From: Alvina Parker <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 8:49 AM
Subject: RE: Request for your Offer at Starflats.co.uk
To: Michelle Banks
Thanks for the sincere interest you have in our flat. As I stated on my previous mail to you. Rent include Utility bills inclusive ( water, gas, council tax, TV license and wireless Internet) Utility Cost :£300 PCM : Security Deposit: £ 500.00 Returnable. I would have love to schedule the viewing without hesitate but,it is unfortunate that our past bitter experience of making reservation for people without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled, has brought about great loss to us. We have made a reservation for interested candidate to make sure our flat is available when we agreed on but unfortunately they will refused to turn up,they will later tell us they have find a good location close to their office or school. Did that sound well to you? After all our preparation and turning other interested candidate down to make sure we don't fail. That as really brought about great loss to us. My husband have also traveled all the way from where he work to take some interested candidates round our flat. Some outside tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturb for reservation, and viewing of the flat also some do not meet up with the appointments which we are not happy about. .
Henceforth my husband and i have decided to setup a simple test on financial ability before coming for viewing or before making a reservation for any interested candidate. Bank statement is not also allowed because they do provide fake of it. What we required from you is for you to locate any money gram post office or western union money transfer around you and transfer the 1 month rent which is £300 PCM and security deposit £ 500.00 to your friend or partner, you can make the transfer with your name as a sender name and your friend or partner in UK premises as a receiver. After the transfer do forward me the scan copy of the receipt as i will forward it to my husband for confirmation if truly is valid and available in your friend or partner custody. After verification by my husband the transfer is valid and available in your friend or partner custody, that will tell us you are a serious candidate, then we can proceed for the viewing or make a reservation to make sure the flat is available when we shall agreed on. Note you're not sending the transfer to me neither to my husband, because it will be inappropriate for us to collect any money from you before viewing our flat or before making reservation. You're to transfer it to your closest and trusted friend or partner in UK. After the transfer do forward me the scan copy of the receipt as i will forward it to my husband for confirmation if truly is valid and available in your friend or partner custody and will also be use as a reference for you. Note my husband as to confirm your transfer valid before the receiver pick it up. We are sorry for any inconvenience we must have cost you is due to our bad experience with bad tenant.
My husband will refund back to you the cost of transfer when we meet for the viewing.
Thanks for your cooperation,
Regards
Mr/Mrs Parker
The thief will tell you that you can rent his accommodation only if you can prove that you have genuine interest. He will ask you send money by wire transfer (normally Western Union) to yourself or a member of the family to show that you have sufficient finances and that you are not a "time waster".
Another variation of this scam is that you need to send (by Western Union) money in order that the keys and other documents can be couriered to you
He will ask you to send him the transfer details.
Make no mistake ! Western Union Transfers can be picked up virtually anywhere in the world and with the minimum of identification. They are almost impossible to trace once the money has been collected. You will never get to see the accommodation or your money again.
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 Gumtree or similar listing sites. If you receive any requests from 'Landlords' asking for some kind of payment by Western Union 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.
