by Michelle
Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:02 pm
From: Matthew Bolinger [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 25 January 2012 18:14
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: Re: £100 / 1br - Studio for rent in Queenstown Road, Diamond Conservation Area, SW8 (Battersea)
Hello,
Thank you for your mail and the interest you have in my flat. Just to clear out any confusion, my name is Christina Nell Keay and Matthew Bolinger is my brother (he helped me set up the rental ad and this is his e-mail address). The minimum let is for 2 months and the maximum let is for 10 years. The flat is available for renting right away, no one is living in the flat at the moment (this is not a flatshare with an unknown person to you). The price for the rent is 400+100 GBP/month for the whole flat (the 100 GBP are for all the bills and taxes - electricity, water, gas, internet, council tax) and you will pay for the first 2 months of rent in advance (1000 GBP). The flat is very clean and I want to leave the flat to a person who is a clean and responsible tenant. As you can see in the photos everything is new in the flat. I am working in Switzerland (Zurich) and I am here with my family. For me it is very hard to come in UK because of my working place, and I want to be sure that you are really interested about the flat. Regarding the meeting, I think we could fix a date when I can come in UK for the viewing and we can reach an agreement. The property has a fully furnished kitchen, clean and well tidy sitting rooms, laundry room, and fully furnished with all home utilities like: electric shower, lounge, vacuum cleaner, toaster, oven and microwave, dryer, iron, washing machine , refrigerator , dishwasher, power shower, heater, cable ready, tv set and dvd player, internet connection, equipped kitchen and all utilities.
I am waiting for your mail to know if you are satisfied with the details of my flat which I gave you, as well to know and arrange for the viewing of the flat and arrange for other necessary arrangements that are needed. I am waiting for your response.
Christina Nell Keay
Marktgasse 17
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
From: Matthew Bolinger [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 26 January 2012 11:15
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: Re: £100 / 1br - Studio for rent in Queenstown Road, Diamond Conservation Area, SW8 (Battersea)
Hello,
I have attached a copy of my passport to confirm you my identity. I work for Credit Suisse Group and it is quite hard for me to come to UK. I am willing to have you in my flat as long as you pay your rent but 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 has brought great loss to me. Some potential tenants do not have the money to pay their rent and yet they disturb the landlord to arrange a viewing. Also some people do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in their place of work by their employers and I can not afford to find myself in a similar position. Henceforth, my lawyer and I have decided to carry out a simple test on financial ability to pay for my rent before coming for viewing. I would not ask you to send your bank statement and I would not want to collect any money from you before the viewing.
This is what we can do:
You will make a money transfer from your name and address to someone you know (it can be a family member) with name and address in UK using Western Union for 2 months rent that means 1000 GBP and send me the scanned receipt (you can hide the transfer number from the receipt). As soon as I receive the scanned receipt I will forward it to my lawyer to verify if it is truly genuine (note that my lawyer must confirm the transfer valid before the receiver picks up the money). After my lawyer verifies the authenticity of the transfer, I will book a flight for UK and I will meet with you.
So all you have to do is to find a Western Union office and wire 1000 GBP from your name to your friend name and send the scanned receipt. I am asking you this to be sure that I do not come in UK for nothing. Hope you can understand my situation.
Please understand that the payment will not be made to me, it will be made to a friend of yours, or family member. This money transfer by Western Union is not a pay for the flat, it will only prove to me that you are a serious and reliable person. I am waiting for your mail.
Christina Nell Keay
Marktgasse 17
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
The thief will tell you that you can rent his accommodation only if you can prove that you have genuine interest. He will ask you send money by wire transfer (normally Western Union) to yourself or a member of the family to show that you have sufficient finances and that you are not a "time waster".
Another variation of this scam is that you need to send (by Western Union) money in order that the keys and other documents can be couriered to you
He will ask you to send him the transfer details.
Make no mistake ! Western Union Transfers can be picked up virtually anywhere in the world and with the minimum of identification. They are almost impossible to trace once the money has been collected. You will never get to see the accommodation or your money 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 Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment by Western Union 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.
