Sounds like a scam - From Craigslist

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Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 12:07 pm

Hey all, I've been a lurker for a while but this email I got is a bit on the scammy side and I want to check and see what all you experienced baiters have to say. I am in the process of apartment hunting and I saw a great apartment for rent on craigslist, with pictures, and emailed the person to see if he'd be willing to set up a showing, and I get this email:

Hello

I really appreciate your kind mail towards my apartment for rent,
i would like you to know that it is still very much available for
rent, i am only willing to give it out to a Good and Responsible
person.
Its indeed a lovely and comfortable apartment.
Here are the details of the apartment :

Address: 84-70 129th Street, Kew Gardens, NY

Fees:
Per Month: $1050 (Including Utilities)
Security / Deposit: $700 (Refundable)
APARTMENT FEATURES:
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Size (sq ft): 1600
Pets Allowed: Yes
High Ceilings
Stainless Steel Appliances
Dining Room
Hardwood Floors
Big Room
Full Kitchen and Bath
Brand New Cabinets, Electric Cooker, dish washer & Refrigerator

I would like you to know that i am giving this apartment out to you
because i just relocated to West Africa, Nigeria for the Missionary
work and have a 4 years course. so my wife and i have decided that we
would be moving to our other home in Long Island when we get back.

Here is my personal details and a blog of me and my family, so you can contact me :

Name : Rev Evan David Erber
Blog: http://blog.lcmsworldmission.org/2008/10/23/from-david-and-joyce-erber-in-nigeria/

Phone : +2348134741290

Address : Mill Hill Missionaries Heritage Centre
41 Victoria Road
Abuja
Nigeria

Do feel free to call me at any time, i would be available to pick your
calls and talk to you.

i would like you to send me the below details :

============================== ==============================
============================== ===================
RENT APPLICATION FORM
FIRST NAME:_________
MIDDLE NAME: _________________
LAST NAME: __________________
AGE: _____
PROFESSION: ________________
MARITAL STATUS____________
TIME ON YOUR JOB:______
PHONE NUMBERS
(CELL)PHONE _____
(WORK)PHONE ____
(HOME)PHONE _____
KIDS ___ (YES/NO), HOW MANY _____
PRESENT ADDRESS: ____
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING? _______
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN? ________
IF YOU HAVE A PET?_____-
DO YOU SMOKE? ______________
DO YOU DRINK? _________
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT? ____
============================== ==============================
============================== =======

There is no Registration fee. Only Payment of deposit is required,in
other to send keys and paper works.

At the end of the month i would be enrolling for an Apartment manager,
whom you would be paying the monthly rents to. Electric Bills and
water bills have been paid for, so i would also need to send the
receipts to you, would in case it would be needed.

I would like you to know that i am a very free minded person and would
want you to express yourself to me. After i receive this details, i
would get back to you soonest and then let you know my terms.
Pets are allowed and utilities are available.I hope to hear from you
soonest. Reply to me soonest.

God Blessed
Rev Evan David Erber

Now this to me screams scam...except the website is real with real missionaries and one is named Rev David Erber who does indeed have a blog. What is throwing me off is how the email and blog differ in their English. The blog is well written with correct spelling and grammar, where the email is most definitely not. I also google maped the apartment and it does also exist. The fact that he has already told me he's "giving" me this apartment is a bit of a red flag.

I'm curious if I should bother with this or if it's a scam. The "application" doesn't ask any bank info but there is some personal information like my parent's address and my phone number I'd rather not give out to a scammer. Should I just email him asking to set up a viewing before I fill out the application and see if he responds or is this prime baiting material? If it does scream scam to you, you're more than welcome to have him.

Thanks!

Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 12:13 pm

Nigeria+ Advance fee = 100% risk free scam

stay away, no landlord will ask for money before you can physically see the flat

Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 12:20 pm

Should I just tell him I'm not interested? Or should I call him out on scamming me?

Too bad, the pictures were nice and all, I was hoping to get a steal of an apartment.

Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 12:34 pm

Hi Jenny

just cease all communication with him, he will fade away

he probably has some of your real life details

visit our sister site

http://www.scamwarners.com/

you can publish all his details to warn others

419Eater is my life Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 279

the website looks real. perhaps the scammer has found the blog and is trying to use it to scam with. (or they put a hell of a lot of time and money into their scam)

you could contact the LCMS WORLD MISSION at (800) 433-3954

Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 1:53 pm

Welcome to Eater, Jenny. The whole package is almost certainly a scam. You have picked up all of the clues yourself.

The advice you have been given already is "on the money". Drop the scammer completely. Telling him you know its a scam will achieve absolutely nothing.

Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 1:55 pm

Classic R4R (room for rent) scam. Absolutely textbook. Just ignore the scammer and they will go away, do not bait them if they have your real details, there are plenty more.

Be aware these are now so so common, you wl probably find every goood deal you find on Craigslist will be a similar scam. I know Michelle over at Scamwarners does hundreds of takedowns every week, and it's the tip of the iceberg.

Good luck with your househunt, and no matter what lines anyone spins you, do not pay any advance fees, and anyone who even mentions Western Union or MoneyGram should be avoided, even if they only tell you to wire the funds to a friend (to prove they exist) then send the scammer the payment details for him to confirm - or you'll lose your money guaranteed.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 1

HI THERE! very new to this website (just signed up!) but i wanted to let you know i received the same response after sending an email inquiring about an apartment i found on craigslist and i do believe that this person is trying to scam us. message reads as follows:

Quote:

"Hello,
PEACE BE WITH YOU.
Thanks for your interest in my apartment,its very much available for rent. I am sure you would be asking yourself why my rent is low, that's because am not too keen
about the rent amount but to whom i am renting the apartment out to. My intention is to rent my apartment to someone that is responsible,neat and ready to take great care of the apartment as if it were his or hers. I am very certain that you would love the comfy of the apartment, it is available for immediate move-in.
I would like you to know that i am giving this home out for rent because i am among the missionaries posted to West Africa to work for God and would spend couple of years before i would be through with my assignment here. So my family and i have decided that we would be moving to our other home in Seattle , Washington when we get back to the states,i would like you to complete the tenant application form below and please be honest with these details to enable us choose the right tenant.

LOCATION : 20 Pine St APT 715 New York, NY 10005
Rent Fees:
Rent Per Month: $750 (Including Utilities)
Security Deposit: $600 (Refundable)
APARTMENT FEATURES:
Property type: Single Family
One Bedroom,
One Bath
High Ceilings
Stainless Steel Appliances
Large Kitchen,
Brand New Cabinets,
Electric Cooker,
dish washer & Refrigerator
Heat and hot water,
Washer and Dryer in the apartment also.

COMPLETE THE TENANT APPLICATION FORM BELOW:
FIRST NAME:_________
MIDDLE NAME:_________________
LAST NAME:__________________
AGE:_____
SEX:________________
PROFESSION:________________
MARITAL STATUS____________
TIME ON YOUR JOB:______
PHONE NUMBERS
(CELL)PHONE_____
(WORK)PHONE____
(HOME)PHONE_____
KIDS___ (YES/NO), HOW MANY_____
PRESENT ADDRESS:____
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING?_______
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN?________
HOW SOON CAN YOU MAKE THE DEPOSIT?______
IF YOU HAVE A PET?_____-
DO YOU SMOKE?______________
DO YOU DRINK?_________
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHTS____

After i have received these details above,myself and my wife will let you know our terms and how we would conclude the Lease process so you can move into the
apartment asap,feel free to call me anytime on my cell number:(+234) 813 474 1290.
I hope to hear from you soonest.

God Bless you richly,
Rev. Marc Solomon."

SO. There you have it. SCAM. Different name. Same phone number.

Good luck with your apartment search. Beware of EVERYONE on CL... last fall my boyfriend and I were scammed out of $800USD when the person we paid a deposit to decided to stiff us on the other key to the apartment and we could only open the one lock. Some people saw us waiting outside for her friend to bring us the key and they stopped to introduce themselves and apologize to us for being scammed because they too were scammed. We called the police and waited for over an hour but they never even came. We went to the station to make a report and the cops told us they were handling a shooting in a McDonald's fast food restaurant with 40+ witnesses. Oh, the things CL can get you into... also the police told us that when we left the station we should probably double-time because the neighborhood was bad and recommended that if we have pepper spray we should keep it handy. CL is full of scam artists!!!!!!

In response to what Jenny Wall wrote:

Hey all, I've been a lurker for a while but this email I got is a bit on the scammy side and I want to check and see what all you experienced baiters have to say. I am in the process of apartment hunting and I saw a great apartment for rent on craigslist, with pictures, and emailed the person to see if he'd be willing to set up a showing, and I get this email:

Hello

I really appreciate your kind mail towards my apartment for rent,
i would like you to know that it is still very much available for
rent, i am only willing to give it out to a Good and Responsible
person.
Its indeed a lovely and comfortable apartment.
Here are the details of the apartment :

Address: 84-70 129th Street, Kew Gardens, NY

Fees:
Per Month: $1050 (Including Utilities)
Security / Deposit: $700 (Refundable)
APARTMENT FEATURES:
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Size (sq ft): 1600
Pets Allowed: Yes
High Ceilings
Stainless Steel Appliances
Dining Room
Hardwood Floors
Big Room
Full Kitchen and Bath
Brand New Cabinets, Electric Cooker, dish washer & Refrigerator

I would like you to know that i am giving this apartment out to you
because i just relocated to West Africa, Nigeria for the Missionary
work and have a 4 years course. so my wife and i have decided that we
would be moving to our other home in Long Island when we get back.

Here is my personal details and a blog of me and my family, so you can contact me :

Name : Rev Evan David Erber
Blog: http://blog.lcmsworldmission.org/2008/10/23/from-david-and-joyce-erber-in-nigeria/

Phone : +2348134741290

Address : Mill Hill Missionaries Heritage Centre
41 Victoria Road
Abuja
Nigeria

Do feel free to call me at any time, i would be available to pick your
calls and talk to you.

i would like you to send me the below details :

============================== ==============================
============================== ===================
RENT APPLICATION FORM
FIRST NAME:_________
MIDDLE NAME: _________________
LAST NAME: __________________
AGE: _____
PROFESSION: ________________
MARITAL STATUS____________
TIME ON YOUR JOB:______
PHONE NUMBERS
(CELL)PHONE _____
(WORK)PHONE ____
(HOME)PHONE _____
KIDS ___ (YES/NO), HOW MANY _____
PRESENT ADDRESS: ____
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING? _______
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN? ________
IF YOU HAVE A PET?_____-
DO YOU SMOKE? ______________
DO YOU DRINK? _________
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT? ____
============================== ==============================
============================== =======

There is no Registration fee. Only Payment of deposit is required,in
other to send keys and paper works.

At the end of the month i would be enrolling for an Apartment manager,
whom you would be paying the monthly rents to. Electric Bills and
water bills have been paid for, so i would also need to send the
receipts to you, would in case it would be needed.

I would like you to know that i am a very free minded person and would
want you to express yourself to me. After i receive this details, i
would get back to you soonest and then let you know my terms.
Pets are allowed and utilities are available.I hope to hear from you
soonest. Reply to me soonest.

God Blessed
Rev Evan David Erber

Now this to me screams scam...except the website is real with real missionaries and one is named Rev David Erber who does indeed have a blog. What is throwing me off is how the email and blog differ in their English. The blog is well written with correct spelling and grammar, where the email is most definitely not. I also google maped the apartment and it does also exist. The fact that he has already told me he's "giving" me this apartment is a bit of a red flag.

I'm curious if I should bother with this or if it's a scam. The "application" doesn't ask any bank info but there is some personal information like my parent's address and my phone number I'd rather not give out to a scammer. Should I just email him asking to set up a viewing before I fill out the application and see if he responds or is this prime baiting material? If it does scream scam to you, you're more than welcome to have him.

Thanks!

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:50 am

Quote:

i do believe that this person is trying to scam us.

There is absolutely no doubt about it.

This is textbook scam.

The missionary is probably real--the scammer just found his blog and opened an email in his name, the same way scammers impersonating American soldiers use the real soldiers' information.

He's not asking for bank account info because that's not his angle--his real angle is pretty simple. He will tell you that he brought the keys to Africa with him, and you need to pay the deposit (either directly to him or to some bogus escrow) and that the keys will be sent to you once the deposit has been paid. (He may claim that the shipping company already has the keys and will hold the keys or the money everyone is satisfied).

Of course the apartment, if it exists, doesn't belong to him, and once he has the cash you will have no money, no keys, and no apartment.

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 1440

Kind of ironic that the real Rev Eber is a missionary trying to help Nigerians, while Nigerians are using his name to cheat, lie and steal.

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