by Michelle
Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:39 am
From: Alicia Sanderson <[email protected]>
Date: 2013/4/21
Subject: Immoweb - Intérêt sur une annonce à louer
To: Michelle Banks
Hello, Thanks for your interest . I inherited the apartment from my grandfather when he past away, i am from United Kingdom , Manchester so i decided to rent it. Before we go further, I would like to know a little about you, such as how many persons you intend to have staying in the apartment and for how long also if you can send me a picture it will be nice . I will be glad to rent it to anyone who likes to keep it clean and tidy. I can rent out the flat for unlimited time ( 1 to 5 years maybe more ) . I can also rent it for short periods (2-3 months minimum). The rent for 1 month is EUR 350 including all utilities . You may use my furniture, or you can use your own , it's the same thing for me . I have the option of sending all my furniture to storage, if you want to bring your own (no extra cost). You can move in to the apartment on the same day that you receive the keys. The only problem is that I am the only person who has the keys, but i have a solution for that if you are still interested . Thank you for your interest and I look forward to hear from you soon. Thanks.
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.
