Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Michael Cogossi: Phone# 917-382-6777

From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: $60 / 1br - FASHIONABLE & AFFORDABLE APT::: [email protected] (MIAMI SOUTH BEACH)
To: Con Warner

Hello

The apartment is located at 953 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach FL 33140, some blocks away from the beach, the features of the environment are Easy access to restaurants, Live Theater, museums, grocery stores, Sightseeing, cinemas and more.

Apartment features cozy apartment, has futon for extra sleeping and pull-out couch, full bath and toilet,washer and dryer In unit, kitchen Is fully equipped. Artist/ Designer built full apartment with a queen bed, located In center of attractions, with separate large bedroom, kitchen, High ceilings , tiled floors, (with dishwasher, disposal, compactor, fridge and Ice maker, etc.).

Double paned new windows surrounding living room on 2 sides. Artist handmade and tiled archways and wall panels. Arrangement for luggage during and after check out to keep them safe, tiled floor, recessed lights, and Fully-equipped laundry. There Is parking space and it is a private apartment and very secured.

The property is much available for the dates you have chosen (March 22nd to 26th) is ;$240 for the total stay, to hold your dates; you are required to pay 50% ($120) + security deposit of $200= $320, so all you need pay to secure your dates is $320.The security deposit ($200) Is fully refundable to you during departure via cash.

Expecting to hear from your reply soon.
Regards.
Michael

This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union or MoneyGram with a promise that you can have the keys to a property that does not belong to him.

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.

I will secure the apartment as soon as you send the deposit of $320. I do want you to send the deposit to my Accountant:: NAME:- <Kim Walker> in ADDRESS:- 236 Vermont Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207 USA, you can view the name and address to send the deposit to in the agreement and booking form. Please do fill the agreement and booking form and you will also email me the receipt of payment for the Western Union:

Sender's name and address:
Mtcn#:
Amount sent:
Text question and answer:

Please do forward me the payment confirmation as soon as you send the money also scan the receipt and send it to me for reference purpose, i will be waiting to hear from you with the agreement and booking form along with the payment confirmation so that i can commence with the booking and reservation. You will need to send me your flight details of arrival so that i can have the shuttle ready that will pick you up from the airport and also wait to meet you face to face and give you the keys of the apartment and also show you round its environment.

Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks.
Michael

Hi,

Whatever happened with this? I wish I had found your post before also going through your situation.

I hired a lawyer - what did you do? did you ever get your money back?

Thanks!

Welcome kimonotly,

I'm sorry your money was stolen by this thief.

Con Warner is a scamwarner--he did not lose money to this scammer, because he recognized the scam, and only emailed the scammer to get the information to post here and warn potential victims.

Unfortunately, even with an attorney, the odds of getting your money back are extremely low. The person behind the scam is African, far out of the jurisdiction of the US authorities. He has not given you any real information. Compared to the hundreds of thousands lost by some individuals, a loss of a few hundred dollars is considered minor by IC3, the agency responsible for investigation and prosecution of these internet-based scams, so while it is a good idea to report the scam, it is unlikely it will trigger a major investigation.

If the name of the Brooklyn individual is real (and there is no guarantee of that), she is not an accountant. She is most likely a mule, and possibly a victim herself of a romance scam or a job scam. She most likely does not have the money, but has forwarded it to the scammer (who likely has used fake names, etc. with her too).

Sorry to read this kimonotly.

As Dotti has pointed out, the scammer is indeed working anonymously. A lawyer will probably just add to your losses but that's your choice. It is very, very rare for a happy outcome in a case such as this.

Thank you both for replying. I understand. I cannot believe that in 2012 we still live in a world with so many aweful people - or that a need for this site exists since there seems to be no way to keep people protected. I will be filing a police report, an IC3 report and a case with Western Union, since they have video and the ID of the scammer. I didnt spend that much - but in the end he will lose. I will be sure to flag all the postings on Craigslist and perhaps intterupt his income. Just for pissing me off and taking my money.

We have been victim of scamming by this same person, Kim Walker alias Williams Adams for an apartment situated in Soho, New York City.
If have reported the Fraud to Western Union and filed a report with IC3.
I am really shocked to notice Craig's list has become an untrustworthy site.

Simon.

Welcome to ScanWarners Simon. I am sorry you were scammed.

Craig'slist is not participating in the scam any more than Western Union does. Scammers have just learned how to use the existing resources. They used to do their dirty deeds by letter, then by fax and now by email and text.

Craigslist dries to warn about sending money and dealing with people face to face, but most people do not even see wht warning, or they think a scam cannot happen to them. Please do some reading here and learn about the different types of scams.

I will also mention that there are Recovery scams in which a scammer claims he can get your money back. All you need to do is send some money... by Western Union of course.

Hi Simon,

I was scammed too - I recommend you do what I am doing - FLAG HIM DOWN on craigslist. It only takes a few minutes each day - and maybe it will stop someone else from getting scammed - but at the very least you can feel that you are somewhat stopping his revenue stream.

SORRY I know how crappy this feels. I opened up a Western Union case and the IC3 too.

Best of luck

Simon hi, I ve rented an apartment from him, luckily entered here and saw your post, could you tell me how did you find out he was fake? Cause I told him I wanted to cancel the reservation in order to get at least some money back! Tnahks for your help!

Welcome to scamwarners, Tina

I'm sorry to say that if you sent money to this scammer by Western Union and it has been picked up, you are not going to get any of it back. If it has not been picked up, you need to reverse the transaction immediately.

This person is not an owner of a property in the US. He is a thief in Africa, who is posting fake rental ads for properties he does not own. His only purpose is to steal the money of unsuspecting renters in the form of made-up deposits for a reservation that does not actually exist.

There is no way to cancel the reservation (though he may pretend otherwise in hopes of ultimately convincing you to send more money) because there is no reservation. He is not going to honor any contract, because there is no contact.

These thieves have no conscience. They don't care how badly they hurt the person they steal from. A scammer like this could know that you are going to end up homeless, sick, or injured as a result of the lost money--and he wouldn't hesitate to try to get more money from you if he thought he had a chance.

Unfortunately, the most you can do at this point is cut off all contact with the scammer. It is a good idea to report the crime (in the US you would report it to IC3), but just be aware that reporting it will not get your money back.

Dotti thank you very much for your information. how do you have all that information???
I cant believe someone could do that! I just thannk I found out this before being in NYC cause otherwise I would spend a bad time there, and it is really expensive for me.
thank you very much for yout help. What do you think I can do??? There is nothing I can do? I am sooo madd!!!! thank you!