Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Received this same message from a [email protected] in response to a listing on zillow.com for a condo at 155 N. Harbor Dr. in Chicago, IL.

Hello,

Thanks for your email and interest in renting my apartment.
Please excuse me for the delay, but I have a crazy schedule here. I am a surgeon doctor working for a private clinic in Jacksonville. The rent for 1 month is $900.00 and includes all your utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator). First of all, if you want to rent the apartment you need to pay 1 month of rent ($900.00)+ 1 month of security deposit ($900.00), but the security deposit is refundable after lease period, as long as there are no damages on property after inspection. The apartment is available for as long as you wish to stay, the contract can be done for a couple of months or it can be done for a long term(years). I wish to conclude the transaction through Realtor.com, you will be given a 5 days inspection period from the day you receive the keys and contract at home. If you decide to hold the apartment, then you will have to authorize Realtor.com to release the funds to me, and the transaction will be completed.
If you are interested please let me know and I will explain the entire process.

More pictures: http://s1308.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 1/library/

Thanks
George Lemore M.D.

I received the exact same email from this man about a property at 2110 Tryon St in Philadelphia PA. I have copied the emails and attached them below.

"Hi there,
My job requires my presence here all the time and I can't come and show the apartment, this is the main reason why I chose Realtor.com to handle the transaction. First of all, some things about the apartment: it is fully furnished, but if you have your furniture, you can move some of my furniture in a storage room located at the same floor. You will find there all that you need: refrigerator, freezer, microwave, dishwasher, washer and dryer, speed cooking oven, venting system, washing machine. It is available for rent for an unlimited period of time, you can stay there for the next months or even for the next years. I am very fond of pets and willing to accept them in the apartment.
If we decide to proceed with this transaction, I will need your full name and address for that. You will receive a notification from Realtor.com shortly after that, together with all the instructions to follow and the invoice as well. Regarding the payment, you will be instructed to deposit the money to a Realtor.com bank account. They will hold and insure your money until you check the apartment and decide if you want take it or not. That is how their buyer protection policy works. As far as my concerns, I will be glad to know that Realtor.com has the possession of the money during the delivery period. That is my insurance. The keys and rental contract will be delivered at your address in no more than 2 working days. You will be given a 5 days inspection period from the day you receive the keys and contract at home. If you decide to hold the apartment, then you will have to authorize Realtor.com to release the funds to me, and the transaction will be completed. If you will not be satisfied with the apartment, you will be able to send the keys and contract back through the same service and ask to return the funds to you, though I am sure you will love the apartment and feel like you have found your new home. You will also have assigned 2 parking spots in a closed lot.

Sorry for such an ample email but I wanted to clarify everything before proceeding further.


Thanks

On Mar 13, 2013, at 7:03 PM, George Lemore <[email protected]> wrote:


Hello,

Thanks for your email and interest in renting my apartment.
Please excuse me for the delay, but I have a crazy schedule here. I am a surgeon doctor working for a private clinic in Jacksonville. The rent for 1 month is $900.00 and includes all your utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator). First of all, if you want to rent the apartment you need to pay 1 month of rent ($900.00)+ 1 month of security deposit ($900.00), but the security deposit is refundable after lease period, as long as there are no damages on property after inspection. The apartment is available for as long as you wish to stay, the contract can be done for a couple of months or it can be done for a long term(years). I wish to conclude the transaction through Realtor.com, you will be given a 5 days inspection period from the day you receive the keys and contract at home. If you decide to hold the apartment, then you will have to authorize Realtor.com to release the funds to me, and the transaction will be completed.
If you are interested please let me know and I will explain the entire process.

More pictures: http://s1308.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 1/library/


Thanks

George Lemore M.D.

I received the same email as the above for the Philadelphia address.

I just saw that the same place was listed in Boston as well. 181 Essex Street , Boston, MA 02111

http://hotpads.com/rentals/181-Essex-Street-Boston-MA-02111--4kx95uxk54wd7?utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=3311162553508624866&utm_source=savedsearch#lat=42.352168&lon=-71.057435&zoom=20&previewId=4kx95uxk54wd7&previewType=listing&detailsOpen=true&dupeGrouping=building&listingTypes=rental,sublet,room,corporate&loan=30,0.04,0&resultsPerQuad=24

One more thing. If you get an email from "Realtor.com" you get to send your hard earned cash to the following

Here are the Realtor.com representative payment details that you will use for this transaction:

Realtor.com Agent payment address:

First name: Jerry
Last name: Hill
Address: 4044 Castor St
City: Houston
State-zip code: TX, 77022
Country: United States

Follow these 6 simple steps in order to send money via MoneyGram:

1. Find a MoneyGram branch using Find Us.
2. You must go to a MoneyGram office with cash and make a Money Transfer to the name and address of our agent for the amount you and the seller agreed for the item.
3. You must complete a form there. You must write there the agent's name, location, amount.
4. Because the fee to send a MoneyGram Money Transfer is high, compared to other methods of payment, we have arranged with the seller and he will pay the fee (i.e., if it costs you $100 to send the payment, take $100 from the amount.
5.You must declare it a personal transfer (you will tell to the agent from MoneyGram that you are sending money to a friend) at the MoneyGram office, otherwise you will not be able to send the money. The fees for online transactions are with 30% higher than the fees for sending money to friends and relatives. You can tell them that you send the money to a friend. In this way we avoid to pay some extra fees.

6. Once the payment has been sent, please simply reply the following details:

1. Reference number
2. Exact sender's name on file with MoneyGram
3. Your street address on file with MoneyGram
4. Amount

Then wait for the confirmation that payment was received.

Welcome to ScamWarners DoctorP. Please post up the email address you received this message from.

Realtor.com is a legitimate website operated by the National Association of Realtors. Scammers often use the name of real companies to give credibility to their scam. We have to be careful to not speak ill of legitimate companies, just because scammers use their name or refer to their website.

Sending money to anyone by MoneyGram or Western Union is a guarantee that you will never see the money again. Legitimate businesses do not use MoneyGram or Western Union to receive funds. Scammers do it because they don't want you to be able to retrieve your money.

firstly - thank GOD i found this thread via google before going ahead - i knew something was a bit dodgy with this and decided to check things out further...

I have received the same exact email from a 'Bryan Barnes' email address is [email protected]

first email was:
Hello,

Thanks for your email and interest in renting my apartment.
Please excuse me for the delay, but I have a crazy schedule here. I am a surgeon doctor working for a private clinic in Jacksonville. The rent for 1 month is $1000.00 and includes all your utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator). First of all, if you want to rent the apartment you need to pay 1 month of rent ($1000.00)+ 1 month of security deposit ($1000.00), but the security deposit is refundable after lease period, as long as there are no damages on property after inspection. The apartment is available for as long as you wish to stay, the contract can be done for a couple of months or it can be done for a long term(years). I wish to conclude the transaction through Realtor.com, you will be given a 5 days inspection period from the day you receive the keys and contract at home. If you decide to hold the apartment, then you will have to authorize Realtor.com to release the funds to me, and the transaction will be completed.
If you are interested please let me know and I will explain the entire process.

More pictures: http://s1300.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 1/library/

Thanks
Bryan Barnes M.D.


and then after i contacted him back and said i don't want to send anything before i meet someone in person and view the property i got this email back:

Hi there,


My job requires my presence here all the time and I can't come and show the apartment, this is the main reason why I chose Realtor.com to handle the transaction. First of all, some things about the apartment: it is fully furnished, but if you have your furniture, you can move some of my furniture in a storage room located at the same floor. You will find there all that you need: refrigerator, freezer, microwave, dishwasher, washer and dryer, speed cooking oven, venting system, washing machine. It is available for rent for an unlimited period of time, you can stay there for the next months or even for the next years. I am very fond of pets and willing to accept them in the apartment.
If we decide to proceed with this transaction, I will need your full name and address for that. You will receive a notification from Realtor.com shortly after that, together with all the instructions to follow and the invoice as well. Regarding the payment, you will be instructed to deposit the money to a Realtor.com bank account. They will hold and insure your money until you check the apartment and decide if you want take it or not. That is how their buyer protection policy works. As far as my concerns, I will be glad to know that Realtor.com has the possession of the money during the delivery period. That is my insurance. The keys and rental contract will be delivered at your address in no more than 2 working days. You will be given a 5 days inspection period from the day you receive the keys and contract at home. If you decide to hold the apartment, then you will have to authorize Realtor.com to release the funds to me, and the transaction will be completed. If you will not be satisfied with the apartment, you will be able to send the keys and contract back through the same service and ask to return the funds to you, though I am sure you will love the apartment and feel like you have found your new home. You will also have assigned 2 parking spots in a closed lot.

Sorry for such an ample email but I wanted to clarify everything before proceeding further.


Thanks





WHAT A SCAMMER!!! I HOPE THESE A-HOLES GET WHAT THEY DESERVE - ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!!