Rental Scam - [email protected]

From: Anthony Herrera < [email protected] >
Subject: Re: 1230 23rd St NW APT 505,Washington, DC 20037

Hello xxxx,

Thanks for getting back to me with the Rent Application Form.. I just wanted to let you know that we have decided to let you live in our house.. As we have found your application very satisfactory and acceptable by me and my family..So we would want you to go through this email and get back to us on what you feel so we could proceed in renting the house to you.

We would like to send the following documents to you via FedEx SHIPPING DELIVERING COMPANY to the address you sent to us and the tracking number will be sent to you so that you can possibly occupy our house. Please once again, we are giving you this based on trust so please do not disappoint us and i promise you that, you will love the house.

We are with the under listed documents here with us and you will need to make Payment to secure the rent and to enable us send you the Keys and documents to the address you have provided to us, after which you could move in at your convenience... The rent starts counting when you move in, so you could go ahead with the payment straight away to make things faster,so you can have the keys and documents of the house with you and then move in at your own convenience.

Here are the contents of the document that needs to be sent.

1) Entrance and the rooms Keys
2) Paper/Permanent house form
3) The house documentary file.
4) Full Description of the house
5) Payment Receipt

So please do get back to me today so that I will let you know the next step to take concerning the payment....,so you are free to decide on how long you intend occupying it...Rent already includes utilities..I'm ready to accept either monthly or upfront mode of payment..depending on the one you're most comfortable
with..Utilities include:power, water,sewer and trash.... Your monthly rent already covers utilities so you do not have to pay extra charges for that..

Please note that the deposit made is fully refundable should in case you finally gain entrance to the house after receiving the keys and documents and feel unsatisfied or uncomfortable with the interior,but i am giving you a benefit of doubt that you will love everything about this lovely home..You are advised to act fast on this so you don't loose the house to other interested applicants.

Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Anthony Herrera.....

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.

Thank you for posting this scam for [email protected]. I am a property owner and this thief has multiple listings for rent of my properties in Los Angeles. I was notified by one of my residents who was upset that the unit being marketed was well below market value. The posting is on craigslist, apartments.com, rent.com and several others. Renters beware! Do not send money to this Thief.

I had something very similar happen to me, and searched the email it came from and this post came up! It was from a different name, Frank Makosky. This was the last email I received back, hello how are you..thanks for your response..sorry i told you i am not around for now,i am on a business trip,i am sorry i couldn’t show you the inside myself..i am out of town, and i wont be back until few weeks , but i want to rent out the house before i get back, so that is why i sent you pictures and also gave you the address to see the surroundings and the environment, also if you are able to see the inside through the window.i need you to know that the home is on a high demand & i have some other people that are also interested in the home and are willing to move in but not too worry, i'll be giving it to you. glad you are interested in the house and because you show the most enthusiasm about the house is why i'll make it yours... since you will be moving in, you will send the payment to my secretary via money transfer, which will enhance me to get the keys sent to the address you provided earlier right after the payment has been confirmed. i will have the keys and other documents sent to you via FEDEX SAME DAY DELIVERY OR NEXTDAY DELIVERY. also before making the payment, i will send you a lease agreement, which you will sign it and scan it back to me. Do you agree to this?

Definitely seems like the same person!!