Rental Scammer - [email protected]

From: Alex Milton <[email protected]>
Date: June 24, 2012 11:11
To: Con Warner
Subject: Re: $600 Masterbedroom for rent (Santa Monica)
Reply-To: Alex Milton <[email protected]>

Hello,

Thanks for your interest in my apartment, located at 1411 7th St. Santa Monica, CA 90401. I just moved to Texas on a business contract for a period of six years that is why am looking for a clean and responsible person to stay in apartment. I am a Quantity Surveyor who loves to travel a lot from place to place on a contract basis.

Type of apartment: Its a spacious and lovely 2-bedroom fully furnished apartment with utilities included. The kitchen is well equipped.
Utilities and Equipments: Kitchen well equipped(microwave oven, Dish washer, blender, Cocktail mixer, Sandwich maker, gas cooker with agas tank e.t.c), all utilities included such as Internet facilities,Parking space, e.t.c.

Rental fees : $600 per month including electricity and phone bills
Damage deposit :$400

The rent is made very affordable because i am seriously looking for a clean and reliable person to take care of the apartment. Well I am not after the money, what i am after is the welfare of my apartment. I will like you to drive by to the building today to view the exterior of the building for you to get a better view of the building and get back to me so that I can forward you the full interior pictures to you to have an idea how beautiful and spacious the inside looks and we can proceed to the application form.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Alex.

This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union, MoneyGram or bank transfer 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.

Hello!

I also responded to an ad by a scammer using the same address. Beware this apartment posting! "She" posted on craigslist, under the name April Herwath:

On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 10:47 AM, April herwarth <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello

My name is April wife of Rev owner of the 1 Bedroom & 1 Bathroom apartment for rent on 1411 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401?, we are looking for a responsible person that can take Very Good care of the apartment. My husband in respect who owned the apartment and I also want you to know that it was due to my husband Missionary Transfer that made us to leave the apartment, so we want you to take very good care of it as we are not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean at the time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were its own.

So pls get back to me on how you could take care of our apartment or perhaps experience you have in renting
apartments,Hope you are okay with the price of $950 per month with utilities like :- Stove -Electric ,Refrigerator, Microwave,Ice Maker ,Full Kitchen ,Coffee maker ,TV/VCR, Stereo, Linens provided, CD layer, Cable/Satellite TV, Double/twin zip & link beds,Fitted wardrobe, Kitchen Electric hob/oven,Kitchen utensils, Microwave, Washer & dryer, Refrigerator & freezer ,Toaster, Electric kettle, Iron and ironing board, WIFI High Speed Internet and Free Secured parking.

I look forward to read from you asap so that I can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the apartment for rent, below is the address of the apartment, So if you are ok with this please request for an application form in your next e-mail. Am so sorry that i cannot call you because some problems with my ear and cant speak well. Just a little problem God Can take care off, pls bear with me. So let me know if i can forward you the application.

Apartment Address : 1411 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401?
Rent: $950 per month
Security Deposit :- $300 Refundable.

Attached are pictures of the apartment

Thanks

April Herwarth.

After the initial email, I was asked for more personal information (picture of my ID), and was told that, if I was picked to rent the apartment, the key would be mailed to me. That seemed odd, as no access was going to be given to the apartment, but I was going to be asked for personal information. Below is the second email.

Hello

I am very delighted to read from you again, take good care of our apartment if you eventually move in. We are willing to rent the apartment to you for as long you want to stay and we are also renting furnished, you can bring in your own furniture that you feel you will need, I also want you to know that i appreciate your expression, so i want you to stick to your words. You can drive by to view the apartment.

Below is the final question that you must answer to qualify for the rent of my apartment which is the application form.

*****RENT APPLICATION FORM*****
( Private and Confidential )

1)Your Full Name?
2)Your Full Current Address
3)Phone Number & Mobile Number
4)How old are you?
5)Sex?
6)Are you married?
7)How many people will be living in the apartment?
Do you have a pet?
9)Do you have a car?
10)Occupation?
11)Citizen of Which Country?
12)When are you ready to Move In? Exact Date?
13)How Many Months are you willing to rent The apartment?
14)First month rent ($950) and security deposit ($300)
15)A copy of identification


Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file in case of issuing the receipt and the agreement form in your name. Await your reply so that we can discuss on how to send you the keys/documents to the apartment through FedEx.


Thank You

April Herwarth