Home, apartment rental scams on the rise

Home, apartment rental scams on the rise

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

CORONA, Calif. (KABC) — With the large number of foreclosures these days, home and apartment rentals are on the rise. And so are rental scams.

People have to live somewhere, and that’s why you’ll see plenty of offers to rent, especially on the Internet. But as one Corona woman found out, some of those offers are not the least bit legitimate.

Heather Salinas of Corona has been looking for another place to rent for several weeks. She told me about a five-bedroom home that looked perfect, but the monthly rent sent up a red flag.

“I came across one that was a five-bedroom for $1,200, and I just kind of was like, well, maybe they made a typo,” said Heather.

But it wasn’t a typo. What Heather had spotted was a scam.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

 

Bed and Breakfast Scam on Craigslist Paris

This warning about a bogus bed & breakfast offered by someone using the name Sean Kirkham recently appeared on Craigslist. BEWARE!

Reply to: hous-809443590@craigslist.org 

Date: 2008-08-24, 12:24AM CEST

EUR50 Bed and Breakfast Scam (Paris)

Hi! I just got back from paris where I had rented a room in a bed and breakfast through Craig’s List. When I got to the address, the place was actually owned by a French couple. The police were familiar with this guy–Sean Kirkham–because apparently I was the third person that week with the same story AND he has stolen a fair amount of money from an adjacent bank. So…be careful! I’m attaching the ad below!

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The original scam ad:

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EUR50 / 3br – Amazing Bed and Breakfast in the Heart of Paris!! (Paris, Ille-de-France)            

Reply to: hous-809017685@craigslist.org  
Date: 2008-08-23, 9:56AM CEST 

We are a small bed & breakfast, just three rooms. We offer Free Internet access (cable & wireless – bring your laptop along), separate bathrooms, and a full continental breakfast (buffet) included. We provide you with towels, bathrobes, hairdryer, tourist maps, … and a warm welcome. 

The Main bedroom boasts a queen-size bed, a 20-inch flat screen TV, DVD player and sound system, and unique architectural details like a natural stone wall and a quaint Romeo and Juliet balcony that overlooks the lush courtyard. 

The price is 50 Euro per night (one person) or 60 Euro per night (two persons). Reductions are possible when staying more than 3 nights. 

 

More information about Sean Kirkham’s B&B scam can be found here.

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UPDATE: another warning has since been posted on Craigslist about the same scam being perpetrated under a different name:

 

EUR50 B & B in Paris – Buyer Beware!!!! (Marais)

Reply to: see below 

Date: 2008-09-12, 3:08PM CEST

Do not book a room with anyone who is offering a room in a B and B on Rue du Renard. He is a complete scam and will ask for 50 euro deposit but when you go there is no place. He will ask for the money through paypal, he will send you nice pictures of the place and will respond to your emails with details about the place and what a great choice you made. His email is billmckennainparis@gmail.com 

We have just also learned he goes by Sean Kirkham. 

Keep in mind that he will change his email and the location of the B & B but don’t pay anyone through paypal. We have also filed a complaint with the FBI and they are opening an investigation. So if you have also been frauded contact the FBI to further the case! 

Scammers hijacking Craigslist ads in latest scam to bilk consumers

Scammers hijacking CraigsList ads in latest scam to bilk consumers

Posted: Aug 21, 2008 12:56 AM (Louisville, KY)

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) - A scam designed to separate you from your hard-earned money is using popular online sites to reel you in. This latest attempt is targeting home or apartment renters and landlords, and actually hijacks legitimate ads. WAVE 3’s Janelle MacDonald investigates.

We first became aware of this scam when one of our own employees was looking for a rental home and got back several questionable emails after answering an ad on CraigsList.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

WA targeted in on-line property scam

WA targeted in on-line property scam

23rd August 2008, 13:15 WST (Western Australia) 

WA has been targeted by online scammers from Africa who have conned thousands of dollars from French students applying for shared accommodation in Perth. 

WA’s consumer watchdog says they are aware of four recent occasions where tenants looking for properties via online sites were asked to provide upfront rent or deposit payment while the bogus owner gave various reasons why the tenant could not inspect the property.

The scammers often pinch photos of properties from other websites and use stolen identification, including passport photos, to advertise.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

Whistler workers wise to Craigslist scam

B.C. worker sniffs out international fraudster offering fake rental properties

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The Globe and Mail (Canada)

August 19, 2008 at 8:10 AM EDT

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SQUAMISH — Whistler’s army of temporary workers who often face a mad scramble for accommodation at the resort now have to contend with international fraudsters offering fake rental properties on Craigslist.

Jesse Nelson, a 21-year-old office manager with a local ski school, was desperate to find a place to share with a friend. He answered an advertisement for a three-bedroom house on the classified ad website on July 31, after spending several fruitless weeks looking in local newspapers.

He was attracted by the rent, $2,200 per month, and the prospect that he could lease it for up to two years. He sent an e-mail to the address provided, and was told a Whistler couple, Kim and Cheryl Craig, were out of the country while Mr. Craig went to Nigeria for missionary work. Ms. Craig, he was told, was living in Miami and held the documents and keys to the property.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

WARNING about “Addressense”

****To read “The truth about Addressense” click here.****

A warning posted on Craigslist about Addressense, a shady outfit that’s very active on Craigslist:

EUR1200 BEWARE COMPANY ADDRESSENSE!! (paris/actually bulgaria)

Reply to: hous-800376931@craigslist.org

Date: 2008-08-17, 3:26PM CEST

 

 BEWARE!!!

 

Websites that offer NO CONTACT INFORMATION

Companies that REFUSE to SUPPLY REFERRALS

Businesses that insist on WIRE TRANSFERS to PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNTS in BULGARIA

 

If you think their prices are too low, it’s because there IS NO APARTMENT!!

ADDRESSENSE does not offer referrals, cannot provide you with additional photos of apartments (because they are a scam), they will not put you in contact with the person who is to “greet you in Paris” because there IS NO APARTMENT!!

 

Please be careful- do not trust ADDRESSENSE.

This is a very well put together scam-

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Here’s their standard pitch:

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Hello!

My name is Andrea Timbaud. I work for Addressense www.addressense.com . I saw your ad and I decided to offer you our services as agency. We have a large list of apartments and we are helping pur clients to book real apartments. We can also help you find a roommate if you want to. Our agency fee is listed in our website, so you can check it. My name is also in the website in section agents.

 

Hope to hear from you soon!

 

Regards: Andrea

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[sometimes signs as "Dimitrova"]

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According to whois records, the fake company’s (flimsy) website is registered to an individual in Bulgaria. 

Whois Record

Domain Name: ADDRESSENSE.COM 

Registrant:
    Addressense
    Diana Pentcheva        ()
    1 Jane Sandanski Str.
    Varna
    Varna,9000
    BG
    Tel. +359.885427531

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Any legitimate apartment rental agency in France must have an RCS number (French business registry number) as well as a Professional T-card number, delivered by the Prefecture de Police.  

It’s easy to verify whether or not a company is legitmate by doing a name search on societe.com or the French Registrar of Companies website.

****To read more about Addressense, in their own words, have a look at this recent exchange with a reader and draw your own conclusions.****

BE AWARE & DON’T GET CAUGHT OUT!! Detailed tips on how to spot a scammer

• More often than not the scammer uses a non-French name.
• Scammers quite frequently use female names as people often are more believing of them than men.
• Stolen ID is always used, both passports and ID cards, which are scanned, doctored if need be and emailed. Always ask for a French residency card as a supplementary piece of identification, this is called a Carte de Sejour which will be written on it.
• It’s not realistic that a young person of 20-30 years could be the owner of an investment property in Paris, one of the most expensive cities in the world.
• Holiday homes are mostly located in the Provinces, usually in the South of France, NOT Paris.
• All property owners in France require a bank account for mortgage repayments and therefore when renting a property out, all rent is paid into this account. DO NOT deal with anyone requesting a wire money transfer, such as Western Union or MoneyGram.
• Often the scammer will provide a phone number. These mostly are bogus or simply ring out, but oddly enough some fraudsters have been known to provide Nigerian phone numbers.
• Scammers often become very defensive and aggressive when questioned or asked for clarification on a matter. They get nervous and realise that when someone asks a lot of questions they could be potentially caught out.
• A scanned signature is NOT an acceptable form. Often the signature is “lifted” from somewhere else (usually the internet) and pasted onto the contract. Electronically copied and pasted signatures will appear pixilated when the contract/ID is printed out. Also look for the line where the person is supposed to sign – this will often disappear if a stolen signature has been inserted because the text box around the electronic signature covers the line. Study the signatures on the contract and the ID VERY closely. Any sliver of doubt, back out!
• NEVER send a scan of your passport when they ask for proof of your identity. When you email a scan of your passport it will be used to fool others in future scams and the fraud is perpetuated.
• They divulge unnecessary information (e.g. recent death of a family member, they’ve just been fired from a job etc) for sympathy and to guilt you into the transaction.
• Scammers ALWAYS say that they are out of town (either on a holiday, on a business trip or that they have already left Paris to study/work in another country) and that no one is available to show you the apartment. If you’ve lived in a city for a while you would certainly have friends, family or better still, an agent, who would open the apartment up to prospective tenants. Alternatively they say they are out of town with the keys and the agent can’t get in.

 

Thanks to “M” for her contribution to the blog and good luck with your apartment search.

 

New scam warnings: Doris Miller

Scammer Doris Miller runs the same scam in London and Amsterdam:

doris_miller890@yahoo.com

On Sat, Aug 2, 2008 at 2:33 AM, Doris Miller <doris_millerr890@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello, 

  

   I am Doris ,from London . I saw your advert ( looking for a 1 bedroom ).I have a 1 bedroom in total + kitchen+toilets,the apartment  is fully furnished with (gas, washing machine , fridge, tv, dvd, beds) which is  located in the city area belonging to my Father in-law .He built the apartment when he was working but he has retired from work now,he will like to rent the apartment out to someone who can take good care of all the facilities he kept in it .If you are interested kindly mail me back for more info and  i will like to know where you are located ..

 

 

Doris

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On Sat, Aug 2, 2008 at 1:33 AM, Doris Miller <doris_miller890@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello, 

  

   I am Doris ,from Amsterdam . I saw your advert ( looking for a 1 bedroom ).I have a 1 bedroom in total + kitchen+toilets,the apartment  is fully furnished with (gas, washing machine , fridge, tv, dvd, beds) which is  located in the city area belonging to my Father in-law .He built the apartment when he was working but he has retired from work now,he will like to rent the apartment out to someone who can take good care of all the facilities he kept in it .If you are interested kindly mail me back for more info and  i will like to know where you are located ..

 

 

Doris

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The pic of the apartment is attached on the file of these message. My Father in-law is the owner of the apartment is on a tour to the western coast of africa and will only come back to visit the apartment occasionally  .The rent will cost you 550 euros/month,we will needing 450 euro from your first month rent it will be paid to the lawyer, he will use to secure the apartment for you and also preapare all necessary papers for your stay in the apartment  so that when come you just move into the apartment without any problem. The balance will be paid at your convinent time,you may be the only one that will stay but if you do not wish to stay alone the other room will be rented out to the next applicant .The apartment has all the necessary amenities you will need (internet service, washing machine and so on ).The lawyer will need 100% of the  payment so that the apartment will be secured as soon as possible for you. You are the first to apply for the apartment and my Father in-law has just instructed me to give the apartment out to you and i will like to tell you that you have to act fast in paying the payment so that the apartment can be secure for you.I may wait for you at the airport if you will be coming through that way or we meet in convinent place so that we come to view the apartment. The apartment is located in Jordaan 100m from the Noordermarket and Prinsengracht in the centre of town and the payment  will made to the lawyer as soon as possible, so that all the necessary document will be process as soon as possible .I will need your full name ,contact address and phone that we will use in the preparation of the document ,i await you response asap.thanks 

Doris

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Thanks to a Scam Watch Reader for this warning.  Also beware of anyone using these email addresses:

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annah.smith85@yahoo.com

bradgeorge209@yahoo.com

brandyshaw111@yahoo.com

brigidasmi@yahoo.com

chicagogodwin@yahoo.com

christamber@yahoo.com

collinsalbert08@gmail.com

colomboapartment@googlemail.com

corly81@yahoo.com

david_mark1920@yahoo.com

dericluv102@yahoo.com

dominic.marshall@live.com

dr.timothy90@gmail.com

emmanueljackson29@yahoo.com

enprive@gmail.com

ericchek@gmail.com

fmiller72@yahoo.com

freebeez@rocketmail.com

geve_boo@yahoo.com

godismighty@ymail.com

gunkyrevs@yahoo.com

jacob.hall000@gmail.com

jerrycoal06@gmail.com

joanne_belly1234@yahoo.es

karenwales222@yahoo.com

kudianaibro900@yahoo.com

kvnkarin6@gmail.com

m4arethas00@gmail.com

m4berth@gmail.com

michala86@googlemail.com

mike_morphychamberx@yahoo.com

mllot002@yahoo.com

mllot002@yahoo.com

mt.huch@gmail.com

nelsen.john@yahoo.com

nicholas_ben07@yahoo.com

parisviproom@gmail.com

pdonladson360@yahoo.co.uk

Phelan.nilson@yahoo.com

picard.rue@gmail.com

renee_presy@ymail.com

richard.lewis001@yahoo.com

rollandwallat@gmail.com

ronaldrushton57@yahoo.com

ronaldrushton58@yahoo.com

rupert_beckley@fastermail.com

s.hollis45@rocketmail.com

samhollis@ymail.com

sarthhom@gmail

smith.gamer1@gmail.com

stonezjamin@yahoo.com

thompson.junior@rocketmail.com

thomyjn@ymail.com

tina.johnson@fsmail.net

van_nelson121@yahoo.com

webloveletters@gmail.com

workwithmiles@yahoo.com

 

WARNING: new scammer Jude Wesley

Scammer Jude Wesley writes using email address wesleybrowns200@fastermail.com. He claims to have an apartment to rent in Paris  but writes from IP address 82.128.20.187, Nigeria Multi-links Telecommunications, a black-listed ISP in Lagos, Nigeria–known as a hotbed of scammers. Don’t fall for this scam!

Here’s the Craigslist ad:

EUR900 Furnished Apartment for rent in Paris France

Reply to: wesleybrowns200@fastermail.com
Date: 2008-08-04, 1:44PM CEST

Furnished apartment for rent in paris france,the apartment consists of a well furnished reception room,well utilized kitchen,3 bedrooms with sitting room , bathroom and toilet, with all home utilities,to have this apartment for rent email me wesleybrowns200@fastermail.com
 

Here’s the scammer’s reply to a request for photos:

From: Jude Wesley <wesleybrowns200@fastermail.com

Subject: Re: EUR900 Furnished Apartment for rent in Paris France

Received: Monday, August 4, 2008, 5:59 PM

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Here is the Part of the Apartment,,Hope to hear from you

again and let me know your Wishes about My Apartment..

Jude  

 

Fake apartment photo used in this Nigerian rental scam. The scammer claims to rent this place for the unbelievable price of 900 euros per month.

 

The scammer then gets impatient:

From: Jude Wesley <wesleybrowns200@fastermail.com>

Subject: Re: EUR900 Furnished Apartment for rent in Paris France

Received: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 8:36 AM

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Thanks for the message and here is An Apartment and are you

interest in my Apartment or Not

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Evidently, he’s mixing up Paris and some place in the U.S.:

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From: Jude Wesley <wesleybrowns200@fastermail.com>

Subject: Re: EUR900 Furnished Apartment for rent in Paris France

Received: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 1:45 PM

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Thanks again….My Apartment is located at

West River Road,Estate in Paris ,,Hope you going to like

something kool and silence place to Live and hope to hear

from you again 

 

 

Jude

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When asked to describe the neighbourhood, here’s what he had to say:

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From: Jude Wesley <wesleybrowns200@fastermail.com>

Subject: Re: EUR900 Furnished Apartment for rent in Paris France

Received: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 9:59 PM

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Thanks for the mail again,,,I want you to know that there isn’t any neighbourhood in an Apartment it’s just contain 3 bedroom together with Husband and wife only,,I built this house for me and my wife alone with my Daughter but fortunately i went for a Crusade in the West Africa and i will like you to get in touch with my wife in the USA Brooklyn in New York for more discussion as She is with the keys and the document to the house.Pls i want you to note that,I am a kind of Honest man and also I spent alot on my property that i want to give you for rent,so I will solicit for your absolute maintenance of the house and want you to take care of the house as your own,I want you to keep the house tidy all the time so that I will be glad  to see it neat when I come for a check up.I do that once in a while.I also want you to let me have trust in you as I always stand on my word. Email my wife Mrs Agnes Jude on agnesluvjude19@yahoo.com and she will attend to you better with more information…

Thanks and you are welcome.

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