by bekdam
Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:04 am
My husband and I are looking for a short term accomodation in London and we do not know anybody in this city, this is why we reply to this ad on craigslist:
We are 95% sure that we contacted a scammer, only 95% because he is VERY good. Please have a look at one of the emails he sent us:
He is very friendly. In one of the emails he also highlighted that "The man in the lead Bradley Wiggins lives just up the from the apartment." to make the whole story more "credible". It is pretty well done because the price is in line with the market price. He also has targeted a specific period on his ad "Huge Studio available Aug 20 for 2 weeks" so it seems pretty true. The photos are also pretty convincing, very neutral, nothing is too perfect to be true. I called him on his mobile phone and I had a very pleasant person with a british accent. The voice was the one of a relatively old person.
However, there are several elements that make almost no doubt that this is a scam:
-first the branch of his bank is in Manchester while he told us he was living in this appartment and he specified in the email that his bank was the paddington branch (the area where the flat is located), this email was pretty well done too:"This is my own apartment which i rent out when i travel (often) , for over a year i have had a nice canadian girl renting from me every time i travel but she is studying Mandarin full time now and will not be back until next march , i can ask her to email you a reference if you like.I will be at the apartment when you arrive then stay at my friends place that night in London , i will then go to Birmingham where i get a flight to Lisbon on 21st...I need sunshine , the summer here as been the worst i can remember but is supposed to be better from next week which is good for those people visiting for the olympics."
- A lot of punctation issue but because the voice looked old, I first thought that it was the reason.
- the total area does not correspond. The studio is advertised 400feet2 while when I have asked if it is was big he told me "that is approx 5metres x 5metres, the living area is downstairs is bigger maybe 6metresx6metres, they maynot be exact , it is a large studio."
- the email address finishing by 100 was a bit suspicious
- the most convincing element that makes me assume that it is a scam is that one of the three pictures he sent us reminds me something I have already seen in another ad. Indeed, he took it from a gumtree ad that is not a scam (not even an opportunity, very bad flat very expensive but with a nice exterior). He consequently used the same address and of course if you check the view street on google map you can find the building presented on this picture.
So my husband and I who are not the kind of persons who can be scammed easily were very close to send the money to this person. Be careful!
"Very nice , huge double studio , can sleep upto 4.
Laundry , wifi , and all bills included.
Available for 2 weeks from August 20th. dates slightly flexible.
£100 fully refundable deposit also required.
078 7839 6223 "
We are 95% sure that we contacted a scammer, only 95% because he is VERY good. Please have a look at one of the emails he sent us:
"The sleeping area is upstairs , that is approx 5metres x 5metres, the living area is downstairs is bigger maybe 6metresx6metres, they maynot be exact , it is a large studio. I have had groups of 4 here many times and had enough room. There is also a balcony at the front. It would be ideal for you for 2 weeks.free Laundry and internet also.2 weeks move in 19Aug , out on 2 September would be £560 if you need additional day or so that would be ok at £40per night.
I usually take payment in advance , as will finalise my tickets and take it off the market but as you are not here and have nobody who can come visit the flat and leave deposit £250 deposit is ok and the remainder (£310) when you check in on Aug 19.
If you have anymore queries please feel free to ask me.
Thanks again
Alan Jeffery
PS Which part of France do you live in?"
He is very friendly. In one of the emails he also highlighted that "The man in the lead Bradley Wiggins lives just up the from the apartment." to make the whole story more "credible". It is pretty well done because the price is in line with the market price. He also has targeted a specific period on his ad "Huge Studio available Aug 20 for 2 weeks" so it seems pretty true. The photos are also pretty convincing, very neutral, nothing is too perfect to be true. I called him on his mobile phone and I had a very pleasant person with a british accent. The voice was the one of a relatively old person.
However, there are several elements that make almost no doubt that this is a scam:
-first the branch of his bank is in Manchester while he told us he was living in this appartment and he specified in the email that his bank was the paddington branch (the area where the flat is located), this email was pretty well done too:"This is my own apartment which i rent out when i travel (often) , for over a year i have had a nice canadian girl renting from me every time i travel but she is studying Mandarin full time now and will not be back until next march , i can ask her to email you a reference if you like.I will be at the apartment when you arrive then stay at my friends place that night in London , i will then go to Birmingham where i get a flight to Lisbon on 21st...I need sunshine , the summer here as been the worst i can remember but is supposed to be better from next week which is good for those people visiting for the olympics."
- A lot of punctation issue but because the voice looked old, I first thought that it was the reason.
- the total area does not correspond. The studio is advertised 400feet2 while when I have asked if it is was big he told me "that is approx 5metres x 5metres, the living area is downstairs is bigger maybe 6metresx6metres, they maynot be exact , it is a large studio."
- the email address finishing by 100 was a bit suspicious
- the most convincing element that makes me assume that it is a scam is that one of the three pictures he sent us reminds me something I have already seen in another ad. Indeed, he took it from a gumtree ad that is not a scam (not even an opportunity, very bad flat very expensive but with a nice exterior). He consequently used the same address and of course if you check the view street on google map you can find the building presented on this picture.
So my husband and I who are not the kind of persons who can be scammed easily were very close to send the money to this person. Be careful!
Last edited by Bubbles on Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Quotations added for clarity.
