Room for Rent and other rental scams
by Michelle Tue Apr 20, 2010 7:00 am
From: Manuel Jose Medina [ [email protected] ]
Sent: 19 April 2010
To: Michelle
Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: Stunning two bedroomed flat, recently refurbished with parking space.

Hello,
My name is Jose Medina and I am from Spain and the flat is still available for rent. I had an aunt in UK and after her death she left me her apartment from UK a few years ago.
The flat was redecorated last year and the flat is looking very nice and clean. The property has a fully furnished kitchen,clean and well tidy sitting rooms,laundry room,and fully furnished with home utilities like: electric shower, Lounge,Vacuum Cleaner,Toaster, Owen and microwave, dryer, iron, washing machine , refridgerator , dishwasher, powershower, heater, cable ready,tv set and dvd player,internet connection, equiped kitchen and everything a house needs. I m interrested in finding someone clean who can take care of this house more then getting money from renting it if you know what I mean.
Till last month the apartment was rented by some students from Germany and now they left and the apartment is available again for rent. The price I want is £490 per month,bills and council tax included and I am intrested in minimum 6 months agreement!
If you have the money I could come in the next few days to show you the apartment and maybe sign the rental agreementif you like it but first I have to be sure you are honest you really do need a place to live because two weeks ago a person from Edinburgh told me he is really interested and he asked me to go to Edinburgh to meet him and sign the rental agreement and when I arrived there no person showed up to rent my place and I lost time and money for nothing.
I will wait for your e-mail, Jose Medina


From: Manuel Jose Medina [ [email protected] ]
Sent: 20 April 2010
To: Michelle
Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: Stunning two bedroomed flat, recently refurbished with parking space.

Hello,
I will attach some pictures of the flat,floor plan and also a model of the rental contract! The flat is located on 7/1, Union Street, EDINBURGH, EH1 3LT but I can`t give you the exactly address because there`s no one living out there and I`m afraid of thief's and I do apologies for this but I hope you understand me because I`m in Spain right now! The property benefits from access to beautifully maintained communal gardens and comprises reception room, kitchen with washing machine/tumble dryer, master bedroom with fitted wardrobes and en suite bathroom, second bedroom with fitted wardrobe and bathroom.
In the kitchen there is a dishwasher and also a Big fridge freezer! Regarding the council tax I can tell you that it is included in the price of £490 per month and also Sky TV,internet broadband,gas and electricity are also included in this price! I am intrested in a minimum six month agreement and I request two months advance rent payment plus one month refundable deposit (£490) wich you will get it back at the end of the contract.
Regarding the plummets and all that kind of stuff I can tell you that the flat was recently renovated and all electrical part and plummets are new so that won`t be necessary any repairs anyway I have a person who can manage this starting from June.
We can sign the rental contract starting from next weekend but I need to be sure that you have serious intentions in renting the flat that`s why I attach here a model of the rental contract and also we can discuss the terms when we will meet!
If you are decided to view the flat let me know because there is another person interested in reserving it and its fair to let him know too!



Regards,Jose Medina


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.
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by smi2ml Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:41 pm
hi i replied to the advert that was advertised in milton keynes and she asked me to send a relative £1380 to a friend or family member using western union just so she can "see" that we have the funds available, what she will then do when you send her a copy of the reciept is get a fake id made with the receivers details (ie your family or friend member) and then claim the money!!! Fortunatly i smelt a rat at the early stages but she nearly got me!! Basicly i just copied and pasted her email address into google because i thought something was not right here, and found this forum that stated that she was a scammer!! I have been stuned before on ebay a few years ago for £300 and to be honest im glad i did because i might of sent funds via western union. As soon as someone you dont know mentions the word "Western Union" IT IS DEFINATLY A SCAM as far as i am concerned...western union is basicly for family or friends only. This advert was advertising a flat in milton keynes and i nearly fell for it but im glad i smelt a rat and investigated! I have reported the advert to Gumtree and hopefully they will remove it....
by chloeehenearlygotme Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:39 am
Hello,
I will attach some pictures of the flat,floor plan and also a model of the rental contract! The flat is located on 23, Albion Street, HULL, HU1 3TG but I can`t give you the exactly address because there`s no one living out there and I`m afraid of thief's and I do apologies for this but I hope you understand me because I`m in Spain right now! The property benefits from access to beautifully maintained communal gardens and comprises reception room, kitchen with washing machine/tumble dryer, master bedroom with fitted wardrobes and en suite bathroom, second bedroom with fitted wardrobe and bathroom.
In the kitchen there is a dishwasher and also a Big fridge freezer! Regarding the council tax I can tell you that it is included in the price of £460 per month and also Sky TV,internet broadband,gas and electricity are also included in this price! I am intrested in a minimum six month agreement and I request two months advance rent payment plus one month refundable deposit (£460) wich you will get it back at the end of the contract. The pictures were made from a professional photograph of the letting agency who I worked with but they are too expensive and I am intrested in finding a responsable tenant who could take care of the property more than getting money from rent!
Regarding the plummets and all that kind of stuff I can tell you that the flat was recently renovated and all electrical part and plummets are new so that won`t be necessary any repairs anyway I have a person who can manage this starting from June.
We can sign the rental contract starting from next weekend but I need to be sure that you have serious intentions in renting the flat that`s why I attach here a model of the rental contract and also we can discuss the terms when we will meet!
If you are decided to view the flat let me know because there is another person interested in reserving it and its fair to let him know too!



Regards,Jose Medina



i am so glad i googled the guy.. he hasnt yet asked me for money..!
but did say i would need 2 months rent ahead but he said he would meet me at the proerty to sign the agreement..!
i did think it was odd how people would tell you ther aunt died so they gave you the property..
:yikes: cant belive he nearly got me to.
by Michelle Wed Apr 21, 2010 5:48 am
Welcome to Scamwarners chloeehenearlygotme and smi2ml

I am please to learn that this site helped you confirm your suspicions.

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.

If you are still using listing sites to look for property, and If you receive any replies asking you to send money in advance of viewing - (This includes making a Western Union payment to yourself or a family friend, and paying for keys and documents to be couriered to you from abroad.) - would you please post a copy of the e-mail on this site but in a seperate thread.

Make sure you include the Scammer's e-mail address but remove your own personal details.

This may help others if they are searching for the e-mail address of the 'Landlord'.

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