Rental Scammer - [email protected]

From: [email protected]
To: Michelle Banks -
Subject: RE: 1 Bed flat in Trade It
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:31:23 -0700

Thanks for the response to my advertisement. Here are the necessary things you need to know about the rent and deposit. Rent : £ 400.00 pcm Security Deposit: £ 400.00 (Returnable at the end of 1 month stay in my flat) Utility bills inclusive: water, gas, council tax, electricity,parking space TV license and wireless Internet. Utility Cost : £ 0.00 pcm

However, my flat is fully furnished in and out with all necessary house use and also benefits a secured parking space but i can make it unfurnished if prefer. How many months do you intend to rent and pay for? Kindly reply for further information and i would like to know where you are coming from to stay in my flat.

I look forward to reading from you soon

Regards
Mr/Mrs Watson

The thief will tell you that you can rent his accommodation only if you can prove that you have genuine interest. He will ask you send money by wire transfer (normally Western Union) to yourself or a member of the family to show that you have sufficient finances and that you are not a "time waster".

Another variation of this scam is that you need to send (by Western Union) money in order that the keys and other documents can be couriered to you

He will ask you to send him the transfer details.

Make no mistake ! Western Union Transfers can be picked up virtually anywhere in the world and with the minimum of identification. They are almost impossible to trace once the money has been collected. You will never get to see the accommodation or your money 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 Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment by Western Union 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.

I got the same reply for an advert in Edinburgh from this same person - Harriet. She asked me to send money to a relative through Western Union to prove that I have the capability to pay for her property. I can't thank you enough for starting this topic here. I have pasted the emails I received from her regarding this flat - they are ditto to the ones she had sent you !

harriet watson <[email protected]> Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 11:46 AM
To: Removed personal information. ~Bubbles

Thanks for the reply and the sincere interest you have in my flat, I spoke with Husband now and we both agreed to have you in our flat. However it is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view or reserve my flat without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled,this has brought about great loss to me. I have traveled all the way from Ireland to take some interested candidates round my flat because that's where i work with (A & M Belting Company Ltd)

Some tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturb the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who are in city so some do not meet up with the appointments. Henceforth i have decided to conduct a simple test on financial ability to pay for my rent before coming for viewing. At least one month rent and security deposit which is £400 which is refundable after your stay in my flat, would be required from you to transfer via western union money in a minutes, You will make the transfer with your name as a sender and someone close to you as a receiver, a friend or your relative.

Once you have done this, Scan the receipt to me so that i can verify if it's truly genuine and available in your custody, after verification, then we can Schedule convenient day for the viewing and you can as well tell your Receiver to pick up the money and also, i will refund back to you the cost of transfer when we meet.

I look forward to reading from you.

Regards
Mr/Mrs Watson

On Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 12:13 AM, harriet watson
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Thanks for the response to my advertisement. Here are the necessary things you need to know about the rent and deposit. Rent : £ 350.00 pcm Security Deposit: £ 400.00 (Returnable at the end of 1 month stay in my flat) Utility bills inclusive: water, gas, council tax, electricity,parking space TV license and wireless Internet. Utility Cost : £ 0.00 pcm
>
> However, my flat is fully furnished in and out with all necessary house use and also benefits a secured parking space but i can make it unfurnished if prefer. How many months do you intend to rent and pay for? Kindly reply for further information and i would like to know where you are coming from to stay in my flat.
>
> I look forward to reading from you soon
>
> Regards
> Mr/Mrs Watson