Rental Scam! http://www.dsshousinguk.com/default.aspx

Hi,

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=27791&p=86968&hilit=horizon+housing#p86968

Sounds like the scam above has morphed into this - I found it today on Gumtree and was nearly hooked in when i thought I would check how much it cost to phone the Housing Directory number! i think it's really disgusting to exploit those on benefits and those who have mental or physical health problems who can only get a house/ flat rental with a landlord who accepts DSS.

This is the ad-
1 Bed Flat In Bristol - DSS WELCOME -

This is the website the ad links to,

http://www.dsshousinguk.com/default.aspx

The ad has now been removed - a few hours after I saw it. Oops I just checked and Is now up again this time in the Featured list at the top of the listings! The website is still there though. A genuine lettings agency is aware about the scam and has posted a warning on in the same listings:

"DSS information FREE PLEASE READ housing advice

We are an agent in Bristol who are trying to protect you from scammers right here on gumtree!

READ ON TO SAVE MONEY

These people are advertising as an agency or company who can give you numbers to companies or other agencies that have housing for DSS Housing Benefit .

GREAT... You think.......STOP they get you to call them don't they on various numbers. This is the scam....they are premium rate numbers charged at £1.50 per minute!!!!!!

Also they are only giving you names and telephone numbers out of a telephone directory which you could get yourself!

They are handing out our telephone number at .....we DO NOT affiliate to them in any way, we have not given permission to use our number and name to mislead people and take £1.50 per minute from anyone.

Yes at times we do have some property but you can call us direct on . DO NOT email these people to get a number to call.

I have complained many times to gumtree which are owned by EBay as I was told and they do not tolerate this. Yet they now allow them to put aderrts up for you to email them to get the 118 number.


So please...... Do not call these numbers.........

Check if it is a premium rate charge
Premium rate numbers begin with 0871, 0872, 0873, 090 or 118. If it’s a premium rate text service the number will be a five or six-digit shortcode and will probably begin with 5, 6, 7 or 8.


Tell your friends to protect them too as I am not sure how long our advert to protect you will be up here!

Please be careful....regards."

Hope you can help with this!

If you see any flats or houses listed on Gumtree saying DSS Welcome on header line, advert 1 & 2 bed flats - DSS WELCOME - available in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester etc - reply with immediate response - you will be taken to website above with only contact is phone directory open 9am- 9pm 7 days a week and premium rate number. All they will do is give list of local lettings agents who from to time have DSS accepted properties. These agents advertise anyway their ACTUAL properties on GUMTREE! And is free to reply. This is a scam! Horizon's DSS Housing. Please do not ring the number! - Housing Directory 118 175 you will charged at ££££ for the phone call and the Flats/ Houses do not exist.

I thought I would post this again with website address in subject line to make it clearer!

Welcome to ScamWarners Lavender3. I understand your passion for this scam so I have combined your two posts so the information is easy to find in one place.

Please not you could edit your post to change the subject line instead of starting a new thread. Certainly if you have any questions feel free to contact one of the Moderators and we can help you get your posts sorted.

Thank you.