Room for Rent and other rental scams
by Michelle Sun Jan 05, 2014 8:28 am
From: Brit Perie <[email protected]>
Date: 5 January 2014 10:01:51 GMT
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: RE: Rob replied to your ad: DOUBLE ROOM

There's no problem in inviting you for the viewing, I currently work and live in Enfield so I will need to take a permission from work in order to come up to arrange the viewing with you. It is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view 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, is either they cannot afford the rent or the security deposit required but want me to come up with the aim of renegotiating.

I have consulted my lawyer and we have resolved that any potential tenants should be able to prove in the following way in order to determine who is financially buoyant and that he or she can stick to appointment when scheduled and able to pay his/her rent as at when due.In this case, a
bank-statement or guarantee from your organization wont be accepted as we have had wayward tenants tendering fake documents.

PROCEDURE:

1) Transfer the amount £1100 (1 month rent and security deposit) to any of your family members or your friend via Western Union at the nearest Western Union outlet/shop close to you. You can ask any of them to make the transfer
to you either.

Your Name (as Sender) to any of your family members or your friend (as Receiver) in London or any of them make you the receiver.

2) Scan & Send a copy of the Western Union transaction receipt as a proof of the transaction or mail me the transaction details. (The money is safe as it is only you that can withdraw since you need a ID card or International passport)

3) Then, we will meet for viewing.

4) If you decide to take the flat, we will go to any local Western Union outlet close to the flat for you to pick up the money and pay me. (You don't need to come with cash to view, after viewing we will go together, you will cancel the transfer and withdraw the money to pay me).

5) Keys will be handed over to you after signing the contracts.

I do not want you to have the feeling that I am asking for money BEFORE you see what you are renting because I know that payment is meant to be done AFTER you have seen the Flat and okay with it that is why I said you should
make the transfer to yourself so that you will be the one to receive the money and pay me in person after the viewing.

If you are ready ,you can go ahead and make the transfer and let me know immediately you do the transfer so that I can know how to squeeze out time to come and meet you.You will need to scan the copy of the transfer receipt and email it to me to confirm it online in order to know you have made the transfer and to let you know that I will return back to you the full transfer charges whether you decide to rent the flat or not when we meet.

Let me know if you are ok with this arrangement so that we can proceed.

Kind regards,
Brit


This person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union, MoneyGram, pre-paid credit card 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.
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