Rental Scam Information – Protecting the Public from Rental Scammers

Here is how the scam works.

The scammer, usually from Nigeria, the UK or outside of the US, copies a residential rental ad from a rental site and reposts it to a free large classifieds site. They make the rental price very low in order to attract as many potential renters as possible.

The unassuming interested renter thinks the price is too good to be true but decides to contact the “owner” or “property manager” of the home.

The email response would look something like this. (This is a real email from a scammer). email is (corbeilh@yahoo.com)

Subject: Re: $800 / 3br – Better Than New!

We have decied to let you live in our house. As we have found your application very setisfactry and acceptable by my family. So we would want you to go through the acceptance form and get back to us on what you feel.I will be giving you a call later.we would like to send the following document to you via FEDEX to the address you sent to us and the tracking number will be sent to you so that you can possibly occupy our housePlease once againwe are giving you this on trust and do not dissapoint us and I promise you thatyou will love the house. So we are with the below document here with us.you will need to make Payment for Rent deposit and shippment of the Keys and document to the address you will have to provide to us.
Here are the contents of the document.

1) Entrance and the rooms Keys
2)Paper/Permanent house form
3)The house documetary file.

So please do get back to me today so that I will let know the next step to take concerning the payment. I await your reply ASAP.Regard and God bless you!!! You can call us on how to make payment for the shippment of the Keys and Document to the apartment. Our house number is +234-803-659-7132 OR 011-234-803-659-7132.or you can indicate if you want me to instruct you on how to make the payment.

Mr. Johnson David
WifeTheresa & daughter Melinda100 Church RoadLagosWest Africa. 01234
+234-803-659-7132 OR 011-234-803-659-7132
Missionary Code: 15148Z
http://new.gbgm-umc.org

The unassuming renter sends this scammer a check assuming they will then receive the keys to the property. Of course, the keys are never sent and the scammers now has the renters money.

In some cases, the scammer will tell the potential renter that they are out of the country but can send them the keys to see the house themselves. If they don’t like the house the “scammer’ says they will refund them their money. (Usually a $2,000 deposit)

The major red flags of any scam are:

• Outside of the US
• Misspellings
• Wanting Payments – Cashiers Check, FEDEX, etc
• Unable to personally show you the property
• Is traveling on business and will just send you the keys

Our mission is to educate renters, property managers, agents and owners on the many different types of rental scams that are on the internet today.

The only way to defeat scammers is by eliminating their economic incentives to continue scamming. We feel, through education, we can accomplish this goal.

Scammers will try to make the victim feel as comfortable as possible. Here is one way they do it.

1. Scammer posts rental ad on a large free classifieds site and makes rental price extremely low
2. The victim finds the ad and wants to rent the property
3. Communication between the scammer and victim begins
4. Scammer tells victim he is out of the country on business
5. To ensure the victim has funds. the scammer asks the victim to wire money ($2,000) to any of the victims friends. This is suppose to make the victim feel better because they are wiring it to their own friend
6. The scammer asks to see the receipt that funds have been transfered to the victims friend through MoneyGram
7. With Money orders, the recipient can pick up the funds anywhere in the world. With the information on the receipt, the scammer picks up the money.

The Scammers are using the WHO (World Health Organization) to scam out renters. Read more on this scam and how it plays on emotions here.

Below is the email from the scammer,

—————–

Good hearing from you am Dr Eric Neville,the Leaders of (WHO) world health organisation appointed by the World Health Assembly on 9 November 2006..

We own the House and also want you to know that it was due to our transfer that makes me and my family to leave the property and was post on craigslist.com to give it out for rent. We are looking for a reputable person that can take very good care of it, as we are not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean at the time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were its own.

We are a Multi-Million Organisation authorized by the UNICEF AND UNITED NATION HEALTH GROUPS. Our work is to travel around the world, we supply food, drugs, and shelter to the poor,our organisation is known worldwide due to our good work and faith. we want to know if you also have love for the sick and poor around the world.We are in conjuction with Susan Collins the Senator of United state of America.

So right now we are in West Africa. with the keys and the document of the House. We try to look for an agent that we can give the keys and documents before we left but could not see any trusted and responsible agent and the only person that we trust was dead last year on plane crash,so we have nobody that can give the keys and documents before we left and we are as well don’t want our house to be used anyhow in our absent that is why we took it along with us. You can drive by to view it from outside at 11761 Via Vera Cruz Ct Las Vegas, NV 89138.

So get back to us on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home.please let us know If you are staying for a long period of time, We are okay with one month deposit payment of ($1,250) including the security deposit,looking forward to hear from you.Our rental form has been attached to you that you will have to fill to qualify for this rent.

Looking forward to hear from you with all the application details so that i can have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you.

Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how the keys and documents would be ship to you via Fedex company.

Thanks Remain Bless