Thanks to those of you who posted about this issue in the past. I am searching for an apartment in Wien and came across 2 deals that were out of this world. I've been basing my search on Bazar.at. I exchanged a few emails with the two "owners" Phillip Leonard and Mattias Amnon and checked for scams after a number of red flags went up. The largest of those flags being a request from each to transfer 1900€ though TNT (
http://www.tnt.com/express/en_us/site/home.html) and 1000€ by either MoneyGram or Western Union to each respective "owner." This was to be done PRIOR to my receiving the keys or viewing the apartment. I should also note that both of the listings were removed from Bazar.at within 30 minutes of my initial message. All I can say is trust your gut! I didn't sent any money or continue correspondence but feel fairly confident when I say it was a scam. Hope this post helps someone else confirm their suspicions as well! To see copies of their e-mails see below.
I received these emails today, July 28, 2014
Phillip Leonard <[email protected]>Attachments12:16 PM (5 hours ago)

Hi there
I apologize for any grammatical errors, but I speak English properly and can. I just got your e-mail regarding my apartment located in: Wipplingerstraße 33, 1010 Vienna, 3 rooms: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen and 1 living room.
I bought this apartment for my daughter during her studies in Austria, but now she's back home permanently, so I'm the place for unlimited time to hire.
Before we continue, I would like to know a little something about you go as how many persons you intend to live in the apartment and for how long.
The apartment is exactly like in the pictures fully furnished and renovated. Also, very important, the utilities (cold / hot water, electricity, wireless broadband Internet, digital TV, 1 parking spots, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, etc.) included in the price of 640 € / month. The deposit (deposit) is € 1,260 and you get it back if you decide to leave the apartment (you must me at least 30 days in advance). As for me, you can be sure to never, I ask you, the apartment will leave. My daughter is building her life here, and I'm too old to move to Austria, so do not bother you, we will not.
Can you my furniture, or you can create your own if desired. If you want to use yours, you have access to a very large and well ventilated cellar, where my furniture can be stored.
But this does not affect you at all. I can arrange the apartment from the UK, (at my expense of course) to rent.
We look forward to hearing about from you soon.
Many greetings from the UK
Phillip Leonard
-----Phillip Leonard1:50 PM (3 hours ago)
Hello,
Thank you for your reply but like i told you the matter is that I'm in England already. Like I have inform you before, the price you shall pay for one month of rent will be 640€ + 1,260€ security deposit ( kaution ) = (1,900€), with no extra taxes to pay. I must have one month rent + security deposit from you. You pay this money just for this time and every month you pay just 640€ . The money, I want to recive it monthly to my bank account, so I hope it will be no problem for you to wire the money to my bank account. The apartment is ready for you, you will need only to receive the keys and the contract to check it, and see if you like it. Obviously we need a way to complete this deal, that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are after. I am not interested to make a lot of money from the rent as I am interested to find a tenant that will take goof care of the property. Because didn't had time to find a trustworthy agent, don't have any friends in the area to send the keys. I found an alternate solution in order to close the transaction safe for the both of us, a real estate company , it is an international real estate company called TNT Services, please visit (
http://www.tnt.com ). They will provide assistance in handling the payment and delivery of the Keys and Lease Agreement, Deposit request 640€ + 1,260€ (Security Deposit). With this procedure you will be able o check the apartment before I receive the payment. Like a TNT company.
Let me know if you are interested please because I really need to take care of this matter.
Regards
Phillip Leonard
-----Phillip Leonard2:34 PM (2 hours ago)
Dear Ms. **********,
I want to inform you that TNT will hold the money until you will confirm to them that you like the apt and keep the keys. If you don't like it, you only have to return the keys to them after they will refund the money to you and they will deliver the keys back to me on my expense.
I will need to inform you the steps about how this service works and how we can make it happen. You will only have to deposit first month of rent + security deposit - 1,900€ to TNT Service - so they can proceed with the shipping, and you can receive the keys and the contract.
Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the Keys and the contract signed by me right away. I will explain to you step by step how this will work:
1 - To start this transaction i will need to know your full shipping information, full name, full shipping address and phone number to proceed with this deal .
2 - I go to the TNT Office and leave the Keys and the contract in your name as the intended receiver.
3 - TNT will check the envelope to see if everything is OK with it and also the legal papers that will come along with the Keys.
4 - TNT will send you a delivery notification to let you know they have the Keys and the papers in their custody, in which you will be told that they have the Keys and that they checked it.
5 - At this point you will have to go to your Bank and make a money transfer deposit on the TNT Company in England/London assigned with this transaction for the amount we agreed.
6 - After you make the bank transfer deposit you will have to send the infos about the money deposit to TNT (scan paper from the bank transfer).
7 - TNT will verify the payment informations and if everything is in order they will deliver the Keys and the contract to you .
8 - After you receive the package, You will go and check the apt and in 2 days after you seen the apt you must contact them and tell them if you keep the apt or not, if everything is in order you will instruct TNT to release the funds to me.
If you don't like the apt they will send your money back and you will send them the keys and the contract to them to return the package back to me on my expense.I will pay TNT Service for the shipping and you will pay Bank Transfer for the Money Transfer fees.Now i must know for sure if you agree because here are a lot of peoples interested to have this apartment rented and i want to know for sure what i must tell them. If you agree what i suggested i will tell them that my apartment is already rented and i will keep it for you. If you agree then i must have all the shipping details so i will be able to make all the arrangements for the TNT delivery.
very Important: Your money will be in safe in TNT Company Bank Account .
Thank you for your interest and wait news from you.
Phillip Leonard
-----[email protected]12:33 PM (4 hours ago)
Hello,
The flat is still available for rent. It was redecorated last year is looking very nice, clean and fully furnished , also have Internet connection. Equipped kitchen and everything a house needs. I m interested in finding someone clean who can take care of this house more then getting money from renting it if you know what I mean.
Till last month the apartment was rented by some students and now they left and the apartment is available again for rent. The price I want is 500 € per month, bills included and I am interested in a long term agreement,max 10 years.
I live in United Kingdom and for this reason I can't meet you to see the apartment personally. If you want to visit the apartment please tell me and we find a good and safe solution.
Thank you
-----

Matthias Amnon2:50 PM (2 hours ago)
Hi,
The rental is 500 €/month and all costs are included in this price, you'll don't have other extra costs.
I had a client who wanted to rent the apartment and I used a real estate to manage my transaction. We have start the transaction with a rental company and after he don't paid for the deposit. So I canceled the transaction and I paid for this 200 £. For this reason I decided that I accept a warranty from you,that mind 2 months advance rent payment ( 1000 € ).
Look how we can do this transaction in a safe way:
First we want to be sure that you have the money to rent the apartment and for this reason I ask you to send the money 1000 € through MoneyGram or Western Union on my name in United Kingdom, Durham. After, you must send me the scanned paper from MoneyGram or Western Union . You can cover all details from the scanned paper. I need only to see that the money are in UK and I will send you the keys and rental contract at your address. After you will receive the keys and the rental contract and you will see the apartment and If you decide to hold the apartment , you must give me all details from your transfer so I can pick up the money from the MoneyGram or Western Union office. If you don't like the apartment you'll cancel the transfer with MoneyGram or Western Union and you'll get all money back, after you will be able to send the keys and contract back to me to any shipping company you want.
In this way the transaction is safe for both of us.
Thank you,