Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Submitted by one of my blog readers:

[email protected]
Jerry Collins

Inquired about a 2BR/2BA Condo in Alexandria on hotpads.com. Below is the response email I received; a red flag went up and after immediately searching, I found this forum. Bad news: scam! Good news: I wasn't a victim.

See below:

From: Jerry Collins <[email protected]
Subject: 2BR/2BA Condo - Alexandria
Sent: Thu, Feb 16, 2012 7:46:44 AM

Hello,
Thanks for your email, I personally own the house, we want our property to be well taken good care, and there are some Precaution in which i will give out to you as a tenant willing to rent my house which brings about safety of a home, so please don't be offended. But if you are still capable of renting my house the precaution goes this way..

You must keep my house clean including the surrounding,you must know the way in which you use the kitchen items so as to avoid fire outbreak,you must not disturb the neighbor. We decided to rent out the property due to our transfer to (UNITED KINGDOM). My Family and I just traveled to United kingdom for a program Empowering Youth to Fight Racism with Dove Christian Fellowship International on a Missionary Work, so we are renting it out since we need someone to take good care of the property on our absence and the house will be available for a period of 5years. The program is taking place in four major countries which are Uganda, Japan, Haiti . Have this in mind you must know the kind of person that i am. Nevertheless i am giving you this Precautions because of what corresponded between me and my last tenant.The keys and documents are
with us here in united kingdom ... so i will need to arrange my flight to come to you before you can occupy the house but you can drive by the house anytime to take a look. We will be away for a while that is why we made up our mind to put up our house for rent to whom ever that will take good care of it. Please i want you to note that i spent a lot on my property that i want to give to you for rent,so i will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own. Utilities include Water,Trash,Sewer,Gas and Electricity etc and all untilities are included for six (6) months of move in. The money is not the main problem but 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 also want you to let me have trust in you as I always stand on my word.
Address:1724-Dogwood-Dr-Alexandria-VA-22302

Pets are Welcome!!!
Rent: $1200
Security Deposit: $1200
Living Building Square Footage: 1280
Number Of Bedrooms: 2
Number Of Bathrooms: 2.00

SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW:

RENT APPLICATION FORM.

Name (First name/ Middle name/Surname ) : __________?
Phone # :__________?
E-mail :__________?
Best time to call :__________?
Marital Status:__________?
How many proposed occupants :__________?
List all in addition to yourself including approx age :__________?
Present Address :__________?
City/State :__________?
Will you have pets :__________?
Please describe Breed, size :__________?
Personality of pet :__________?
Preferred move in date :__________?
Intended length of lease:__________?
Do you agree to pay the payment before you move in:__________?
Earliest possible date of deposit payment:__________?
Length of previous tenancy :__________?
Present occupation :__________?
Are you a section 8 applicant :__________?
Do you work late night :__________?
Do you smoke :__________?
Do you drink :__________?
Your picture or pictures __________?

Please feel free to ask any questions you do not understand and i will be looking forward to receive your email as soon as possible. As i am not around to show the inside, you can go check out the house and the neighborhood from the outside and get back to me if you really like it for more information. Please respond ASAP.