is this a scam

i found a good appartment but story de guy gives looks a bit odd

first mail
Hello,

I just read your e-mail regarding my apartment located in : Elektriciteitstraat 31, 2800 Mechelen. It has 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 bathroom and 1 kitchen. I bought this apartment for my daughter during her studies in Belgium, but now she's back home permanently, so I'm renting the place for unlimited time.
My intention is to rent the apartment to nice, clean people and in order to do that I would like to know a little something about you, like how many persons do you intend to live in my apartment, do you have a steady income ,etc. The flat is exactly like in the pictures, fully furnished and renovated.Also, the utilities Tv/electricity/bin charges are included in the price of 450 euro /month. Security deposit is 1000 euro , and you get it back, when you decide to leave the apartment (you will have to give me at least 30 days notice). As for me, you can rest assured that I will never ask you to leave the apartment. My daughter is building her life here, and i am too old to move to Belgium, so we won't disturb you.
You can use my furniture, or you can also use your own if you prefer. If you decide to use yours, you will have access to a very large and well ventilated cellar, where you can store my furniture.
Now, a little bit about myself so we can get to know each other better. My name is Brian Anderson and I'm a 53 years old graphic designer from London /United Kingdom, planning to retire in the next 2 years.
The only inconvenience is that my job doesn't allow me to leave London even for one single day. We just hired some new staff and I'm in charge of their training.
But this won't affect you at all. I can make arrangements to rent the apartment from London (on my expense of course).

Looking forward to hear from you soon.


All the best from United Kingdom!

Brian Anderson
66 Etherley Road
London N15 3AU
United Kingdom


then i send a email to give a bit more information abouth myself

and i got this as a reply

Hello Tom,

Thanks for your reply. If you are still interested I agree to rent it to you. I promise you that you will love the place. The thing is that I’m in United Kingdom already. As I informed you, the price you will have to pay on the first month rent will be 450 euro + 1000 euros "security deposit" total (1450 euro), with no additional taxes. I need from you one month rent plus deposit. I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. I trust that there is no problem for you to send money to my bank account. The apartment is ready for you, you just need to receive the keys and the contract to check it, and see if you can accept it. Of course we will need some way to go through this agreement, to allow us ensure that we get what we are expecting. For in it, I have discovered how we could finish the deal securely and quickly, and in this way, you will receive the keys in less than 2 days, if you move quickly as well. An rental company from United Kingdom called ImmoAsset offers this solution and will handle both payment and delivery of the keys. I have found a procedure that will allow you to receive keys to it, and in this way, you may see it and decide if you want to live in the apartment or not, before I receive the payment.

Let me know if you are interested please because I really need to take care of this matter by the end of this week or the beginning of the next one.

Regards,


what do you guys tink this looks like a scam

Just stopped my friend falling for a scam like this.
No one would ask for any payment upfront of a viewing!!!
and surely they would want to make sure you wanted the place before they took money from you? otherwise its a hassle getting it back, especially if they intend to use a company....

Im sorry but it looks dodgy!!

[AlanJones]

It is a definite scam - a legitimate landlord would make arrangements for you to actually be able to view the inside of the property without having to pay anything - they wouldn't ask you to pay money to get the keys.

If you search through this forum and the Fake Websites one, you will see dozens of similar scenarios, with middleman companies being used, all with similar names to the one that you quote.

I have received exactly the same emails for the same address. I didnt trust this either and thats why I started googling and found your message.
To be honest I got the impression that I didnt have to make any payments before the viewing.
Note the part: "before I receive the payment"
Have you replied to this last email? Did you receive any responds?

Note the part: "before I receive the payment"

It doesn't mean what you think it does. You WILL be expected to pay before you see the place (of course they have to do this, because they don't actually own the place!)
This is a bog-standard fake escrow scam. We see dozens of these every day.

The scammer is going to tell you that you will pay the deposit to this "company" and that the company. The "company" will supposedly send you the keys and will hold the deposit until you agree that you want the apartment.

In reality, the company is fake (though sometimes the scammers may use the name of a real company, and even point you to a real company's website.) Any money you send is going straight to the scammers. If they think you still believe them, they may even invent additional fees that must be paid before you receive the keys. Of course the reality is that in the end, you will find you have no money, no keys, and nowhere to live.

I got the following reply:

Hello Sandra,

I will explain the best way I can . I have a contract with ImmoAsset real estate agency and I have already paid for the service (no charge for you ).
The real estate agency will send an agent to show you the apartment in my name at a scheduled date (at your convenience ) . You will meet with the agent at the scheduled date and hour at the address of the apartment (in front of the building) .
The problem is that the rentals company requests payment for the first month of rent plus security deposit in advance to be sure that the client really has the intention of renting the apartment . It kind of makes sense since they handle abroad rentals and they send the agents all over Europe .
I have already signed a contract with them and I have already paid for the service so if you want to rent this apartment we will have to follow the rules of the rental agency .
I want to make 2 things very clear :
1) 1) the 1 month of rent plus security deposit that you have to pay in advance is 100 % refundable if you don't like the apartment but I'm sure that after you inspect the apartment you will sign the rental contract.
2) the payment is a simple formality and by paying you are not obliged to rent the apartment .you are just respecting the policy of a abroad rentals company .
Now , in order to start the transaction I will need the following information from you :
a) your full name ( first name , last name )
b) your current address ( street name , street number , postal code , city )
c) your telephone number (mobile or home number )
d) rental period (period you want on the rental contract )
After I will receive this information from you I will go to the rentals agency 's office and complete the papers with your information .
They will send you an invoice with the payment and delivery instructions and all you have to do is follow these instructions and we will not have any problems .

PS: After this first payment throught the real estate agency , the payment will be made monthly to my bank account on a scheduled date (at your convenience).

I attached my identity details so now you know the person who are dealing with.

rentals company requests payment for the first month of rent plus security deposit in advance to be sure that the client really has the intention of renting the apartment.

So there it is--the "pay before you see it." They've changed it up a little bit, pretending someone will come to show you the place instead of sending you the keys, but in the end it all boils down you you sending money to a stranger to rent an apartment you have never seen.

Yes it is! Now I am sure I don't want to rent this apartment!
I received exactly the same information, for an other apartment:

Hello,

I just read your e-mail regarding my apartment located in : Rue des Ménages 27, 1000 Bruxelles ville. It has 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 bathroom and 1 kitchen. I bought this apartment for my daughter during her studies in Belgium, but now she's back home permanently, so I'm renting the place for unlimited time.
My intention is to rent the apartment to nice, clean people and in order to do that I would like to know a little something about you, like how many persons do you intend to live in my apartment, do you have a steady income ,etc. The flat is exactly like in the pictures, fully furnished and renovated.Also, the utilities Tv/electricity/bin charges are included in the price of 500 euro /month. Security deposit is 1000 euro , and you get it back, when you decide to leave the apartment (you will have to give me at least 30 days notice). As for me, you can rest assured that I will never ask you to leave the apartment. My daughter is building her life here, and i am too old to move to Belgium, so we won't disturb you.
You can use my furniture, or you can also use your own if you prefer. If you decide to use yours, you will have access to a very large and well ventilated cellar, where you can store my furniture.
Now, a little bit about myself so we can get to know each other better. My name is Brian Anderson and I'm a 53 years old graphic designer from London /United Kingdom, planning to retire in the next 2 years.
The only inconvenience is that my job doesn't allow me to leave London even for one single day. We just hired some new staff and I'm in charge of their training.
But this won't affect you at all. I can make arrangements to rent the apartment from London (on my expense of course).

Looking forward to hear from you soon.


All the best from United Kingdom!

Brian Anderson
66 Etherley Road
London N15 3AU
United Kingdom

well well...that daughter of his has been either a mad student going all over europe (you guys are in Belgium im sitting in ireland where 2 flats have been put for rent with the same story) either has sisters... in any cases Mr Anderson is really loaded because he clearly owns 2 flats in BE and 2 in IE (I just took up graphic design classes - seems like I can earn s*** loads of cash). The thing we could do is to push him to provide these bank details and provide it to the police maybe? I have a friend there that can go to a station (you will all have to send me moonies on me privet bankakount!! for transpoort me promise ) - no but in all seriousness, IT IS A SCAM!

can you say from what website are the scammers?
i think someone want to scam me...

Looking for place to live during college in Dublin next year. Too good to be true? Yup.

----------------------------------------


Hello,

I just read your e-mail regarding my apartment located in : 1 Jervis street, Dublin 1. It has 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 bathroom and 1 kitchen. I bought this apartment for my daughter during her studies in Ireland, but now she's back home permanently, so I'm renting the place for unlimited time.
Before we go any further I would like to know a little something about you, like how many persons you intend to live in the apartment, and for how long. The flat is exactly like in the pictures, fully furnished and renovated. Also, very important, the utilities (cold/hot water, electricity, wireless broadband Internet, digital TV, 1 parking spots, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, etc.) are INCLUDED in the price of 700EURO/month. As for me, you can rest assured that I will never ask you to leave the apartment. My daughter is building her life here, and i am too old to move to Ireland, so we won't disturb you.
You can use my furniture, or you can also use your own if you prefer. If you decide to use yours, you will have access to a very large and well ventilated cellar, where you can store my furniture.
Now, a little bit about myself so we can get to know each other better. My name is Rene Furbach and I'm a 58 years old structural engineer and I work for MWH Global Engineering. I worked hard to have a good career and I really respect hard earned money. The company I work for they have projects all around the world so most of my time I'm traveling.
I have a lovely wife, Sarah and a 25 year old daughter, Maria. I am very proud to say that soon I'm going to be a grandfather . Another member of our family is a 8 year old Labrador which we all love, so, I have no problem if you will keep pets.
I'm in Warsaw/Poland now and I work for a new project here and the only inconvenience is that my job doesn't allow me to leave Warsaw even for one single day. We just hired some new staff and I'm in charge of their training.
But this won't affect you at all. I can make arrangements to rent the apartment from Warsaw (on my expense of course).

Looking forward to hear from you soon.


All the best from Poland!



Rene Furbach

Welcome to Scamwarners brookeee
I am happy to hear that you spotted the scam before you lost money to this criminal. Please post the email address and the telephone number that is currently being used in this scam.

If you have other questions about this scam please ask.