BIG RED FLAG: Request for payment via Western Union

The number of fake rental scams on Craigslist and other online classifieds continues to grow, with new aliases appearing daily. But while the names may change, the methods are always the same.

These thieves, mainly based in Nigeria, the U.K. and the U.S., are out to steal your money and your identity.

They use yahoo, ymail, rocketmail, fastermail, live, hotmail and gmail, and they also post ads under anonymous craigslist addresses. They frequently change their aliases.

They use photos stolen from other property advertisements or from home furnishing catalogues or hotel websites.

They use fake names, often stolen from Facebook profiles or networking sites. Often they assume the identities of previous victims.

What they all have in common is that sooner or later you get a request to transfer funds via Western Union, Moneygram or some other wire service.

NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, WIRE MONEY AT THE REQUEST OF ANY PROSPECTIVE “LANDLORD” VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM OR ANY OTHER WIRE SERVICE.  EVEN IF THEY TELL YOU TO WIRE THE FUNDS TO A FRIEND OR RELATIVE’S NAME “TO BE SAFE,” IT’S A TRAP!

NEVER SEND A SCAN OF YOUR PASSPORT OR OTHER ID. THESE THIEVES WILL USE YOUR IDENTITY TO SCAM OTHERS.

The IP addresses being used to perpetrate these scams worldwide include the following:

Nigeria Multi-links Telecommunications Ltd:  82.128.0.0 - 82.128.127.255

Nigeria Assigned to Lagos Dial-pool customers:  41.219.247.0 - 41.219.247.255

Nigeria Afrinic: 41.204.224.0 - 41.204.227.255 and  196.29.216.0 - 196.29.223.255

Nigeria Choizcom 83.229.69.128 - 83.229.69.191

Nigeria SurfSpot Communications 81.199.176.128 - 81.199.176.255

United Kingdom Skyvision Holdings Ltd: 78.0.0.0 - 78.255.255.255

United Kingdom Tertiarydns Internet Solutions And Security Consultants: 91.186.10.0 - 91.186.10.65

United States Sterling Bringcom Inc 204.16.124.0 - 204.16.127.255

Gilat Satcom Range 81.199.52.0 - 81.199.53.255 and 217.21.64.0 - 217.21.95.255 (have a look at Gilat Satcom’s rap sheet here).

.Tertiary dns

PLEASE WRITE TO CRAIGSLIST (USE THIS LINK) AND EXPATRIATES.COM (contact@expatriates.com)

AND ASK THEM TO BAN THESE IP ADDRESSES FROM ACCESSING THEIR SITES!

REPORT FRAUD TO NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC).

For a few general tips and tools on how to protect yourself from apartment scams in Paris (and elsewhere), click here.

Good luck in your search for an apartment.

Stay safe!

SCAMMER ALERT: Mr James Ben

The following scam ad appeared on Craigslist Paris today. AVOID!

EUR800 / 2br – 2 bedroom apartment for rent (paris)

Reply to: mr_james.ben01@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 2008-07-24, 5:15PM CEST

2 edroom apartment is available for rent in the central part of paris, it is close to the nearest metro station, it is well furnished with dvd, dish washer, oven, stive, gas cooker, 24hours access to internet. for more information on the apartmnet do contact me via : mr_james.ben01@yahoo.co.uk

[also posts a variation of this ad, same or different photos, using alias annah.smith85@yahoo.com or james.ben_apartment@yahoo.com]

WARNING: new scammers Erika Stam and Peggy Harry hit Craigslist

A scammer using alias Erika Stam (erikastam@yahoo.com) offers a “Luxiury apartment for rent in paris.” Originating from IP address 82.128.4.8, Nigeria Multi-links Telecommunications Limited, the pretty obvious rip-off pitch reads:

i read your advert and i believe my apartment can suit your critria so get back to me for more information of the place

 

Peggy Harry (peggyharry28@googlemail.com), who also uses the alias Boutier Armel Alain (boutier_armelalain@yahoo.com), writes this confused message from IP address 82.128.11.178, Lagos, Nigeria:

HELLO,

    Based on the list that i saw on the list that you are in need of

an apartment, i have decided to give you a trier, so i will like you to

rent my apartment, so mail me back so that i will tell you more about

myself and my apartment.

Crooked scammer Boutier Armel Alain a regular on Craigslist Paris

Boutier Armel Alain (boutier_armelalain@yahoo.com) claims to be a “french Guy” working in the U.K.  but in fact  this lying scammer writes from 82.128.11.178, Nigeria Multi-links Telecommunications Limited. 

He writes:

Hello,       

     My name is Armel,am a french Guy,who has been living in paris France for long now,but for some times now,i have been travelling to and fro,but ight now as i am sending this mail i have relocated to Uk,for my job and i am renting out my apartment which is a 2bedrooms apartment,so i will like you to mail me back as soon as possible,if you are seriously looking for an apartment…..so get back as soon as possible.

Followed by:

Hello,      

     Based on what i saw on the craisglist that you are in need of an apartment,i hae decided to give you a trier,so i will like you to mail me back as soon as possible so that i will tell you more about the apartment i want to rent.

This scammer also uses the alias Peggy Harry (peggyharry28@googlemail.com), writing a slightly different message:

 

HELLO,

    Based on the list that i saw on the list that you are in need of

an apartment,i have decided to give you a trier,so i will like you to

rent my apartment,so mail me back so that i will tell you more about

myself and my apartment.

FLASH: scammers Pastor Carter Curtis, Stave Batt and Bruce Maurice all the same person

All three e-mail from IP address 91.186.10.10 in the U.K. If you google this address, you’ll find plenty of other scams perpetrated by this individual, who also runs scams on dating sites under maswel_polly2000@yahoo.com, richard_scott60@yahoo.com, and mikedavis4god@yahoo.co.uk, among other email addresses.

SHE’S BACK: Notorious scammer Sandra Roland resurfaces on Craigslist

“Sandra Roland” is a regular scammer on Craigslist and expatriates.com who claims to be a “Medical Humanitarian Nurse” in Nigeria searching for an apartment in Paris. Apparently she can speak English fluently despite sending a very poorly written email (a telltale sign!!) out to the majority of people who advertise Paris apartments on Craigslist. LOOK OUT for this one – while she may not be the smartest scammer around she certainly pops up everywhere!

This is the email that’s doing the rounds:

Hi,

Hello to You overthere and how is your weekend going? I saw your advert that You have a room available for rent and i am interested in knowing the availability of the place and i will also want to know more about the neighboourhood ,the place and the utilities included…?

I am Sandra Roland,a Medical Humanitarian Nurse ,and ve been involve since the past 8 years,taking care of the motherless babies,Homeless one and all of that,I am still kind of young because i just turned 27yrs old…I Can speak both english and french.,i love to live with clean people,caring,responsible,neat type. I’m 5″7′ straight,and i am in West Africa Nigeria now ,I will want to move by the ending of this month depending on the availability of the room ,I speaks english fluently,so we have no barriers I’ll let You know more about me if i am to rent this particular room that you have to offer

I will be anxiously waiting for your next email

Kind Regards

This “medical humanitarian nurse” also goes by several other aliases, including Whitney Brainard,  Staci Martin and Alicia Smith, Jeni Walcot, Tracy Fields, Diane or Dianne Jackson, Linda Quach, Melanie Bunton and Christine Burke.

The way this scam works is that the fake tenant offers to send advance payment for the rent, etc. What they actually do is send a counterfeit check (or counterfeit cash) for an amount that is greater than what they owe (usually along with some long-winded excuse about why they’re sending a larger amount). They ask you to deposit the check and wire them back the difference. Or sometimes they send you the check as payment, you deposit it, and they then say they they changed their mind about renting and ask you to wire them a refund. When you deposit the fake check, you bank may not know or inform you for several weeks that the check was fake and then you are on the hook for the entire amount. i.e. you’ve wired the scammer your own money.

Big Red Flag: request for payment by Western Union

Fake ads and fake landlords. Every day, scores of them appear on Craigslist Paris. Some are so slick they’re almost impossible to recognise. Others are so sloppy they have scam written all over them. These con artists are based mostly in Nigeria, the U.K. and the U.S. They use yahoo, live, hotmail and gmail addresses and frequently change their aliases. What they all have in common is that sooner or later you get a request to transfer funds via Western Union or some other wire service. Don’t do it. You’ll never see that (bogus) apartment, and your cash will be gone for good. For a few tips and tools on how to protect yourself from apartment scams in Paris, click here.