or we can setup a payment method that is suitable for both of us. The apartment is in excellent condition, you only need to receive the keys and the contract so you could check it out, and see if you like it. Since at this moment I'm in London, United Kingdom and obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal.The solution is a worldwide third party company called CLICKANDBUY (www.clickandbuy.com) ,they will provide assistance in handling the payment and delivery of the rental package. With this procedure you will be able to check the apartment before I receive the payment. Please be aware that is NOT necessary for you to register with ClickandBuy given that I'm a registered user for 4 years and I've made over 30 transactions with them so far. They are really professional and they have great services.
My phone number is +442081330914 (if you are calling from Canada you need to dial 011-44-20-81330914). You can call me or e-mail anytime you wish.
Let me know if you are interested so I can provide with all the steps of this transaction, everything that you need to know about this process before we get this started. I think is right for both of us.


Thank you and hope to hear from you soon!

Same ending, and no actual salutation. Didn't even bother to call my husband by his name. Obviously a form letter generated by a computer. This guy doesn't even have to lift a finger to scam people! These people shoud all be locked up for life!
by jeremy.wiebe Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:07 pm
For the sake of others, what exactly is the scam? I found a place on craigslist and emailed the poster and got a reply from Ronald Freggs. The price seems way to good to be true and the reply is basically the same as what's posted here. Just curious what the scam is.
by Bubbles Tue Nov 22, 2011 12:46 am
The scam is, the person you are talking to does not own the property he is saying he can rent to you. He will want payment by an online payment service, like Western Union and you will have no way to retrieve your money once you send it.

I strongly recommend dealing with landlords in person, including visiting the property in person. You can often check records and see who actually owns the property to be sure you are not dealing with a scammer pretending to be the owner.

You have a PM.

Bubbles, former Scamwarners moderator.

Rest in Peace 24 June 2015.

Gone, but never forgotten.
by mysteryquest Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:14 pm
What this scammer does specifically is act as if Click and Buy provides an escrow services, which of course, it doesn't. Another scammer or the same one will send an email from "[email protected]" or "ca-clickandbuy.consultant.com" pretending to be from Click and Buy. That email will request payment via Western Union. Of course the real Click and Buy does not request payment via Western Union and does not offer any kind of "escrow" service. Any request for payment via money transfer such as Western Union or MoneyGram is always a scam.
by reenne Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:52 pm
Ive been searching for apartments in Markham, when i came across what look to be a great apartment for an amazing price 950$

The man is now going by the name of WILL LOCKES
He even had the nerve to call today.. i thankful did not answer the phone.



Hello,


Thank you for your reply. As I told you before the rent for 1 month will be 950CAD with no extra fees and you will have full access to all the amenities of the building. The price will not increase for the whole period that you will stay there. I would also like to know how many people will live in the apartment and also which rental contract do you prefer- 6 months rental contract with option of renewal or 1 year rental contract with option of renewal. The monthly payments can be wired to my Bank Account (TD Bank) or we can setup a payment method that is suitable for both of us. The apartment is in excellent condition, you only need to receive the keys and the contract so you could check it out, and see if you like it. Since at this moment I'm in London, United Kingdom and obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal.The solution is a worldwide third party company called CLICKANDBUY (www.clickandbuy.com) ,they will provide assistance in handling the payment and delivery of the rental package. With this procedure you will be able to check the apartment before I receive the payment. Please be aware that is NOT necessary for you to register with ClickandBuy given that I'm a registered user for 4 years and I've made over 30 transactions with them so far. They are really professional and they have great services.
My phone number is +442032868341 (if you are calling from Canada you need to dial 011-44-20-32868341). You can call me or e-mail anytime you wish.
Let me know if you are interested so I can provide with all the steps of this transaction, everything that you need to know about this process before we get this started. I think is right for both of us.




Thank you and hope to hear from you soon!




Please watch out!! i hope everyone knows to never give ANY money online unless you have spoke with someone at the building and made sure they are truley the owner, i really hope this helps someone else!!
by Chelli Tue Nov 06, 2012 5:13 pm
Ah yes, the old 'pay me first' trick.
This guy is everywhere hey? I'm getting the exact same emails from Tim Martens - [email protected] for a $920 rental in Burnaby, Vancouver. In the reply email he asked for the information regarding who would be staying in the apartment, even though I had already sent this in the one he replied to. Oh, and of course his phone numbers are different, this time asking me to call on +442070973803.
I replied saying that ClickandBuy unfortunately does not provide escrow services but I would get in touch with the building manager to let me view the apartment if he would like to phone ahead and let them know.
No reply as yet.

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