Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Mod note: Given own subject in order to help people's searches

I got this exact same email, word for word. from [email protected]. Found this site by googling the first paragraph. I wasn't going to send him any money without seeing the inside, but was trying to see it through, because $700 for a place that size in that location here would be amazing.

Here was his second email after I filled out the form:

Dear ChicagoRenter,

Thanks so much for your completed Rental Application back to us, My wife and I have thought about you and we are so much excited to accept you as our new home tenant because you really sounds like kind of person that we are looking to rent our home and I want you to notice that all your information have been approve into our rental file and please do not fail to take very good care of the home for us and treat as own, because you sounds like a responsible and honesty person and we are going to treat you as part of our family in our home. Do get back to us with your move in date, so that it can be include in the lease agreement paperwork that we are going to sign and attached the copy to you to sign as well. Your monthly rent already covers utilities so you do not have to pay extra charges for that..

How much do you have right now so that i can talk to my wife to know what to do? Because we are ready to sign on the Deposit Receipt and Lease Agreement Paperwork for you and how to mail the keys and document to you as soon as possible your payment is confirm so that you can view the inside of the house and take your move in. But if you can afford some little amount right now, we can consider to take it till you come up with the remaining balance and make sure we secure the house for you till your moving date and please reconfirm your address (my current address in bold) where to mail the document.

Kindly get back to us, so that we can instruct you on how to make the payment to enable the shipment ASAP to your door step by UPS Courier Service.

Congratulations as our New Tenant, we pray for you find Love, Joy and Happiness in our home as me and my family always do.

Thanks and God Bless You.
I await for your reply.

Regards,
Ryan Shultz

Here's the interesting thing. I went to the address listed, the first floor is vacant, and the mailbox for the second floor had "Shultz" as one of the two names on there, and there appeared to be someone home. Should I contact the authorities?

Thanks for this, guys, saved me a lot of trouble, hopefully I'm able to pay it forward.