Laure Malkin <[email protected]>:
Dear
If you're really interested and decided, you can secure the apartment from now on, and I will keep it available for you until we meet.
It is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to come and view my apartment without any form of confirmation of their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when scheduled, has brought great loss to me.
I'm sure you are honest person so please don't understand me wrong but some tenants are not really decided or do not have the money to pay the rent and yet they disturb me to arrange a viewing with their friends.
My husband and I have decided to carry out a simple test on seriousness and financial ability before coming for viewing.
I want to be sure that when we'll meet in Berlin, it might be a chance that we'll do the renting papers, sign the renting contract, give you the keys and return to my home if you really like the flat conditions. I will not ask for money in advance before moving in, I don't need any deposit from you or pay me any money at all.
But as a warranty that you really can afford to rent my apartment, I require that you arrange a money transfer, on your name !
Because I used this system with my daughter when she lived in Berlin, here is what I propose:
A family member must send you a Western Union money transfer with the cost of the security deposit + first month's rent ( 850 € + 400 € = 1250 € ) sent to you, and on your name.
This transfer will be a warranty, so I can be sure that you will wait for me in Berlin when I will arrive.
Example of transfer:
sender’s name : family member's name
receiver’s name :
receiver’s address :
After the transfer is done, you will receive a receipt. You have to take a picture of it and send it to me attached trough e-mail, as evidence. This proof will be enough for me to see that your interest in renting my apartment is real.
At my turn, I will book my flight ticket immediately and I will send you a copy of it. Then we can schedule our meeting in Berlin.
Therefore you will inspect the apartment and if you will want to keep it, we will go to a notary office and do all the needed paperwork. Then, we’ll go together to a bank branch that has a Western Union office and you will collect your money, and make a bank deposit in my personal account where I want to receive the monthly payment rent.
Please note that I will pay for the notary fees when signing the rental contract.
Thanks for your time and understanding,
Laure
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.
