London apartment rental scam?

Does anyone know if this apartment rental site/e-mail address/etc is a scam? I found them on CraigsList:

Travelling Apartment Vacation
30 Bromley Rd. London, SE6 2TP
Tel +44(0)7024027836
Fax +44 (0)702 402 0983
[email protected]
http://www.travellingapartmentvacation.com

Their physical address is listed as 30 Bromley Rd. London, SE6 2TP, which I've seen in another post here as a scam..

Any suggestions?

Hello pyroputz!

Scam!! The website http://www.travellingapartmentvacation.com/ was created only a couple weeks ago. The phone number he is using is a re-direct number. It looks like a UK phone number but the +44 07 means it is actualy redirected to a cell phone. Glad you got suspicious!

Justin

Updated Date: 12-oct-2011
Creation Date: 12-oct-2011
Expiration Date: 12-oct-2012

The site was created as above, only registered for a year

Yet website has this © 2010-2011

Could you post the headers, maybe one of the site killers could get this killed

I'd love to.. When you say "headers" though what are you referring to? One of the e-mails I got from them?

If he sent you an email like [email protected] the email headers would be helpful to get the fake site shut down. From what you posted though it looks like he is probably using a free hotmail address.

This site will help you find email headers http://www.ip-adress.com/faq/view_email_header/

You guys rock.. I looked in the original e-mail's headers, took the originating IP address and found that it originated in Lagos, Nigeria. Here are the headers from the e-mail - let me know if you'd like any more info to help shut them down. Thanks again so much everyone from preventing me from making a really dumb mistake!



x-store-info:sbevkl2QZR7OXo7WID5ZcVBK1Phj2jX/

Authentication-Results: hotmail.com; sender-id=pass (sender IP is 65.55.34.209) [email protected]; dkim=neutral header.d=hotmail.com; x-hmca=pass

X-Message-Status: n:0:n

X-SID-PRA: travelling apartment vacation <[email protected]>

X-SID-Result: Pass

X-AUTH-Result: PASS

X-Message-Delivery: Vj0xLjE7dXM9MDtsPTA7YT0xO0Q9MTtHRD0xO1NDTD0w

X-Message-Info: iIOHNJf19ljHGaTN8CSarVIAbj+xx56PWaseRzEzSsX0/0jahJi6D9+7imzN9nxQHaC35KKgh1dolV/hHfScdrDSzQlgEZq7SRR0m6yPd2l32PUmyS8/5yC/4lMWANHwB5FfpYB45DE=

Received: from col0-omc4-s7.col0.hotmail.com ([65.55.34.209]) by COL0-HMMC2-F5.Col0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.4900);

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:22:35 -0700

Received: from COL120-W60 ([65.55.34.199]) by col0-omc4-s7.col0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.4675);

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:22:35 -0700

Message-ID: <[email protected]>

Return-Path: [email protected]

Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

boundary="_f814f51a-7073-48d5-937c-1f8482180b25_"

X-Originating-IP: [41.155.2.131]

From: travelling apartment vacation <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: Booking Has Been Receive Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1

5PT (Two Bedroom)

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:22:34 +0000

Importance: Normal

In-Reply-To:

<201110310357.p9V3vUca026582@sitebuilder3c.bluehalo.myregisteredsite.com>

References:

<201110310357.p9V3vUca026582@sitebuilder3c.bluehalo.myregisteredsite.com>

MIME-Version: 1.0

X-OriginalArrivalTime: 31 Oct 2011 04:22:35.0410 (UTC) FILETIME=[B753C720:01CC9784]



--_f814f51a-7073-48d5-937c-1f8482180b25_

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Yes the headers are pointing to Lagos !

We would need you to post the actual email (or emails) in order to prove that the site is used by scammers.

Here you go:

Hello,

We are still writing you to make sure, you are still booking the apartment on those dates.We have received another enquiry for those dates you required and we are still expecting a reply from you about making a deposit to secure the booking.Kindly reply to this email and inform us when you will be making the deposit, or if we should confirm the booking with the other Guest.

Best regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Booking Has Been Receive Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1 5PT (Two Bedroom)
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:25:54 -0500

Also, I have already gone through the Terms and Conditions at (http://www.travellingapartmentvacation.com/id17.html) and do agree to them. If you would be so kind as to send the Booking Form, we will fill out and return to you asap. Thanks!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected]
To: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles
Subject: RE: Booking Has Been Receive Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1 5PT (Two Bedroom)
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:31:36 +0000

Thanks for your reply and concern,the Grosvenor Square W1K 6JP apartment is available for the date as well. Please kindly get back to us asap so that we can send you our booking form and bank details. Love to hear from you soon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Booking Has Been Receive Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1 5PT (Two Bedroom)
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:51:03 -0500

Thank you so much for the quick response! I meant also to inquire about the Mayfair 2 Bedroom (Grosvenor Square W1K 6JP) - is this by chance available during our stay (Mar 3 - Mar 24)?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected]
To: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles
Subject: RE: Booking Has Been Receive Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1 5PT (Two Bedroom)
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:22:34 +0000

Hi,

We still have the Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1 5PT (Two Bedroom) available for the requested period.

Below is the quotation

Rate Per Night: £50
Rate Per Week: £350
You requested for 3 weeks which is:£1050

40% deposit of the cost is: £420
Refundable security deposit: £200
Total deposit requested is : £620
PS: All utilities are included in the rental fee

PSS: The security deposit will be refunded on your departure if there is no damage

BOOKING PROCEDURES

A) You will have to visit our website at http://www.travellingapartmentvacation.com/id17.html to go
through our Terms and Conditions and acknowledge your acceptance

B) You will need to print out our BOOKING FORM, fill, sign and return to us. We shall have that emailed to you.

C) You will have to request for Payment Invoice, this has to be within 48 hours from the time the BOOKING FORM is sent to you.

D) Making of Reservation Deposit to guarantee the availability of the property. We accept payment through Bank Transfer if your arrival is more than 7 days. If not an alternative payment method may be suggested.

E) After the confirmation of Reservation Deposit, BOOKING RECEIPT will be sent to you to confirm your booking with us. Also all necessary information as regard collection of keys and meeting point will be sent
over
Should in case you still have more information to ask us, please do let us know in time in order to conclude the reservation before someone else takes the apartment

We appreciate your patronage!
Warmest Regards

Smith Lampard
Travelling Apartment Vacation
30 Bromley Rd. London, SE6 2TP
Tel +44(0)7024027836

Fax +44 (0)702 402 0983

[email protected]

http://www.travellingapartmentvacation.com


> firstname: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles
> lastname: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles
> emailaddress: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles
> company: 3/3/2012
> mailingaddress: 24/3/2012
> productservice: Hello! My family and I are very interested in renting your 2 bed flat in Marleybone from Mar 3 2012 until Mar 24 2012. Is it available during these dates? If so, could you tell me the rent during this time?
> contactmethod: Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1 5PT (Two Bedroom)



I also changed some spacing. ~Bubbles

pyroputz, no doubt about it, this is a scammer. The telephone numbers indicate that as well as the fact it does not come from the UK as claimed. I have reported the website so we can get it shut down / killed.

Hi All,

I think that I have fallen victim to this too. I have unfortunately already shelled out £700 to them but its a UK Bank account that I went to Santander to check and they said it is active and registered to the named account holder.

Had the same emails as been posted on here and wondering what I can do to get my money back?

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Dan

Hello Dan!

First go to your bank ASAP and explain the situation. Bring copies of the emails. In some cases the bank can reverse the transfer if it is sent to an actual bank instead of Western Union or Money Gram. It may or may not work but worth a shot.

Sorry to hear you were scammed! If you can post the email addresses the scammer used it may help others avoid the scammer.

Justin

Hi Justin,

Thanks for the message.

[email protected] was the email address and a guy called Lampard Smith, which was peculiar to start with.

Phillip Coetsee was apparently the landlords name and he has a UK santander bank account so thought it would be legit as I checked with bank.

I found on Foxtons exactly the same details of the flat that it appears they have just copied. Have notified foxtons who are not too happy!

Makes you sick!!