Room for Rent and other rental scams
#86776 by Hungryjos Tue Feb 21, 2012 12:18 pm
The apartment in Ghent is still for rent :)
This time the landlord is Daniel Butterfield, who appears to be a colleague of Michael Herbert and Michael Blythe as a pharmaceutical researcher.

Hi,

My name is Daniel Butterfield and I just received an email of interest in my apartment located in Kouter 76, 9000 Gent, with 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen and 1 living room. I am an English researcher working for a pharmaceutical company and this apartment was bought while working here in Belgium on a 5 year contract, as I thought it would be a better investment than renting. I am the only owner of the apartment, it is paid in full and it has no legal problems . The apartment has not been inhabited since I am no longer living in Gent.
I wish to rent my apartment to some nice and responsible people and in order to do that I have to know a some details about you, like how many persons are you planning to live in the apartment, for how long, if you have a steady income, etc. You should also know that I appreciate sincerity very much.
In addition to everything else here is a little something about the apartment and myself so we can get to know each other.
The apartment is the one in the pictures from the advertisment.I have the option of sending all my furniture into storage if you want to bring your own (no extra costs)
The rent for 1 month is 400 euro for the entire apartment including all utilities: cold/hot, wireless broadband Internet, digital TV, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, etc. You can rent the flat for any period of time (open end contract) but not less than 5 months.
About myself, I am 36 years and as I told you I am a researcher in pharmaceutical products, currently living in London, my home town .
You can move in the apartment in the same day when you receive the keys. The only issue is that I am already in United Kingdom but I hope that together we are going to find a solution.

I appreciate your interest in my property and I am looking forward to a future collaboration and friendship.

Best regards,

Daniel


As I was writing my answer, I was constantly thinking about the 400 euro rent which is extremely low and just before I pushed send I remembered "If it's too good to be through, it probably is"
Back to the pricier apartements! :D
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#86874 by Izza09 Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:13 am
Yesterday I received an email form Daniel Butterfield. I had seen the apartment on the Internet and I was interested. I had send an email for more information and the email I received from him was the same I saw here. Lucky for me I searched his name on the Internet, just to be sure and I came at this website.

The email address he used was : [email protected]

I'm really disappointed, I already wanted to send an email back too see if there was a possibility to visite the apartment.
I did found it a bit weird that the day after I had send my email I couldn't look anymore at the advertisement, it has disappeared.
#86939 by Raidan Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:32 pm
We were so close to giving our personal information to this Daniel Butterfield or w/e guy... Thank god my boyfriend looked him up! This time he used "Movers International" to make him look trustworthy...
#89672 by Anna88 Sun Mar 11, 2012 5:10 pm
Hello,

I'm one of the personnes who is victim of Daniel Butterfield. Normally tomorrow i would have a look to the appartment. I was looking on internet of Daniel butterfield, and i found this site. I'm verry disapointed and furios, that tis appartment didn't exist. I mailed a lot with Daniel Butterfield, he seems a very nice personne. He also used movers international. I'm already payed, why can i be so stupid! Is there anything you cant do? Of had i losed anything?
#89673 by Helen Halper Sun Mar 11, 2012 5:45 pm
Welcome to Scamwarners, Anna88!
I'm really sorry that you were scammed by the criminal using the name of Daniel Butterfield.
Did you pay by Western Union? You should phone them immediately and see if the money has been picked up. If it's not, you could get your money back.

#90303 by Michelle Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:03 am
From: [email protected]
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: RE:
Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:44:51 +0000

Hello,

I want to inform you that Movers International will hold the money until you will confirm to them that you like the apt and keep the keys. If you don't like it, you only have to return the keys to them after they will refund the money to you and they will deliver the keys back to me on my expense.
I will need to inform you the steps about how this service works and how we can make it happen. You will only have to deposit to Movers International Service the first month and the guarantee deposit - ( 400 eur + 500 eur = 900 eur ) - so they can proceed with the shipping, and you can receive the keys and the contract.No deposit required.
Like I said, I will pay for a 3 days delivery so you will receive the Keys and the contract signed by me right away. I will explain to you step by step how this will work:
1 - To start this transaction i will need to know your full shipping information, full name, full shipping address to proceed with this deal .
2 - I go to the Movers International Office and leave the Keys and the contract in your name as the intended receiver.
3 - Movers Int will check the envelope to see if everything is OK with it and also the legal papers that will come along with the Keys.
4 - Movers Int will send you a delivery notification to let you know they have the Keys and the papers in their custody, in which you will be told that they have the Keys and that they checked it.
5 - At this point you will have to go to your Bank Location and make a money transfer to the bank account of Movers International Representative for the amount we agreed, the total amount you shall deposit is 900 euro.
6 - After you make the deposit you will have to send the infos about the money deposit to Movers Int.
7 - Movers Int will verify the payment informations and if everything is in order they will deliver the Keys and the contract to you .
8 - After you receive the package, You will go and check the apt and in 5 days you must contact them and tell them if you keep the apartment or not, if everything is in order you will instruct Movers Int to release the funds to me.
If you don't like the apt they will send your money back and you will send them the keys and the contract to them to return the package back to me on my expense.

I will pay Movers International Service for the shipping.

The delivery company service its called : Movers International ( www.movers-international.co.uk.tc )


Now i must know for sure if you agree because other 3 peoples are interested to have this apartment rented and i want to know for sure what i must tell them. If you agree what i suggested i will tell them that my apartment is already rented and i will keep it for you. If you agree then i must have all the shipping details so i will be able to make all the arrangements for the Movers International.

Thank you for your interest and wait news from you.

#100504 by CUPPY Mon May 07, 2012 12:04 pm
I had the same email but under a different name.

Hi,

My name is Arthur Macleod and I just received an email of interest in my apartment located in Kouter 76, 9000 Gent, with 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen and 1 living room. I am an English researcher working for a pharmaceutical company and this apartment was bought while working here in Belgium on a 5 year contract, as I thought it would be a better investment than renting. I am the only owner of the apartment, it is paid in full and it has no legal problems . The apartment has not been inhabited since I am no longer living in Gent.
I wish to rent my apartment to some nice and responsible people and in order to do that I have to know a some details about you, like how many persons are you planning to live in the apartment, for how long, if you have a steady income, etc. You should also know that I appreciate sincerity very much.
In addition to everything else here is a little something about the apartment and myself so we can get to know each other.
The apartment is the one in the pictures from the advertisment.I have the option of sending all my furniture into storage if you want to bring your own (no extra costs)
The rent for 1 month is 400 euro for the entire apartment including all utilities: wireless broadband Internet, digital TV, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, etc. You can rent the flat for any period of time (open end contract) but not less than 5 months.
About myself, I am 37 years and as I told you I am a researcher in pharmaceutical products, currently living in London, my home town .
You can move in the apartment in the same day when you receive the keys. The only issue is that I am already in United Kingdom but I hope that together we are going to find a solution.

I appreciate your interest in my property and I am looking forward to a future collaboration and friendship.

Best regards,

Arthur

--> hi email adress: [email protected]

hope you catch him now ... the post is already removed from immoweb ...
btw: thank you for saving me a lot of money!
#100655 by Bubbles Tue May 08, 2012 1:48 am
Welcome to ScamWarners CUPPY and thank you for posting this information up for others to find.

It is always nice to hear that we were able to help someone not lose money. :D

Bubbles, former Scamwarners moderator.

Rest in Peace 24 June 2015.

Gone, but never forgotten.
#100724 by jepla Tue May 08, 2012 10:28 am
Hi!

I also had the same email !

First mail :

Hi,

My name is Arthur Macleod and I just received an email of interest in my apartment located in Kouter 76, 9000 Gent, with 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen and 1 living room. I am an English researcher working for a pharmaceutical company and this apartment was bought while working here in Belgium on a 5 year contract, as I thought it would be a better investment than renting. I am the only owner of the apartment, it is paid in full and it has no legal problems . The apartment has not been inhabited since I am no longer living in Gent.
I wish to rent my apartment to some nice and responsible people and in order to do that I have to know a some details about you, like how many persons are you planning to live in the apartment, for how long, if you have a steady income, etc. You should also know that I appreciate sincerity very much.
In addition to everything else here is a little something about the apartment and myself so we can get to know each other.
The apartment is the one in the pictures from the advertisment.I have the option of sending all my furniture into storage if you want to bring your own (no extra costs)
The rent for 1 month is 400 euro for the entire apartment including all utilities: wireless broadband Internet, digital TV, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, etc. You can rent the flat for any period of time (open end contract) but not less than 5 months.
About myself, I am 37 years and as I told you I am a researcher in pharmaceutical products, currently living in London, my home town .
You can move in the apartment in the same day when you receive the keys. The only issue is that I am already in United Kingdom but I hope that together we are going to find a solution.

I appreciate your interest in my property and I am looking forward to a future collaboration and friendship.

Best regards,

Arthur

Second mail: (I didn't gave any personal information, just some information about my studies.)

Thanks for your reply,

That sounds great !

You seem to be a very nice person and I can assure you we will not have any problems. Like I have inform you before, the price you shall pay for 1 month of rent will be 400 euro but in the first month you must to deposit 900 euro, 1 month of rent plus 500 euro for security deposit payment which is refundable while packing without any lost or damage of my properties. The money, I want to revive it monthly to my bank account, so I hope it will be no problem for you to wire the money to my bank account.
Of course you will have to see the apartment before discussing further details because you cannot rent an apartment that you haven't seen. I am willing to send you the keys so you can visit it and see it suits your needs.
The delivery for the keys and viewing permit (signed by me), will be made through an authorized courier and using a International Home delivery is similar to FedEx, DHL or UPS, which will handle both payment and delivery of the Keys.
I will explain the procedure if you are interested so please email me as soon as you read this message because I really need to take care of this matter.

This is the pictures of the apartment

Removed photos which were not watermarked so scammers can't recycle them. ~Bubbles

Best Regards,


His email adress was indeed: "[email protected]" and the post was already removed from immoweb right before his mails.

After the second mail, we found that it was a bit of a strage situation, also because the price for the apartment was so low. So we went to check out the apartment at Kouter 76. A woman answered and she told us that last year, the same thing happened and that she already reported it to the police.
#100728 by jepla Tue May 08, 2012 10:52 am
Anna88 wrote:Hello,

I'm one of the personnes who is victim of Daniel Butterfield. Normally tomorrow i would have a look to the appartment. I was looking on internet of Daniel butterfield, and i found this site. I'm verry disapointed and furios, that tis appartment didn't exist. I mailed a lot with Daniel Butterfield, he seems a very nice personne. He also used movers international. I'm already payed, why can i be so stupid! Is there anything you cant do? Of had i losed anything?


Dear Anna88,

It is best for you to immediatly report your story to the police. He is known there for his scams there, so it is more likely for you to get your money back if you report with more information. You can also give examples from this forumtopic.

Greetings
#100874 by Bubbles Tue May 08, 2012 11:32 pm
Welcome to ScamWarners jepla, while I agree with making a police report, the chance of getting your money back is zero at best. Scammers have the money sent by a money transfer service and can pick the cash up nearly anyplace in the world.

They hide behind fake data, multiple email addresses and disposable phones or redirect numbers.

I don't want to give false hope to our members.

The best thing to do is live by this saying: 'If it seems too good to be true, it probably is not true.

I also sent you a PM.

Bubbles, former Scamwarners moderator.

Rest in Peace 24 June 2015.

Gone, but never forgotten.
#101281 by mnoe Thu May 10, 2012 4:46 pm
Hey guys,

Almost fell for it...
I also got the same mails. Since I'm a medical student, I asked him for which company he worked... We got invited in the last year of medical school in a lot of pharmaceutical companies... But he probably didn't expected this question. No answer so far.

It was just to good to be true.


For his message on Immoweb, he used another emailaddress: [email protected]
for his conversations with me, he used: [email protected]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WARNING!!!!

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