Rental Scams in Sweden

Hello,

I have only recently registered and wanted to d so because this site has been so helpful to me. I have just moved to Sweden from Finland and have been looking for an apartment for about 3 weeks now. I have had my fair share of rental scammers and want to help others just like I have been helped via this site.

Here's a list of e-mail addresses which in fact ARE scammers' e-mail addresses:

Alex Fedele / [email protected] (uses other variations of his name also, e.g. Alex Fidel)

Hello,

Thanks for your prompt response regarding my posted and I am extremely sorry for my late response to your mail. I have been very busy due to the nature of my work and never had time to check my mails until now. Thanks for your prompt response regarding my posted ad, let me take a little time to tell you something about myself, the apartment & its amenities, price and conditions to rent.

About me:

My name is Alessandro Fedele ; I'm an Italian Citizen who has being currently working with a Real Estate and Civil Engineering Company in Sweden since 2009. now i'm currently in UK to execute a Kensal Rise, Kensal Green and Queen's Park Estate contract which could last me six month or probably a year. all i just need is person either student or individual who is ready to maintain the beauty of the apartment Since i am not residing there for now. I left behind some Facilities and electronics and a sony DVD player, air conditioning,alarm system. The kitchen is fully equipped with all necessary cooking utensils, a refrigerator-freezer, four-hob and oven, microwave,dishwasher and washing machine, My System connected with Internet Access also i will like you to know that the rent charges is not really the issue, but your absolute maintenance of my apartment, because that is the only valuable property i have in Stockholm,Sweden, and it also took me so much time and money to put all those facilities in place.
.

All services near by: metro, highway, banks, restaurants…
Asking Rent Price Per Month: 5000 SEK (Including Utilities)
Security Deposit: 8000 SEK
Total: 13000 SEK

NB: The 13000 SEK security deposit is refundable upon verification of the room which you rented to be in good order. There is contract available for weekly, month to month and long term basis but if you want a long term rent, i will prefer an initial 1-4 months rent which is renewable 2 weeks prior to the rent expiration.

So if you are interested in renting the flat, kindly get back to me by filling me with below details.

*Your Full Name:
*Your Full Address:
*Phone Number:
*How old are you?
*Are you married?
*Do you have a pet?
*Do you have a car?
*Occupation:
*The picture of the Tenant renting the house? (If available):
*How many months' rent deposit will you pay in advance?
*********** When will you Move in?
************ When will you Move Out?

Here is the address to the apartment.
Rosenlundsgatan 28 B,
118 53 Stockholm,
Sweden.

Looking forward to hear from you with all this details.

Best Regards.

Yours Faithfully
Alex Fedele

Arrij Moussa / [email protected] & [email protected]

Hello,

My name is Arrij Moussa, I am the owner of the apartment located at Birger Jarlsgatan 60, 114 29 Stockholm, Sweden. The monthly rent is 9000 SEK (for the whole apartment) including some utilities (heat, gas, water, electricity, internet, cable, parking etc..). Actually I didn't buy this apt, I inherited it from my father who passed away last year in December. I never lived in that apartment because my mother and father were divorced and I was raised by my mother in London, United Kingdom. I tried to sell the apartment but I couldn't get a fair price for it so I decided together with my mother to rent it to some nice people.
The apartment is exactly like you see it in the pictures, fully furnished, but I have the option of sending all my furniture into storage if you want to bring your own (no extra costs). The rental period for my apartment can be minimum 3 months up to 10 years.
I'd like to know something about you, like how many persons intend to live in my apartment, for what period, if you have a pet etc. You can move in the apt in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys but I hope that we will find a solution.

All the best,
Arrij Moussa

Original description:
Välplanerad och möblerad 2:a om 62kvm endast ca 5 minuters promenad från Stureplan.
Lägenheten är nytapsetserad och väldigt fin med parkett. Stort sovrum, stort vardagsrum med plats för matbord, stor hall samt stort kök. Badrum med dusch och tvättmaskin.
Tillgång till innegård och tvättstuga. Hiss finns och lägenheten ligger på våning 2,5.
Nära till t-bana Rådmansgatan, SATS och Hemköp mitt emot. Nära till allt!

Here are some pics: http://postimage.org/gallery/12vaxil6/

Thank you for your interest and looking forward to a future collaboration and friendship.

Jeremy Hallum / [email protected]
(This one is in Swedish but the text is very similar to the English versions, probably just translated by an online translator, and quite a few typos)

Hej

Härlig välkomnande hall med breda oljade trätiljor och ljusa väggar. Gott om plats för avhängning på vägg samt plats för annat hallmöblemang.
Separat WC i hallen med ljusa väggar och mosaikklinker på golv.
Rogivande sovrum mot lugn lummig gård. Sovrummet har en cylinderformad kakelug som ger rummet härlig karaktär. Dubbla glaspartier öppnar upp mot den soliga möblerbara balkongen. Sovrummet har ljusa färger och oljade trätiljor.
Generöst vardagsrum med flera dispositionsmöjligheter. Vardagsrummet har ljusa målade väggar, fiskbensparkett och har på ett bra och smakfullt sätt kombinerats med köksdelen. Köksdelen har gott om både arbetsyta och förvaring och är maskinellt utrustad med hällspis, inbyggnadsugn, integrerad diskmaskin och kyl/frys från Siemens. Spotlights i överskåpen ger ett bra arbetsljus och dekorativ inglasad tapet är en snygg detalj.
Litet men mycket charmigt rum som med fördel kan användas som kontorsutrymme eller mindre sovrum. Karakteristisk tapet, vitmålat trägolv och fönster mot lummig gård.
Kommunikationerna till och från Östermalm är mycket goda. Här finns ett flertal tunnelbanestationer, busslinjer och även den gamla spårvagnslinjen som går från Norrmalmstorg ut till Djurgården på sommaren.
Jag är intresserad av hyra den. Jag avslutade juridisk fakultet vid Stockholms universitet och fick en praktikplats i Storbritannien på Farrer & CO en advokatbyrå från London. Praktiken är på två år så jag letar efter någon att stanna en längre tid. Hur som helst hyra inleds från två månader och går så långt som två år eller mer. Det kommer att vara bäst om jag hittar någon att hyra under en längre tid, men om du är intresserad av en kort period, är bra, jag är säker på att vi kan lyckas lösa det.
Jag är ägare av lägenheten. Jag tog några bilder av det, som ni visade på webbplatsen.
Lägenheten är möblerad, men jag har möjlighet att skicka alla mina möbler i lager om du vill ta med din egen (inga extra kostnader)
Hyran per månad är 5800 SEK (för hela lägenheten), som ingår gemenskapa avgifter i priset.
Det enda problemet är att jag inte är i Stockholm och vi kan inte träffas för att visa lägenheten själv, så jag måste hitta en lösning.
Med Vänliga Hälsningar,
Jeremy Hallum

Annes Urthorm / [email protected]

Hej,

My name is Annes Urthorm and I have available the studio located in Birger Jarlsgatan 61, 1 sal.
I'm 39 years old british woman and I've worked as a lawyer in Stockholm. My contract period there expired and now I've moved back to Liverpool- my born city, to spend some time with my family and to get a job here. Due to this fact, I am offering my studio for rent for an unlimited period.

The price for a month of rent is 3400 Sek including all the monthly expenses (water,heating, electricity,Internet..). It has 41 m2.
The studio is fully furnished and equipped, but there is the option to take it unfurnished if you have your own stuff.

Like I've said.. .I'm in Liverpool because I live and work here right now and I'm the only person who has the keys of the studio but I have a solution to solve this problem, so you can move in as soon as you receive the keys.

Looking forward to hear from you.

Sincerely, Annes

Robin Gerard / /[email protected]

Hello,

I appreciate your intent of renting my apartment . I am from ( London / United Kingdom ) , I bought this apartment for my son during he studies in Sweden, but now he's back home in London permanently, so I'm renting the place for unlimited time . Before we go any future I would like to know a little something about you, like how many persons you intend to live in the apartment, and for how long.The flat is exactly like in the pictures, fully furnished and renovated.Also, very important, the utilities water hot/cold, electricity, heating, gas, Internet, cable, parking space, dishwasher, garbage disposal, are not included in the price of 6240 kr per month , all this utilities are from 600 kr per month.The security deposit is also 6240 kr, and you get it back, when you decide to leave the apartment ( you will have to give me at least 2 moths notice ). As for me, you can rest assured that I will never ask you to leave the apartment. My son is building him life here and now he will go with him wife in Portugal to make them bussines, and about me I am too old to move to Sweden ,so we won't disturb you.You can use my furniture, or you can also use your own if you prefer. Now, a little bit about myself so we can get to know each other better.My name is Robin Gerard and I'm a 59 years old Neuro-Oncology doctor from London / United Kingdom ( North London NHS Trust ), planning to retire in the next 5 years. I have no problem if you will keep animals. The only inconvenience is that my job doesn't allow me to leave London even for one single day. But this won't affect you at all. I can make arrangements to rent the apartment from London (on my expense of course).

Thank you for your interest and I will look forward to hearing from you soon.

Robin Gerard

P.S: Please tell me if this is what are you looking for and reply my only if you are truly interested in the apartment.

I don't know how long these scammers keep their e-mail addresses but I hope someone finds this post useful!

Br,
Still looking for an apartment

I was looking for apartment in oslo and found this nice apartment for a good price, i sent an email and got one in return from this email [email protected] and his name was Robin Gerard he sent me the excact email above. I thought it was some creepy sh1t n too good to b true + there were no adress n impossible to visit to see the place. So i searched his name on google and this link came up. Thank u so much u saved me for a lot of trouble

They are now using the well known Global Real Estate firm RE/MAX via a big advertisement site called Blocket.se Unfortunately this site does not have a live support even though they are huge, they are very indifferent when I sent them emails about this and basically just said" hmm this could be a Nigeria letter", upon my reply was "Well, what are YOU going to do about this!?" Double warning for looking for housing solutions on http://www.blocket.se :

From: Marlene Dusper <[email protected]>
Date: 2012/12/5
Subject: RE: Ang. Trevligt ställe, missa inte det
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX



Hello,


I want to inform you that RE/MAX 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 to RE/MAX Global Air Express the first month of rent + security deposit - 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 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 leave the Keys and the contract in RE/MAX possession.
3 - RE/MAX 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 - RE/MAX 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.
You must send the money to a RE/MAX Agent from United Kingdom.
RE/MAX will hold and insure your money until you inspect the apartment (until you decide if you want to keep it or not).
That is how their buyer protection policy works. As far as my concerns, I will be glad to know that RE/MAX has the possession of the money during the delivery period. That is my insurance.

Many thanks in advance !"

Welcome to ScamWarners Sir Lancelot and thank you for this information.

I am not sure what you wanted Re/Max to do about the scammers using their name. They do not have the resources to go after scammers any more than the police do. Posting a warning is the best they can really do because scammers hide behind fake names and throw away email addresses. Some use other methods to hide their location.

We ALL wish there were a button to make scammers disappear. The most important thing to do is educate, warn and support those who have lost money. Thank you for helping to do that here!