I KNEW IT! This is a scam.

Hello, I'm about to stay in london for my 5 month during internship. And I run into this guy, while searching for a place to stay. This is a scam on Harley St. London via gli.students.com. The Email came from Mr Kelly Smith, [email protected].

Hello ,
Good to read from you on your needs,my name is Dr Kelly Smith ,Am a professional doctor and am the private owner of my property available for rent.
M y property is available,you can move in as soon as you want and am flexible in viewing,when do you intend to make view?
Thanks and i await to read from you soon

Kelly

Hello
Good to hear from you.Finally we are going to meet for I only receive money after viewing and that is only when you have the keys and sign the agreement and i am ready to come down for i want you to see what you are paying for.
I just need proof that the agreed rent and deposit is available and i will meet up with you .
I severally discussing with my colleague who aswell own a property about the idea on how i will be so sure that i will not be coming down to London on a futile exercise and they advised that we can work out something via western union .
They made me to understand that they have used it a couple of times for renting out her flat if they are not around .

They said that western union can actually hold the money as an evidence and surely that there tenant will pay her at least for the first month and deposit.
these is my suggestion for the safety and interest of the both of us because i don't want regret coming down and i can't tell you to pay for a property you've not viewed and since you said the house benefit will be paying the rent but i need to besure sure that you have got the fee and capable of pay the deposit too.
You send the rent and security deposit to your friends,family, partner or anybody's details (NOT ME) in united kingdom(uk) through western union around you and scan the receipts for me on here to check it.

Immediately i will happy come down and arrange for the view if possible at your conveniency because with these,i am convinced that you are capable of meeting my demands for i know you will like the property....
After the view the receiver or you will go and collect the money from the western union agent,sign the rental agreement form if possible or later and get the keys to the property before paying me in cash in the presence of my lawyer or pay me anytime since i am 100%assured that you are capabl and i will aswell send the rental agreement form to you plus the receipt of the rent you
makie proof for .
I believe you understand why it is done this way which is for the safety and security of the both of us..concerning the transfer
charges,it will be refund back to you on the spot of view or deducted from the first month rent you are paying me in cash because i know and i can bet you will like the property.
Thanks and i hope to read from you soon.

Welcome to Scamwarners woud.

Thank you posting this information - it will alert and save others from being scammed. Well Done

Any mention of wiring money by Western Union is a definite scam.

If you have any questions/concerns or further observations please post them.

They said that western union can actually hold the money as an evidence

He is referring to an escrow service, but his English is bad and he can't explain it properly, but more importantly he's lying. Western Union do NOT hold money. Any money you give them, they send straight to the person you have nominated. If you disclose details to anyone else it is certain he'll do everything he can to get his hands on it, and Western Union won't refund you if you have assisted them.

I have just had this guy trying to start to scam me but thankfully I googled his email address and saw your post so thank you! he is trying a new angle now - how sick to say this of his wife! see below:

Internet
[email protected] 04/03/2011 13:54

Hello
Once again,i am so glad to read from you again.For viewing,definately we have to meet in person so that we can discuss better and you can see and view the property before making any payment or signing any agreement.
But i just relocated to Liverpool and that is where i am staying now because i just loss my wife in an accident so i have to go there to live with my mother and children for that is where they are schooling.
I can come down if you want me to because you have to see the property first,but i have to be assured that i am not coming to waste my time or regret coming.I must tell you that the property is still available because there are lots of unserious people on here,you can imagine i came down with my condition to meet a couple who promised me they are serious and capable but on getting here i regret it for they are neither serious nor capable of paying the requested fees.
I regret my action because i wasted my money and time and all they could do is plead that they are sorry that can i keep the property for
them that they will get in touch with me when they have money.
Some people will not even turn up,they will tell you they are sorry they never knew you are serious about coming.This is why i am so
careful about coming now for you know once beaten twice shy so if you want me to come down,i am ready but you have to proof to me that you won't waste my time and you are serious.
I am not happy telling you this but i have too so that you can know how unserious people on here are.

Thanks and get back to me so that i can know when you want us to meet.

Welcome to Scamwarners Nats40 and we're glad we managed to prevent you losing money to the vermin.

If you're on your guard it's easy to spot the comical and mangled English used by West African scammers and 80% of them have deceased relatives they have to tell you about. Rest assured that they can sink a lot lower than just claiming to have dead relatives.

Undoubtedly after his preamble he'll finally get round to telling you that payment must by Western Union or some convoluted alternative that amounts to the same thing. Just keep in mind that scammers undercut everyone else advertising their rentals. If a person can't show you their apartment - it's not for rent or it's not their property.

Through checking online I can see why he'd have problems making the flight across the Atlantic to show you the property. It seems he has an apartment in New York too and one in Paris.

http://www.zikbay.com/Classifieds/Apartments-C147415/Modern-1-Bedroom-Apartment-Available-in-City-of-New-York-A916902.html

... and if you make a Google search on his phone number

07031851955

you'll see he's been scamming for at least four years.

oh thats so funny - i just found that too and reported him just as i have on Simple2Rent!!! i did have my suspicions as the location and the rent he wanted just didnt tally up - he kept on saying he wanted proof of this and that bla bla bla which is why i googled him in the end! people like that should be shot!thanks for the welcome ;0)

he also goes by :

[email protected]
iam_raymond

but always the same number!

I have just received e-mails from the same individual.
I am currently looking at flats in London, and found two gorgeous properties that seemed 'too good to be true' for the asking price of 135 GBP & 163 GBP a week. He is listing them on www.short-let-register.co.uk (Property ID 216 & 262). I contacted the 'landlord' and received poorly written responses that sounded eerily familiar. The 'people' responding are a 'Kelly Smith' and 'Raymond Wales.' 'Kelly's' response was:

Hello
Good to read from you once more and how are you doing today?.
The rent is 135per week(700 per month),all bills included while the refundable deposit is 450.
My property is available ,you can move in as soon as you want but I can only assure you of my lovely property by then provided you make reservation for my property and once this is done,all the necessary document will be signed and issued to you .
Thanks and I await to read from you soon
Kelly

And 'Raymond's' was:

Hello Tony.
How are you doing today ,the property is available now and for you to have a truelly understand of the property,the link is below so you can see my property that is available .the rent included all bills (650per month) and the depost is 400.
You can only be assured of my property on the 8th of Augusted on if you are to make payment in advance and by you doing this,the rental contract form will be issued to you and all other necessary doucments .

www.short-let-register.co.uk/properties/view/229

He obviously has multiple postings, as I hadn't even viewed #229.

I am SO GLAD I found this website.