Room for Rent and other rental scams
#190765 by Con Warner Wed Feb 12, 2014 10:33 am
Antonia Pegg <[email protected]> wrote: Hello,
I am pleased to offer furnished double room within a flatshare, the property is located in Ivanhoe Road, Garthdee, Aberdeen AB10 7EY. However, the flat comprises of Kitchen fully furnished (washing machine, microwave, kettle, fridge, table, cutlery, plates)

The Flat:

Bright room newly decorated, with wardrobe, drawers, desk, chair.
Double glazed, chest of drawers, computer desk.
New Flat TV 32" with more than 100 Channels.

The Price:

Room: (£320 per month) all bills included, (electricity, gas, wifi internet)
Refundable security deposit: £400

I look forward to your reply.

Regards
Antonia Pegg
+44 (0)7537192457


This person asks for proof that you are able to pay the deposit and rent (for a property that he does not own) due to a string of time wasters.
This proof is in the form of a cash or bank transfer either to him, his lawyer, your friend or a family member.

Sounds safe. It's not!

At other times, this person asks for a deposit payment via Western Union or Moneygram with the promise that they will send the keys through a courier company.

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.

Scammer wrote:Thanks for accepting the contract obligations and attached signed contract. I have found the attached files with this email. On the item #6 of the contract, you are required to pay an advance one month rent of 320 plus the security deposit of 400 pounds (Total: 720 pounds).

However, i have contacted my bank financial officer and i was informed that my bank account is undergoing mandatory upgrading and any bank transfer into my bank account would be delay until the process has been finalised. For this singular reason, i advised that you make the advance payment to my Oversee lawyer. Once you have finalised the transfer, you will email to me the bank transfer confirmation screenshot for verification.

I have attached the letter of guarantee from my Attorney at Law, find the enclosed file with this email.

Here is my lawyer's bank account details;

Bank Name: Santander Bank
Account Name: Mr Ian Martin
Account Number: 53818987
Sort Code: 09-01-28

Please let me know when you will get the payment done.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Antonia


Bank account reported.

Email: [email protected]

Latest updates regarding Internet Fraud: http://www.antifraudnews.com
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#205862 by Glefe Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:00 am
I've just lost £400 with this virtual person... after lost of e-mails to be more in confidence.
She answered to a post on Gumtree, to rent a flat in Manchester.
Exactly the same as written here.

Don't be as silly as me... it's a scam!
#206803 by MCD2014 Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:04 am
Hi

Same scam, only yesterday. Did you report it to gumtree? if so Gumtree could be liable considering that she is still using the same name. Its a bit strange and annoying that they are still able to (stupidly) be using the same name and email.
#207569 by imatulo Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:01 am
Just lost £500 with this person. She replied on my ad on gumtree and she looked very reliable. I had contract with her and also her certificate of ownership, but all of it is propably fake. Don't understand why gumtree let this person keep steeling money from their customers.
#207594 by Bubbles Wed Jun 25, 2014 1:04 pm
I am sorry for your losses Glefe, MCD2014 and imatulo. Scamming is rampant on the internet. That is the reason this site exists, to help warn people about not just an individual scammer like [email protected], but to also educate people about the methods scammers use to steal your money from you.

Scammers spend much of their time learning how to scam people. It is their "job" as they see it. Scammers open email accounts as quickly and easily as you get a glass of water. The online sites like Gumtree do what they can to protect their users from scammers with warning about sending money to people you do not know and have not met. If online sites demanded proof of who a person is to try to stop scammers, it would also impact your use of such sites in a negative way too.

Scammers typically prey on people's desperation or need. They make it sound sooo good and soooo easy. That is the first clue. If something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is NOT true. We all hate what scammers do, including sites like Gumtree.

I hope you will take time to use the resources here on ScamWarners to learn the tricks the scammers use so you can be better prepared. Tell your friends and anyone who uses the internet about our site so they too can learn to be safe on the internet.

Bubbles, former Scamwarners moderator.

Rest in Peace 24 June 2015.

Gone, but never forgotten.
#226613 by kimbo_frog Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:18 pm
Another thanks here!!
My friend was just about to part with his deposit....but when he told me the alarm bells went off!!

They advertised in Friday-ad
http://www.friday-ad.co.uk/brighton/pro ... -YI440C5B4
Using the name Antonia Pegg (DOH)
again asking for money to be sent to lawyer:
Mr Keith Fordyck
Bank of scotland
Acc:02612579
Sort: 804635
Reported to Action Fraud
and will email bank also
#229853 by Yannick mandarin Sun Dec 07, 2014 9:04 am
http://m.friday-ad.co.uk/burgess-hill/p ... -YI444A0C4
Was about to get ripped off by this scammer , when I decided to google the email address to find out that the email is on the scam list . Was so tempting with the property and was about to give my notice and pay my deposit . There's a god somewhere ,gutted but happy didn't get ripped off .
#229969 by Michelle Mon Dec 08, 2014 2:26 pm
Antonia Pegg <[email protected]>

Thanks for accepting the contract obligations. Please sign the last page of the Assured Tenancy Agreement and email to me the signed copy. However, we can proceed with the viewing and handover the keys on the 18th of December. My lawyer would be present during the viewing and you are required to come along with a passport photograph.

On the term of the agreement, you are required to make an advance payment for the security deposit of £460. You will proceed with the payment into my lawyer's bank account and my lawyer will bring the stamped tenancy agreement on your arrival date.

Bank Name: Natwest Bank
Account Name: Tracy Hughes
Account Number: 34898212
Sort Code: 56-00-55
IBAN: GB46NWBK 5600 5534 8982 12
BIC: NWBKGB2L
Bank Address: 1 Granby Street, LE1 6EJ, United Kingdom

Please email to me the bank transfer confirmation receipt so that i can notify my lawyer for the verification.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Antonia

#230634 by Michelle Sat Dec 13, 2014 12:19 pm
Antonia Pegg <[email protected]>

I was thinking of another option to send me the deposit. I have just looked into "MoneyGram Transfer" I believe Vineland has the service. Furthermore, my lawyer advised that you make the advance payment to her personal secretary (Cathi Woods) because she would not be available to receive the money from the Moneygram service due to work schedule.

You would transfer the security deposit of £460 through MoneyGram Transfer and once you have finalised the transfer, you would email to me with a scan copy of the transfer receipt.

On request, i am willing to provide to you a guarantee letter from my lawyer as regards the payment.

Required transfer details:

NAME: Cathi Woods
City: Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6AH, United Kingdom


Please let me know when the transfer would be done?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Antonia

#237172 by rexkell25 Mon Feb 09, 2015 10:18 am
(Amazing this person is still allowed to advertise on Gumtree - I thought the price was cheap for Brighton. If it sounds to good to be true, it most probably is!)

Hello Kelly,
Thanks for your reply. I was wondering if you understood my last email to you? My solicitor and i have been disappointed in the past when inviting people to come and view or reserve my flat. For this singular reason, my solicitor and i have mandated that any intending tenants must pay a holding fee for the security deposit in order to secure the flat.

Once the holding fee has been paid and verified, we will then proceed with the arrangements for the viewing.

Note that making an advance deposit doesn't mean you rent my flat, if you decide not to proceed with the rent after viewing then i will refund your deposit immediately without any delay.

Please let me know if you are willing to proceed with the lay down procedure by providing the required details to draft the contract and proceed with the advance payment to secure the flat? Otherwise, you will have to look for another flat in order to avoid time wasting.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Antonia
________________________________________
From: kelly
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Message from someone interested in your advert
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 13:08:30 +0000

Do you mean a deposit before we see the property?


From: Antonia Pegg [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 09 February 2015 12:51
To: Kelly
Subject: RE: Message from someone interested in your advert

Hello Kelly,
Thanks for your reply. I am a private landlord and i am more than willing to offer the flat to your colleague. However, the flat is available and i am renting the property out because i have just moved outside Brighton to start a new job, i am not after the rent but someone that could take good care of all the facilities present. I currently work and live in Ashington and i would need to take a day off in order to come down to Brighton and schedule for the viewing with you.

Nevertheless, you would need to make an advance deposit to secure the flat but before that, my solicitor would need some information of your colleague to draft an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement which you will print and bring along with when you're coming for the viewing. Details needed are:

Full name:
Current address:
Confirmed move in date:
Mobile number:

Please get back to me with these information so that i can tell you how to proceed and please, let me know if you have other options because i wouldn't want to schedule a viewing with you and get disappointed at the end of the day.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Antonia
________________________________________
From: kelly.
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Message from someone interested in your advert
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 11:53:33 +0000

Hi Antonia

The flat looks lovely, its for my colleague, she is very tidy and is from Germany, she has been working for our company in Hove for 6 months now so we are able to provide references for her.
Would it be possible for me to bring her to see the property please? She would like to move asap.

Many thanks for you prompt reply

Kind regards
Kelly

From: Antonia Pegg [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 09 February 2015 11:45
To: Kelly
Subject: RE: Message from someone interested in your advert

Hello Kelly,

Thanks for the interest you have in my flat. The flat is still available for rent which is located in Upper North Street, Brighton and Hove BN1 3FG. I took the pictures 11 days ago and you can stay in my flat as long as you pay your rent at when due. Here are the necessary things you need to know about the rent and deposit.

Rent per month: £460 (water, gas, electricity, council tax, TV license and wireless Internet)
Security deposit: £500 protected by the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme and it's refundable after end of your stay in my flat.
However, i need to know some details about you. Can you keep my flat clean and tidy? Do you have character reference? The flat is new and all the facilities present are all new so i am looking for a responsible and clean tenant.
I am reliable and open. If anything went wrong in the flat, i will make sure the problem is quickly rectified. I have been disappointed lately with unserious interested candidate when it comes to viewing or reservation so i would appreciate your sincere reply.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards

Antonia
#241999 by Michelle Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:38 am
From: Antonia Pegg <[email protected]>
Date: 4 March 2015 21:29:18 GMT
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: RE: Message from someone interested in your advert

Hello Michelle
Thanks for your reply. However, we can proceed with the viewing at 5pm tomorrow or at your convenient time. My solicitor would be available during the viewing and will bring along the contract in order to finalised tenancy agreement. More so, you are required to come along with a copy of your passport photograph.

You will proceed with the advance payment for the security deposit of £600 into my personal bank account.

Bank Name: Barclays Bank PLC
Account Name: Antonia Pegg
Account Number: 80217948
Sort Code: 20-92-60

Please email to me the bank transfer confirmation receipt for verification.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Antonia

#247123 by silkesilk Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:06 pm
hanks for your reply. Regarding to your question, the rent of £420 per month includes all bills and the tenancy is available for initial 6 months with the possibility of extention.

We can proceed with the viewing and finalise the tenancy agreement at 6pm tomorrow. However, my solicitor and i would be present during the viewing. You will proceed with the payment for the holding deposit of £500 into my solicitor's bank account and my solicitor will bring the tenancy agreement during the viewing.

Bank Name: Lloyds Bank
Account Name: Leonard Johnson
Account Number: 25941560
Sort Code: 30-97-49

Please email to me the bank transfer confirmation receipt so that i can notify my solicitor for the verification.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Antonia

Bank account noted MW

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