Rental Scammer - [email protected]

Mod note: Split topic - CW

Just received an email in reply to an ad on gumtree I made for a one bed apartment in Melbourne, Australia.

The exact reply you have posted above - made me laugh to be honest. I am not oblivious to this type of scam and have actually had one in the past - a lady saying she lives over in England (firstly her English was terrible and secondly I am frmo England and the facts she made on the country were awful lies!).

I am afraid I deleted the "English emails" from a few months back however the recent one I have just recieved is from [email protected]

LOOK OUT !

Welcome jemimabliss! We're glad to hear that you're able to spot the scams easily. Thank you for taking the time to register and post this email address using the same scam script. Please do continue to list any scam information here on the forum to help others, and let us know any time you have questions.

From: victors klim <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Feb 12, 2014 at 11:11
Subject: "Fabulous one bedroom apartment"
To: Con warner


Hello

Thanks for your mail and also for contacting me on The property,the property is still available for rent/lease right now.I must confess to you that you are a lucky tenant to be ,because I don't really want to rent/lease the property but my wife advised me to do so. Due to our present location, we have been transferred from Work to Western region in Africa, i am an x ray welder, and i was transferred here under nigerdock plc . My wife came here to join me with my kids after some months i was transfer, I will be here for 2 years. My Father is ill and his presently in Germany for surgery. so My wife had to come along with the keys and all the documents to the property because my father is not around for now. It is not share accommodation, it's all for you and your family.,The money is not the actual reason for the rent, but the need for someone to occupy the flat so as to maintain the facilities in the apartment.Like i said, the point i am emphasizing on is your ability to take good care of the apartment for us because that's the only property we have left in the Country.

Apartment Details

Address: 422 Collins Street Melbourne Vic 3000

Rent is 250pw and it include all utilities

Kindly fill out the rent application form attach to this email if you are interested.

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.

This person is using multiple emails.

I found his email very strange so I looked him up on the net and low and behold found a very similar email:

Hello ,

Thanks for contacting me and your interest in this property. Its very nice to read from you, My name is Victor Klim. This is a 1 Bedroom apartment for rent that wants to be rented out, I'm currently in Johannesburg, South Africa right now on a business trip. so we are looking for a responsible person that can take very good care of the apartment. I must confess to you that you are a lucky tenant to be because I don't really want to rent/lease the property but I advised my wife to do so. I left but could not find any as a matter of urgency. And I don't want home misused in my absence that is why I took the keys and documents along with me and you would be the only occupant of this unit as renting this room will give you access to the rest of the house and you won' t have no one to share with. It is not share accommodation, it's all for you and your family, The money is not the actual reason for the rent, but the need for someone to occupy the apartment so as to maintain the facilities in the apartment, so I hope you will promise us to take very good care of the apartment. We are looking to rent this place out for 3 to 6 months or 1 year lease

So pls get back to me on how you could take care of our apartment or perhaps experience you have in renting apartment, Hope you are okay with the price of Per Week with utilities like :- Stove - Electric ,Refrigerator, Microwave ,Ice Maker ,Full Kitchen ,Coffee maker ,TV/VCR ,Stereo ,Phone ,Linens provided ,High Speed Internet ,CD Player ,Cable/Satellite TV,Double/twin zip & link beds and a child's cot can be provided ,Fitted wardrobe, Kitchen Electric hob/oven,Kitchen utensils ,Microwave ,Washer & dryer ,Refrigerator & freezer ,Toaster ,Electric kettle ,Iron and ironing board ,TV & DVD ,Telephone and Fast Internet access ,Pedestal Fan ,Free parking.

I look forward to hearing from you asap. Kindly fill out the rent application form attach to this email if you are interested. Like I said, the point I am emphasizing on is your ability to take good care of the apartment for us because that's the only property we have left in the Country, View attached file for the apartment pictures.. Looking forward to hear from you soon.and below is the address of the apartment.

Apartment Address : -
9 Victoria Avenue
Perth 6000 WA
Australia

Rent: is $180 AUD per week including all utilities

Thanks

Mr Victor Klim

I am so glad I checked the net first because I was super interested in this place.

Son of a b!tch, the jerk nearly got me, 1 October 2018 using the property 500 Crown Street Surry Hills, NSW 2010 Australia

I saw the ad, got nearly the same email in reply as the one above (he's overseas, I'm very lucky etc etc.). I ask for him to put me in touch with someone in Sydney, he says that's not possible. I ask for a phone number to call him on and a scan of his passport, which he sends (but upon looking it up, seems it's of a dead guy)

Here's some of the emails I got in reply:

"You sound skeptical on the email and that is very wrong, if you are thinking that I just wanted to take your money for nothing. When I know how people worked and earn their money, I will never think of taking some advantages over you and your money, please take that out of your mind, that is really awful thing on the earth that I will never think about doing. Please understand me better, I was not trying to lure you into this, everything about me is 100% real ok, I will like you to know one thing I'm a very honest and trustworthy man and I can never tarnish my name and image all because of money and I wouldn't do such a thing when I have blood running through my vein. You can only see the apartment from outside as I told you I'm currently in USA right now on a business trip. Or only if you can make a quick deposit payment of $600 so I can send the keys and documents to you so after viewing the apartment and everything sounds great by you then you can pay the rest of the balance and move in immediately. Let me know."

"Thank you for assuring me that you will take very good care of my property. I'll never disappoint you too. I got your address for the delivery of the keys and the documents. Here is the secretary bank account details below where you will send the payment so I can send out the keys and all documents out as soon as possible and you can read and sign the documents and move in immediately. Send me the receipt confirmation once you transfer the payment."

"You've absolutely nothing to worry about. I'll never rip you off with your hard earned money. I give you my word"

Bitch was gaslighting the whole time, making me feel like I was the one in the wrong by being skeptical and asking for ID etc.

The email address he used was [email protected]