Room for Rent Scammer - Kelly Benson

Another hit! Here is the first email I recieved from "bgsbd uytebc" <[email protected]>:

=======
Hello ,

I'm interested in your room for rent please get back to me if it's
still available .

Kelly .

=======

I asked her to tell me a little about herself....Next email, this time from kelly benson <[email protected]>:

===========

Thanks for getting back to me ... My name is Kelly Benson,I am
27yrs old,I am fun loving, personal, friendly,clean, caring,and
respectful of others. a non-smoker, don't do drugs, i drink
occasionally,and drama free. I graduated last year in France, I am
single and have no children ... i do bible study, and sometimes we do
karaoke night with my roommate! i go to church every Sunday .

I am coming for my masters degree. I was born in France (Bordeaux),
my dad is from USA but my mum is from Paris...I went to University of
Bordeaux in France i speak both French and English ,am presently on
research work at Guam (USA), am almost done.with that bcos its part
of my prerequisite for my masters in Microbiology . I would have loved
to call you but this is a remote area calls is hard to go through from
here and i don't want to waste much time .

Am really interested in renting from you and will really want to know
everything about the place .I do really love pets but i don't have any
at the moment. I would have loved to see it but am very far,but with
pictures,I am glad. I will also like you to tell me more about you and
if you have garage or parking space cos I will have my own car come
over, pls let me know the total payment of the place and more over I
will send your email to my dad for him to email you later bcos he is
the one that will be paying the bills but nevertheless,I will like you
to send me your full Name and the mailing address, your phone number
as well,so that my Dad will issue out the payment for the place as
soon as possible,with that you can hold on the place for me till i
come . I will be looking forward to your email soonest. Thanks and
have a nice day.

Kelly

========

Geez. Just trying to find a roomie...! Good luck, all, hope this helps!

I just got this exact same letter today in response to my Craigslist ad, but it was from "Michelle Murray". She is using the email address [email protected].

First email:

--
Hello, I'm Michelle Murray,please let me know if the room is still
available for rent as i really need the room so i will want you to get
back to me with the room last asking price and some pics of the room
if you still have the room available..Thanks

It sounded fairly scammish, but just in case it wasn't I asked her to tell me more about herself. Second email:

Hi ,

Thanks for getting back. My name is Michelle Murray,I am 23yrs old female,fun loving, personal, friendly,clean, caring,and respectful of others.A non-smoker, don't do drugs, i drink occasionally,and drama free. I graduated last year in Greater London,UK, I am single and have no children..i do bible study, and sometimes we do karaoke night with my roommate! i go to church every Sunday .I need to secure this room for myself before i arrive to the state as I'll be moving in with my luggage.You seem to be a very interesting person to be with and I must confess to you that you will enjoy staying with me in the house because i make people smile always.I will be in the state before the ending of this Month and will be staying for the one year and during my stay. I am coming for my Masters Degree. I was born in England (UK), my dad is from England but my mum is from USA ...I went to university Of Greenwich in Park Row, London i speak both French and English and I'm presently on a research work in Guam (USA), am almost done with that because its part of my perquisite for my masters in Microbiology.I would have loved to call you but this is a remote area calls is hard to go through from here and i don't want to waste much time .Am really interested in renting the room from you and i do really love pets but i don't have any at the moment. I would have loved to see it but am very far,but i'm okay with pictures. I will also like you to tell me more about you and if you have garage or parking space because I will have my own car come over, pls let me know the total payment of the place and more over I will send your email to my dad for him to email you later because he is the one that will be paying the bills but nevertheless,I will like you to send me your Full Name and the Address and your phone number as well,so that my Dad will issue out the payment for the place as soon as possible,with that you can hold on the place for me till my arrival . I will be looking forward to your email soonest.

Respectfully

Michelle Murray..


At this point we looked up her facebook account-- which she DOES have, but we were obviously suspicious so I typed in "guam greenwich microbiology" and got this site. Seriously Kelly/Michelle... get a real job.

Thank you for posting this additional information macmama and welcome to ScamWarners. Scammers believe that scamming is a real and honorable job. This is a sad fact and it doesn't help that law enforcement is most of the countries scams come from does not take it seriously either.

We know that by exposing the scammers and educating people and supporting victims is one of the best way to defeat or at least slow the "progress" made by scammers. I hope you will stay around and learn about other types of scams to0. Tell your friends and family members about scams and what we do here.

It appears I just got hit! I'm trying to help my next door neighbor rent out her room. I posted the room up on craigslist last night and got an immediate response. I replied and got this in return. Sounded a little too good to be true so I copied a portion of the email and found you all. Thank you for staying alert. Here is the text of the emails exchanged below. My prospective tenant calls herself Trina Harris. I decided to contact my local authorities and provide them with the email. Not sure how much good that will do but at least I can say I tried.

A good indication: disrupted language. Usually a French native speaker would have fairly honed English skills if they are in a grad program. Some lines are near perfect and other seem intentionally choppy. Go with your gut too. I'd never put money on a place I hadn't seen yet.

Here is the email>

"Thanks for getting back to me... My name is Trina Harris (F),I am
27yrs old,I am fun loving, personal, friendly,clean and respectful of
others. A non-smoker, don't do drugs, i drink occasionally,and drama
free. I graduated last year in France. I am single and have no
children... I do bible study, and sometimes we do karaoke night with
my roommate! i go to church every Sunday.
Am coming for my masters degree. I was born in France (Bordeaux), my
dad is from USA but my mum is from Paris...I went to University of
Bordeaux in France i speak both French and English ,am presently on
research work at Guam (USA), am almost done with the research. Am
doing it because its part of prerequisite for my masters in
Microbiology. I would have loved to call you but this is a remote area
calls is hard to go through from here and i don't want to waste much
time.
Am really interested in renting from you and i don't really love pets
but i don't care if there is any in the house. I would have loved to
see it but am very far,but with pictures,I am glad. I will also like
you to tell me more about you and if you have garage or parking space
because I will have my own car come over, please let me know the total
payment of the place and more over I will send your email to my dad
for him to email you later because he is the one that will be paying
the bills but nevertheless,I will like you to send me your full Name
and the mailing address, your phone number as well,so that my Dad will
issue out the payment for the place as soon as possible,with that you
can hold on the place for me till i come. I will be looking forward to
your email soonest. Thanks and have a nice day.


Trina."

Welcome Lady_Mondego! Good to know you can't be scammed!

Please post the email address you got the scam from; it will help other victims to find our site. Thank you!

I just got hit too and I feel stupid because I sent my name and address before looking further into the mysterious "Trina Harris". Thanks, Charley

The sender's address is: [[email protected]][/quote]

The 1st email: [Is the room still available][/quote]

The 2nd email: [Thanks for getting back to me... My name is Trina Harris (F),I am
27yrs old,I am fun  loving, personal, friendly,clean and respectful of
others. A non-smoker, don't do drugs, i drink occasionally,and drama
free. I graduated last year in France. I am single and have no
children... I do bible study, and sometimes we do karaoke night with
my roommate! i go to church every Sunday.
Am coming for my masters degree. I was born in France (Bordeaux), my
dad is from  USA but my mum is from Paris...I went to University of
Bordeaux in France i speak  both French and English ,am presently on
research work at Guam (USA), am almost  done with the research. Am
doing it because its part of prerequisite for my masters in
Microbiology. I would have loved to call you but this is a remote area
calls is hard to go through from here and i don't want to waste much
time.
Am really interested in renting from you and i don't really love pets
but i don't care if there is any in the house. I would have loved to
see it but am very far,but with pictures,I am glad. I will also like
you to tell me more about you and if you have garage or parking space
because I will have my own car come over, please let me know the total
payment of the place and more over I will send your email to my dad
for him to email you later because he is the one that will be paying
the bills but nevertheless,I will like you to send me your full Name
and the mailing address, your phone number as well,so that my Dad will
issue out the  payment for the place as soon as possible,with that you
can hold on the place for me till i come. I will be looking forward to
your email soonest. Thanks and have a nice day.


Trina.][/quote]

The third email...[Hello,
Thanks for getting back to me,i so much appreciate your explanation
about the room i am okay with the terms and am ready ,Thanks for your
info ,i will forward your info to my Dad and the rental payment will
get to you anytime from now, i will be arriving to state by Sept 4th
but i will like to start the lease starting from then if there is and
delay just let me know, also  i will be getting a Car , just let me
know if there is a parking space for my car and the charges also the
nearest airport to you please consider the room rented to me and take
off the ad on Craigslist .. i have attached a picture of me along with
this email..i cant be able to call you right here until i am off to
town , because where i am right now is remote cant be able to call nor
receive for now , but i am sure soon i will give you a call when am
off to town.
 As regards my car,i am planning on having it delivered to the house
before my arrival so that i can settle in comfortably,you can
understand that transiting cross Atlantic is not easy so i am making
arrangement with the car dealer to deliver the car before my arrival
after the rent and security deposit has been paid to you by my Dad. I
will ask you for a favor here,can i rely on you to take delivery of
the car for me when its delivered.I will instruct the car dealer to
contact you to schedule a delivery time that will be convenient for
you to receive the car for me .As you will be handling the delivery of
the car with the rent and deposit to be sent to you so that you can
help me handle the delivery payment for the car...the delivery payment
has been included with the Check coming to you.Iwill really appreciate
if you can do this for me and promise to compensate you adequately for
your time and efforts on my arrival in your place...Thanks][/quote]

In the third email "she" also included this picture...[cid:8A3C3456-EC9A-4397-AACE-C5C87B2B5618/My%2520Pics.jpg][/img]

Welcome cnaney!

Don't worry, the scammer won't do you any harm with the information you sent him. He gets these details from dozens of victims and is asking for them just to make his scam more plausible.
The important thing is that you researched the scammer's details and found out before sending any money.

person tried to hit me up twice in the last 24 hrs with different names and emails.

First it was Kelly Benson, then tonight it was Mary Dean

from "Mary Dean" [email protected]
first email-
Hi.
Hope the room is still available for rent?....i will be glad if you
can send me pics and details of the place including time frame when it
will be available.
Mary dean

second email- [email protected]

Thanks for getting back to me, My name is Mary Dean.I am 24yrs old,I'm
fun-loving, personal,friendly,clean, caring,and respectful of others.a
non-smoker, don't do drugs, not a drinker and drama free. I've been
searching and searching for two weeks for a place an been having no
luck,Males/females doesn't matter as well as homes with a lot of
roommates. I graduated last year. I am single and have no children.
However, I don't have Pets. Am coming for my masters degree I was
born in Virginia Beach in Virginia. My dad is from there too but my
mum is from Canada.Am on research work at Guam (USA), am almost done
with that Because its part of my prerequisite for my masters in Micro
Biology .I would have loved to call you but I am not mobile my mobile
have been disconnected due to moving out of Guam.Am really interested
in renting from you and I want to know everything about the place I
do really love pets but I don't have any at the moment. I would have
loved to see it but am very far,but with pictures,I am glad. I will
also like you to tell me more about yourself and if you have pets. I
don't smoke.Please let me know the total payment of the place and more
over I will send your email to my dad for him to email you later
Because He is the one that will be paying the bills(Rent and deposit
fees), but nevertheless,I will like you to send me your full Name
and the mailing address street...City..State...Zip Code,your phone
number as well, so that my Dad will issue out the payment (Cashier
Check)for the place as soon as possible,with that you can hold on the
place for me till I come.Thanks and have nice day.
Best Regards
Mary

Last night it was the same email as cnaney got. This person is pathetic, and I told them so after tonight's bull. How lame, your just trying to rent a room out and you get this asshat. You'd think that if they are trying to pass themselves off as college educated that they would, you know, try to write in an educated manner.

Here SHE is again!!!! Kelly Benson

I listed a item on Craigslist and looks like she tried to get me too!

But My wife checked her out and she found out all kinds of stuff on this person!!!!

On 8/31/2011 7:23 PM, kelly benson wrote:
> Thank you for your prompt response,i want you to get back to me with
> more picture and what is the present condition of it.Am satisfied with
> your advert price,as am requesting this transaction should be done via
> PayPal so the PayPal charges is on me,If my offer is accepted send me
> your PayPal email and your name including your phone# or send me money
> request so i can pay you right away.I am busy at work and do not have
> much time around me, but no worries as i am willing to handle the
> picked of this merchandise through my legitimate mover agent cause i
> will like it to be picked at your residence location,Make sure you get
> back to me immediately, So no Shipping
>
> Regards
>
kelly benson <[email protected]>

Be very careful!!!!

When we check her out on SCAM WARNERS there was 3 pages on here in one spot!!!!

Thanks to this site ... the following was not responded to:

Hello, I'm Michelle Murray,please let me know if the room is still
available for rent as i really need the room so i will want you to get
back to me with the room last asking price and some pics of the room
if you still have the room available..Thanks


Let's make life difficult for these scammers and keep exposing them!

Welcome driviere!
It is always good to hear that another target of this scammer is safe.

Did you get any details which are not posted yet - additional email addresses, names, phone numbers? Every bit of information will help to lead others to this site before they send any money.
As these scammers remain completely anonymous and can't be caught by law enforcement, publishing their details is the only way to thwart them.

Trina Harris just replied to my posting on craigslist also .... she's moved on tho the US now .... thankfully I have learned to check emails and names out. Exact same email:

"Thanks for getting back to me... My name is Trina Harris (F),I am
27yrs old,I am fun loving, personal, friendly,clean and respectful of
others. A non-smoker, don't do drugs, i drink occasionally,and drama
free. I graduated last year in France. I am single and have no
children... I do bible study, and sometimes we do karaoke night with
my roommate! i go to church every Sunday.
Am coming for my masters degree. I was born in France (Bordeaux), my
dad is from USA but my mum is from Paris...I went to University of
Bordeaux in France i speak both French and English ,am presently on
research work at Guam (USA), am almost done with the research. Am
doing it because its part of prerequisite for my masters in
Microbiology. I would have loved to call you but this is a remote area
calls is hard to go through from here and i don't want to waste much
time.
Am really interested in renting from you and i don't really love pets
but i don't care if there is any in the house. I would have loved to
see it but am very far,but with pictures,I am glad. I will also like
you to tell me more about you and if you have garage or parking space
because I will have my own car come over, please let me know the total
payment of the place and more over I will send your email to my dad
for him to email you later because he is the one that will be paying
the bills but nevertheless,I will like you to send me your full Name
and the mailing address, your phone number as well,so that my Dad will
issue out the payment for the place as soon as possible,with that you
can hold on the place for me till i come. I will be looking forward to
your email soonest. Thanks and have a nice day."

Welcome cmoeller, and thank you for reporting the scammer's script. Is there any additional information you can supply - another email address, name, phone number? Every detail will help.

Hey,

So happy I found this site - I just received a reply to my craigslist ad from a Shelly Benson - her email and address is below.

[email protected]

Thanks for getting back to me... My name is Shelly Benson (F),I am
27yrs old,I am fun loving, personal, friendly,clean and respectful of
others. A non-smoker, don't do drugs, i drink occasionally,and drama
free. I graduated last year in France. I am single and have no
children... I do bible study, and sometimes we do karaoke night with
my roommate! i go to church every Sunday.
Am coming for my masters degree. I was born in France (Bordeaux), my
dad is from USA but my mum is from Paris...I went to University of
Bordeaux in France i speak both French and English ,am presently on
research work at Guam (USA), am almost done with the research. Am
doing it because its part of prerequisite for my masters in
Microbiology. I would have loved to call you but this is a remote area
calls is hard to go through from here and i don't want to waste much
time.

Am really interested in renting from you and i don't really love pets
but i don't care if there is any in the house. I would have loved to
see it but am very far,but with pictures,I am glad. I will also like
you to tell me more about you and if you have garage or parking space
because I will have my own car come over, please let me know the total
payment of the place and more over I will send your email to my dad
for him to email you later because he is the one that will be paying
the bills but nevertheless,I will like you to send me your full Name
and the mailing address, your phone number as well,so that my Dad will
issue out the payment for the place as soon as possible,with that you
can hold on the place for me till i come. I will be looking forward to
your email soonest. Thanks and have a nice day.

This Kelly / [email protected], trina harris... tried to scam me too.It sent two large checks from Wells Fargo Bank, for a few thousand dollars, the bank deemed them FAKE checks. The next step would have been some form of it having some excuse why the money needed to be sent back and it hoped that the bank would be fooled and I got cash and sent it to the criminal. My local police explained that to me.Here is one email from it with a photo. The above ad "who really scammed you" claims that manatalynn... is amanda lynn, an asian looking girl, I don't know if it's really her. It could be a fake name and pic:
Scammer:"Hello,
Thanks for getting back to me,i so much appreciate your explanation
about the room i am okay with the terms and am ready ,Thanks for your
info ,i will forward your info to my Dad and the rental payment will
get to you anytime from now, i will be arriving to state by Sept 18th
but i will like to start the lease starting from then if there is and
delay just let me know, also i will be getting a Car , just let me
know if there is a parking space for my car and the charges also the
nearest airport to you please consider the room rented to me and take
off the ad on Craigslist .. i have attached a picture of me along with
this email..i cant be able to call you right here until i am off to
town , because where i am right now is remote cant be able to call nor
receive for now , but i am sure soon i will give you a call when am
off to town.
As regards my car,i am planning on having it delivered to the house
before my arrival so that i can settle in comfortably,you can
understand that transiting cross Atlantic is not easy so i am making
arrangement with the car dealer to deliver the car before my arrival
after the rent and security deposit has been paid to you by my Dad. I
will ask you for a favor here,can i rely on you to take delivery of
the car for me when its delivered.I will instruct the car dealer to
contact you to schedule a delivery time that will be convenient for
you to receive the car for me .As you will be handling the delivery of
the car with the rent and deposit to be sent to you so that you can
help me handle the delivery payment for the car...the delivery payment
has been included with the Check coming to you.I will really appreciate
if you can do this for me and promise to compensate you adequately for
your time and efforts on my arrival in your place...Thanks
1 Attached files|4KB
my pics.jpg
View Slideshow
Download"