Room for Rent Scammer - [email protected]

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From: laura berry ( [email protected] )
Sent: 23 March 2010 09:59:20
To: Michelle

Thanks for the interest you have in my flat. My flat is still available for rent and you can rent my flat as long as you pay your rent at when due. Here are the necessary things you need to know about the rent and deposit.

Rent : £ 80.00 pw
Minimum stay: Two weeks Security Deposit: £ 400.00 (Returnable at the end of a week stay in my flat)
Utility bills inclusive ( water, gas, council tax, TV license and wireless Internet) Utility Cost : £ 0.00 pcm

However, my flat is fully furnished in and out with all necessary house use. At this stage that you want to rent my flat, i need to know some few question about you. Can you take care of my flat as it is? How many months do you intend to rent and pay for? Do you have references in Newcastle?

Kindly reply for further information and i would like to know where you are coming from to stay in my flat.
I look forward to hear from you soon

Regards
Mr/Mrs Berry

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.

Follow up e-mail:-

From: laura berry ( [email protected] )
Sent: 23 March 2010
To: Michelle
Thanks for the reply and the sincere interest you have in my flat.My flat is fully furnished in and out as you can see in the picture and there is a garage and a off street parking in my flat,I spoke with my lawyer some couple of minute ago concerning the interest you have in my flat and we both agreed to have you in my flat.

However it is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view or reserve my flat without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled, has brought about great loss to me. I have traveled all the way from Ireland to take some interested candidates round my flat because that's where i work with M. Gould (Scunthorpe) Ltd.

Some tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturb the the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who are in Southampton so some do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in office by their employers.

Henceforth my lawyer and i have decided to carry out a simple test on financial ability to pay for my rent before coming for viewing.I would have asked you to provide your bank statement but some prospective candidate has misused the opportunity in the past providing fake document. At least two weeks rent and security deposit which is £ 400 which is refundable after your first week stay in my flat, would be required from you to transfer through western union money transfer . You can make the transfer with your name as a sender and your Partner as a receiver.

Once you have done this, Scan the receipt to me and if you do not have scanner, you may write out the details on the receipt as it's stated on the transfer receipt and will send it to my lawyer to verify if it's truly genuine and available in your custody, after verification, then we can Schedule convinent for the viewing and you can as well tell your Partner to pick up the money and also, i will refund back to you the cost of transfer when we meet.

Kindly reply if you have more questions to ask

Regards
Mr/Mrs Berry +447024032631

Slight change to opening e-mail :-

From: laura berry ( [email protected] )
Sent: 28 March 2010 01:25:08
To: Michelle
Thanks for the reply and the sincere interest you have in my flat. I spoke with my lawyer on phone just now concerning your stay in my flat and we both agreed to have you in my flat as long as you'll take good care of my flat as how it is. However, it is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view or reserve my flat without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled, has brought about great loss to me. I have traveled all the way from Ireland to take some interested candidates round my flat because that's where i work with P. Elliott & Company

However, you will need to make a reservation deposit but before that, my lawyer will need some information from you to draft a contract which you will print and bring along with you on your arrival date to my flat

Your full name:
Present address:
Confirmed move in date:

Kindly get back to me with these information so that i can tell you how to proceed with the reservation deposit.

Regards
Mr/Mrs Berry

Very similar e-mail with the addition of a fake lawyer:-

RE: Reply to your ad: Smart and lovely one double bedroom flat in Exeter short or long term rent?
From: laura berry ( [email protected] )
Sent: 12 April 2010
To: Michelle
Thanks for the reply and the sincere interest you have in my flat.My flat is fully furnished in and out and its on the first floor and also has garden and there is parking space in my flat,I spoke with my lawyer some couple of minute ago concerning the interest you have in my flat and we both agreed to have you in my flat.

However it is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view or reserve my flat without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled, has brought about great loss to me. I have traveled all the way from Ireland to take some interested candidates round my flat because that's where i work with (P. Elliott & Company)

Some tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturb the the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or relative who are in Exeter so some do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in office by their employers.

Henceforth my lawyer and i have decided to carry out a simple test on financial ability to pay for my rent before coming for viewing.I would have asked you to provide your bank statement but some prospective candidate has misused the opportunity in the past providing fake document. At least two weeks rent and security deposit which is £ 400 which is refundable after your first week stay in my flat, would be required from you to transfer through western union money transfer and you can as well locate western union outlet around you, You will make the transfer with your name as a sender and someone close to you as a receiver (Partner/Friend).

Once you have done this, Scan the receipt to my lawyer together with your reference letter and if you do not have scanner, you may write out the details on the receipt as it's stated on the transfer receipt to verify if it's truly genuine and available in your custody, after verification, then we can Schedule convenient day for the viewing on and you can as well tell your Receiver to pick up the money and also, i will refund back to you the cost of transfer when we meet.
Here is my lawyers datails Victorianne Maxwell ( [email protected] )

Kindly reply to my lawyer's email if you have more questions to ask

Regards
Mr/Mrs Berry
07024032631

Next variation :-

From: laura berry ( [email protected] )
Sent: 13 April 2010
To: Michelle
Henceforth my lawyer and i have decided to carry out a simple test on financial ability to pay for my rent before coming for viewing.I would have asked you to provide your bank statement but some prospective candidate has misused the opportunity in the past providing fake document. At least two weeks rent and security deposit which is £ 400 which is refundable after your first week stay in my flat, would be required from you to transfer through western union money transfer and you can as well locate western union outlet around you, You will make the transfer with your name as a sender and someone close to you as a receiver (Partner/Mum).

Once you have done this, Scan the receipt to me together with your reference letter and if you do not have scanner, you may write out the details on the receipt as it's stated on the transfer receipt and will send it to my lawyer to verify if it's truly genuine and available in your custody, after verification, then we can Schedule convenient day for the viewing on and you can as well tell your Partner/Mum to pick up the money and also, i will refund back to you the cost of transfer when we meet.

I looking forward to reading from you

Regards
Mr/Mrs Berry