Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Trying to scam in Belgium now with an apartment in the "Gouvernementstraat 18, 9000 Ghent".

Hello,

I just read your e-mail regarding my apartment located in : Gouvernementstraat 18, 9000 GENT. It has 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 2 bathrooms and 1 kitchen. I bought this apartment for my daughter during her studies in Belgium, but now she's back home permanently, so I'm renting the place for unlimited time.
Before we go any further I would like to know a little something about you, like how many persons you intend to live in the apartment, and for how long.
The flat is exactly like in the pictures, fully furnished and renovated. Also, very important, the utilities (cold/hot water, electricity, wireless broadband Internet, digital TV, 1 parking spots, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, etc.) are INCLUDED in the price of 470EURO/month. As for me, you can rest assured that I will never ask you to leave the apartment. My daughter is building her life here, and i am too old to move to Belgium, so we won't disturb you.
You can use my furniture, or you can also use your own if you prefer. If you decide to use yours, you will have access to a very large and well ventilated cellar, where you can store my furniture.
Now, a little bit about myself so we can get to know each other better. My name is Patrik Solberg and I'm a 58 years old graphic designer from London /United Kingdom, planning to retire in the next 2 years.
I have a lovely wife,Sarah and a 25 year old daughter, Maria. I am very proud to say that soon I'm going to be a grandfather . Another member of our family is a 8 year old Labrador which we all love, so, I have no problem if you will keep pets.
The only inconvenience is that my job doesn't allow me to leave London even for one single day. We just hired some new staff and I'm in charge of their training.
But this won't affect you at all. I can make arrangements to rent the apartment from London (on my expense of course).


Looking forward to hear from you soon.


All the best from United Kingdom!


Patrik Solberg
44 Edgware Road
London
W2 1ED
United Kingdom

Next message is the following:

Hi,

Thank you for your reply but the matter is that I'm in London already. Like I have inform you before, the price you shall pay for one month of rent will be 470EURO, with no extra taxes to pay. The money, I want to revive it monthly to my bank account, so I hope it will be no problem for you to wire the money to my bank account. The apartment is ready for you, you will need only to receive the keys and the contract to check it, and see if you like it.
Obviously we need a way to complete this deal, that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are after. In order of that I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast, and in this way you will receive the Keys in less than 3 days, if you move fast as well. The solution is provided by a company called TNT which is similar to FedEx, DHL or UPS, which will handle both payment and delivery of the Keys.
I have found a procedure that will allow you to pay for the rent of the apt only after you will receive the keys of it and through this way you will see it and decide if you will stay in the apt or not before I receive my payment.Please click on the link bellow to the TNT website to see how we can complete the deal safely and fast directly from the website of the company where the procedure is explained: http://www.tnt.com/express/en_gb/site/h ... ivery.html
Let me know if you are interested please because I really need to take care of this matter by the end of this week or the beginning of the next one.

He's using the following email address currently: [email protected]


I realised it smelled fishy from the first second I saw it but like anybody, I figured I'd contact him to get more info and the second email confirmed my suspicion about it being a scam. A quick google on his address returned this topic.

Split. (BW)

I've decided to keep him on the leash for a while.

I asked him if he could tell me what floor the apartment is located on and how he intends to manage possible repair or replacement costs for utilities should they break.

This is what he replied:

Hi,
I want to inform you that TNT will hold the money until you will confirm to them that you like the apt 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 TNT Service 2 months of rent - ( 470EURO + 470EURO = 940EURO ) - so they can proceed with the shipping, and you can receive the keys and the contract.No deposit required.
Like I said, I will pay for a 3 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 to proceed with this deal .
2 - I go to the TNT Office and leave the Keys and the contract in your name as the intended receiver.
3 - TNT 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 - TNT 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 Location and make a money transfer to the bank account of TNT Representative for the amount we agreed, the total amount you shall deposit is 940EURO.
6 - After you make the deposit you will have to send the infos about the money deposit to TNT.
7 - TNT 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 apt and in 3 days you must contact them and tell them if you keep the apt or not, if everything is in order you will instruct TNT to release the funds to me.
If you don't like the apt 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 TNT Service for the shipping.
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 TNT delivery.
Thank you for your interest and wait news from you.