Rental scammer - [email protected]

From: "craigslist 3719364366" <[email protected]>
Date: Apr 4, 2013 11:11
Subject: Re: Room & Private Bath-Available with utilities Now
To: Con Warner

Thanks for your interest in my apartment. The apartment is still available and it is located at: 259 Ainslie Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211. I'm easy going and friendly. I respect every religion and love to hang around with good people and I am definitely not a trouble maker and very helpful in nature. I am presently in Manila , Philippines with my wife sarah and we will be here for long that is why i am renting out the apartment.

Rental fees : $500 Per month including utilities
Damage deposit : $500 Refundable

Kindly get back to me with your phone number & e-mail address so that I can forward you the interior pictures and more information about the apartment.

Write me back at [email protected] for more information
Regards
Fred

This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union, MoneyGram or bank transfer with a promise that you can have the keys to a property that does not belong to him.

Sounds safe. It's not!

At other times, he will ask for proof that you are able to pay the deposit and rent due to a string of time wasters.
This proof is in the form of a Western Union or MoneyGram payment to a lawyer,a friend or family member.

In either case, if payment is made and you give this person the details, they will collect the money.
You will not hear from them again.

All the details such as names, addresses, pictures etc. that the scammer uses in order to back up his story, are stolen from elsewhere.

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 Craigslist, Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment 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.

Oh no! This makes me sad I randomly googled the email, and this popped up. Thanks for the warning! I thought the price was too good to be true. DAMN! And oh no, I've given him my email and phone number ._.

At any rate, this was the email:

Thanks for your interest in my apartment. The apartment is still available and it is located at: 2004 University Avenue,Berkeley, CA 94704, USA . I'm easy going and friendly. I respect every religion and love to hang around with good people and I am definitely not a trouble maker and very helpful in nature. I am presently in Manila , Philippines with my wife Sarah and we will be here for long that is why i am renting out the apartment.

Rental fees : $480 Per month including utilities
Damage deposit : $480 Refundable

Kindly get back to me with your phone number & e-mail address so that I can forward you the interior pictures and more information about the apartment.

Write me back at [email protected] for more information
Regards
Fred

Sigh. Yup, looks like a scam.