Rental Scammer - [email protected]

From: James Walter <[email protected]>
Date: August 13, 2011 11:11
To: Con Warner
Subject: Re: $550 / 620ft&sup2; - Great NEW 1 BR apartment (Dupont Circle)

Hello,

Thanks for your email . I'm James Walter, the owner of the Apartment you are in renting.Actually I resided in the apartment with my family for some months and we moved away due to my transfer from my working place, my apartment is still available for rent for $550 per month including the utilities like hydro,washer and security,it is furnished.Right now I'm in West Africa for a crusade and i would like you to get in touch with my wife in the United states for more discussion as she is with the keys and the documents to the apartment.Please I want you to note that,i am a kind and honest man and also I spent a lot on my property,so i will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this apartment and I want you to treat it as your own.I want you to keep it tidy all the time so that I will be glad to see it neat when I come for a check up,I do that once in a while.I want to have trust in you as I always stand by my words.Let us know how soon you are willing to move in. Email my wife Nora,on ( [email protected] ) and she will attend to you better.

ADDRESS TO THE APARTMENT : 1808 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 20008

Thanks for your interest.
James Walter

This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union or MoneyGram with a promise that he will send the keys through a courier company.

Sounds safe. It's not!

At other times, he will ask for proof that you are able to pay the deposit and rent due to a string of time wasters.
This proof is in the form of a Western Union or MoneyGram payment to a lawyer,a friend or family member.

In either case, if payment is made and you give this person the details, they will collect the money.
You will not hear from them again.

If you are reading this because you are looking for property to rent, and you are in contact with this thief you are probably searching Craigslist, Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment before viewing, then it will also be a scam. Please forward the mail to me at the address in my signature line and I will investigate and list them if necessary.

From: Nora Walter <[email protected]>
Date: August 13, 2011 11:11
To: Con Warner
Subject: Re: $550 / 620ft&sup2; - Great NEW 1 BR apartment (Dupont Circle)

Thanks for your email, My husband own the apartment.I want you to know that it was due to my husband's transfer that made us to leave the apartment and also want to give it out for rent and looking for a responsible person that can take good care of the apartment, we are not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean all the time .So for now,I am in Florida in the United States in our new home and also I am with the keys and documents of the apartment,we tried to look for an agent that we can give this documents before we left but could not see and we don't want the apartment to be used any how in our absence that is why we took the keys and documents along with us here and as you know that,my husband over in the West Africa for a mission of God,so i hope you will promise us to take very good care of the apartment.So get back to me on how you could take care of our apartment or perhaps experience you have in renting a home.Hope you are okay with the price per month with hydro,heat laundry facilities,air condition, internet connection and so on.View pictures in the attached files.I am looking forward to hearing from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the apartment for rent.

Hope to read from you soon

Okay, over two years later and this guy is still going. I had like the same e-mail, word for word practically, just it was $600 for 2148 Florida Avenue and the guy used the name Paul Kenneth.

Was the email address the same?