Rental Scammer - [email protected]

[Michelle]

From: Vivienne Mercier [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 17 September 2014 00:42
To: Michelle Banks
Subject: Re: Flat for rent - Interested

Hi Michelle

Sorry for my late reply but I was very busy these days and today I check my email. The property is still available for rent. I have attached a copy of my passport and a copy of the contract template. I work for Vestas Wind Systems and because of my special situation (being abroad) I need to be sure that you are a genuine interested tenant. I am willing to have you in my flat as long as you pay your rent but it is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to view my property without any form of confirmation of their financial ability has brought great loss to me. Some potential tenants do not have the money to pay their rent and yet they disturb the landlord to arrange a viewing. Also some people do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in their place of work by their employers and I cannot afford to find myself in a similar position. Therefore my lawyer and I have decided to carry out a simple test on financial ability before coming for the viewing. I am not asking you to send your bank statement and I definitely do not want to collect any money from you before the viewing.
This is what we can do:
You will make a money transfer to someone you know (it can be a family member) with name and address in UK using Western Union for 1 month rent and the deposit (that means 1000 pounds) and send me the scanned receipt (I will pay you back the transfer fees, do not worry). As soon as I receive the scanned receipt I will forward it to my lawyer to verify if it is truly genuine (note that my lawyer must confirm the transfer valid before the receiver picks up the money). After my lawyer verifies the authenticity of the transfer, I will book a flight for UK and I will meet with you. When we will meet I will bring all the documents and legal papers certifying my ownership of the flat and also the tenancy agreement which we will both sign after you will see the flat. You will pay me only after you will see the flat and after you will read and sign the contract.
Western Union is an international money transfer service (money transfer from one person to another, not between bank accounts). You do not need an account with them and you do not need a bank account to make a transfer and the transfer only takes 10 minutes to make and you need an ID and the money. My lawyer instructed me to use Western Union because in this way we can have the confirmation of the money from a legit third party. The transfer is easy to make. You only have to find a Western Union office (you can find one at the local postal office). Or you can make the transfer online using the service "Money in minutes", with cash pickup for the receiver (not to a bank account - http://www.westernunion.co.uk/gb/bank-a ... -cash.page).
So all you have to do is to find a Western Union office and wire 1000 pounds to a friend of yours and send me the scanned receipt. I am asking you this to be sure that I do not come in UK for nothing. I hope you can understand my situation.
Please understand that this money transfer by Western Union is not a payment for the flat, it will only prove to me that you are a serious and reliable person. I can come to London in 3-4 days after you make the transfer. I am waiting for your mail.