Is this a scam ? Flatshare in London

Hi everybody,

I come from from Paris and I will be in london for two months this summer,
I have been scamed last week, and I'm still looking for a room in London for this summer.
I used easyroommate.com, and someone answer me about a mail that I sent. I want to know if you think that it could be a scam :
Is this English good ? (I'm not very good in English, so I can't see if makes typo or...). Thanks in advance for answer me.

Regards

Bastien

Hey,

We have a flatshare in Southwest London, in Kingston, near to Richmond Park,Wimbledon. 75 Pounds per week, inclusive of all bills, including the Council Tax or, if prefered, a room share at 40 per week, including the bills and Council Tax.

Walking distance to the station and 25 minutes by train to Waterloo, and across the bridge to central London. One direct bus to Putney/Fulham and Heathrow. and easy links to Oxford Circus. One direct bus to Brentford.

I am not sure of the area or the period you are looking for but if interested and the room is free.please email me for more info?

No deposit is needed, so not a scam to send money before you arrive, and ok for short term.
Internet is included.

Cheers,
Anthony


I answer and :

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. The ad is what i sent you.... there is a direct bus to Brentford. Brentford is not that much of a nice area.... acroos the river is Kew, which is very nice, but very expensive.... and Kingston is not bad too... about 6 miles away.
At the present time there are 4 people in the flat... two Spanish learning english.. a new zealander training in the army, and i (Brit) work in computing at Imperial College.
Yes no deposit... and you pay only when you get here and get your keys....
I am not sure if the room may be free at the time you arrive... but if its the case would you be interested in the share? London gets quite busy in summer.
What do you do in Paris?
Cheers,
Ant

Ok, i'll send the pics of the room, since the pics, the bed has been changed to a double and a single (on top), and the TV to a flatscreen.
Which company is your internship at? Do they pay?
Cheers,
A

are you on facebook? my mobile is 07748458832

The English appears to be, well - English (and NOT the West African version!) with the odd typo - so it could well be a legitimate offer!

The phone number is a UK mobile number (Vodaphone), the description of the area also seems accurate (but perhaps one of the London based members can advise if I am wrong) & he does not want money sent before you arrive!

There are no obvious signs of it being a scam.

Thank you for answer me so fast, I hope that other member based in London would help me !
I have been scammed last week (£744), and I am very affraid to be scam this time.

Many thanks for your help

I'm not in London, either, but I do notice that in the first email he said:

We have a flatshare in Southwest London, in Kingston, near to Richmond Park

but in the second one he said:

Kingston is not bad too... about 6 miles away

Also in the second email, he said:

across the river is Kew

But Kew is on the same side of the river as Kingston[-upon-Thames].

Can you provide us the headers of the mails? Perhaps we can find out more.

I would say almost certainly a scam.

Apart from the geographical errors, the second email has been written by a different person.

This isn't unusual - normally when the scammer opens up, he has a drafted format. Once you start replying to him, he has to start doing some work and writing his own replies.

Which company is your internship at? Do they pay?

This is probably the crux of the scam. If you say "yes", he'll say "OK. No problem, you may as well get them to forward the cash to me now".

Either way: I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.

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From: Ant Pilson <[email protected]>
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Is this the header of the mail ?

Thank you for your help

Merci, Bastien.

From the headers:

X-Originating-IP: [91.104.105.88] - United Kingdom (London)

WhoIs on that I/P:

OUK-LLU2-18 Range2 Croydon /18 country: GB

So the email has come from near London, UK!

I still believe it COULD be legitimate - the English is typical of the area/age of the person (perhaps), but best advice is to be aware of the possibility of a scam & NOT send personal information (copy passport/CdS, bank account or card details etc) - & not send any money!

Thank you for according me a little bit of your time !

I think I will sleep at Yousths Hostels the first week, and seek a room when I ll be in London, it will be easier

Bastien

If that is an option for you and you think this room might be something you are interested in, why not tell him when you are arriving in London, and ask him for an appointment to meet and see the room within a day or so of arrival? If he starts making excuses or asks for money before the meeting, you have a definite answer. If he's willing, then you have somewhere to start when you arrive.

I still believe it COULD be legitimate - the English is typical of the area/age of the person

I have to disagree.
Take a look at the first email and then read the second one.
The first reads as if it has been written by a native English speaker. It's a format.
The second definitely does not. It's the scammer having to reply for himself.

The same person did not write those two emails.

The first may be typical of the English of the area/age of the person.
The second is typical of an African.

I've also received an email form this sender, I doubt about it. You ca see it as follows:


easyroommate.com?
From: Ant Pilson ([email protected])
Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2010 10:38:26 AM
To:

Hey,

We have a flatshare in Southwest London, in Kingston, near to Richmond Park,Wimbledon. 75 Pounds per week, inclusive of all bills, including the Council Tax or, if prefered, a room share at 40 per week, including the bills and Council Tax.

Walking distance to the station and 25 minutes by train to Waterloo, and across the bridge to central London. One direct bus to Putney/Fulham and Heathrow. and easy links to Oxford Circus.

I am not sure of the area or the period you are looking for but if interested and the room is free.please email me for more info?

No deposit is needed, so not a scam to send money before you arrive, and ok for short term.
Internet is included.

Cheers,
Anthony