Is this a classic SCAM or what? It surely seems so.

This was the last mail I got from yet another absent landlord living abroad.
It's all good, until he asks me to make a huge deposit on REMAX for sending the keys to them, and only afterwards will I be able to see the apartment. He even sent me the detailed process. This rental business is so full of these schemes that I don't know who to trust honestly. her goes the procedure.. I'm pretty sure it's a scam and I'm going to contact REMAX to see what they have to say.


BEGINING OF MAIL
Hello again ,

I want to inform you that REMAX will hold the money until you will confirm to them that you like the apartment 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 REMAX Service the first month of rent + security deposit -1380- 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 step by step 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 go to the REMAX Office and leave the Keys and the contract in your name as the intended receiver.
3 - REMAX 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 - REMAX 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.
5 - At this point you will have to go to your bank and make a bank wire transfer on the REMAX bank account assigned with this transaction for the amount we agreed, the total amount you shall deposit is for the first month of rent.
6 - After you make the deposit you will have to send the infos about the money deposit to REMAX (Scanned paper from your bank so I can know that you already made the deposit )
7 - REMAX will verify the payment informations and if everything is in order they will deliver the Keys and the contract to you .
8 - After you receive the package, You will go and check the apartment and in 2 days you must contact them and tell them if you keep the apartment or not, if everything is in order you will instruct REMAX to release the funds to me.If you don't like the apartment they will send your money back and you will send them the keys and the contract to them to return the package back to me on my expense . I will pay
REMAX Service for the shipping and you Bank wire transfer for the fees.Now i must know for sure if you agree because here are a lot of peoples interested to have this apartment rented and i want to know for sure what i must tell them. If you agree what i suggested i will tell them that my apartment is already rented and i will keep it for you. If you agree then i must have all the shipping details so i will be able to make all the arrangements for the REMAX delivery.very Important: Your money will be in safe in REMAX custody.
Thank you for your interest and wait news from you


Best regards,

END OF MAIL

Any suggestion??
Thanks in advance...
Another 3 days lost in the bin exchanging mails with a scammer - this is the 2nd time in a week's period

This is a common scam and Remax do not work this way. Please let us have the name and email address that the scammer used.
This format of a rental scam has been used many times before. Here's just one example, in this link: http://scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=71760.

Googling a key phrase from his email, such as "need to inform you the steps about how this service works" will show many more examples.

So that Person got a new Name and is now actice on roommates.com

Thank you. Rent is 1200$ Sing Dollar.
The solution to view and rent the apartment is to meet with me so I am ready to come in Singapore.
The problem is that I requests payment for the deposit month and a security deposit in advance to be sure that you have really intention of renting the apartment.
I don't want your money first because I don't have need, I will buy the ticket of plane with my money, and I intend to use RE/MAX Company for protect your money, and show me that you have this money and you are a tenant real.

Now I will explain you how it work:
1. I will send our transaction details at RE/MAX Company;
2. RE/MAX Company will check the details of our transaction;
3. After they check the details, RE/MAX Company will contact you and send you the invoice together with all payment instructions;
4. Meanwhile you have 24 hours to confirm the payment to RE/MAX Company.
5. You must deposit the money in a bank account of RE/MAX Company.
6. After you confirm the payment, in 1-2 days I will be in Singapore and contact you.
7. RE/MAX Company keeps your money until you see the apartment.
8. If you don't like the apartment and don't want to rent it, you will receive all your money back immediately from RE/MAX Company.
9. If you communicate to RE/MAX Company you want to rent the apartment, they will release the money to me.

NOTE: The money stay at RE/MAX Company in a safe bank account until you see the flat and sign the contract. If you don't like the flat after you see it, RE/MAX Company refund you all your money.

I want to make 2 things very clear :
1. The rent for the first month (1200 $) + you will be required to pay a security deposit of 1200 $ (total 2,400 $ first month).

This security deposit will be refunded to you at the end of your stay in my apartment.

PS: After this first payment through RE/MAX Company, the payment will be made monthly to my bank account on a scheduled date (at your convenience).

2. The payment is a simple formality and by paying you are not obliged to rent the apartment. You are just respecting the policy of RE/MAX company.

Now, in order to start the transaction I will need the following information from you :
a) Your full name ( first name , last name )
b) Your current address ( street name , street number , postal code , city )
c) Your telephone number (mobile or home number )

After I will receive this information from you I will register our transaction to RE/MAX Company.