rental scam?

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 2

Has anyone seen a scam like this before? The person is requesting I give money to a shipping company called TNT before I get the keys to view an apartment. It all sounds fishy to me!

Here's the email:
*************************************
Thank you for all the useful information, I have to say that you are the perfect renter for my place and I will be more then happy to hand over the place to you. You will be able to visit the place once you will have Property Viewing & Keys Agreement form completed. Like I have informed you before, the price you will have to pay for one month of rent will be $ 1,200.00; with no extra fees you will have access to all facilities provide by the building. The utility bills are paid directly from my bank account. Everything is functional and if you need to do some repairs (the worst case that could happen ), I will refund the reparations cost, or I will deduct those from monthly payment. The price will not increase monthly; it will remain the same for the whole period that the contact will be signed for. We can start with a basic 6 month or 1 year contract with the possibility of renewing it or with the period of time suitable for you.
About the payment, I would like to receive it monthly into my bank account .The place is ready for you, you only need to receive the keys and the contract so you can check it out and decide if it's what you are looking for.
Since I'm in London we need a way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are asking for. I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast; this way you will receive the Keys in less than 2 days. The solution is provided by a company called TNT which is similar to FedEx, DHL or UPS, which will handle the payment and delivery of the Keys. I have found a way that will allows you to pay the rent only after you will receive the keys; this way you will have the chance to physically see the place and decide if you like it or not.
If you are ready to proceed with this transaction I will need to inform you with the steps on how this service works and how we can make it happen securely. You will only have to deposit to TNT Service the first month rent $ 1,200.00 so they can proceed with the shipping, so you can receive the keys and the contract. Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the Keys and the contract signed by me right away. I will explain you step by step how this will work .
1) To start this transaction I will need to know your full shipping information, full name, full address and a phone number. I will complete a Property Viewing & Keys Agreement form as well, with the purpose of viewing the place.
2) I will go to the TNT Office and leave the Keys and the contract in your name as the intended receiver.
3) TNT will check the envelope to verify the legitimacy of the legal papers that will come along with the keys; they will send you a delivery notification to let you know they have the keys and the papers in their custody.
4) At this point you will have to go to a Money Gram office Location and make a money deposit on the TNT payment agent name for the amount we agreed, the total amount you shall deposit is for the first month of rent .
5) After you will pay the deposit you will have to confirm the info about the money deposit to TNT (Reference Number, sender's name and address) .
6) TNT will verify the payment information's and if everything is in order they will deliver the Keys and the contract to you .
7) After you receive the package, you will have 2 days to inform TNT if you will rent the apt. If the place is what you are looking for the payment will be forward to me by the agent assigned for the transaction. If by any chance you don't like the place we will have to cancel the contract and you will get a full refund of your payment.
Let me know if this service is comfortable for you and if you are ready to proceed.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 4:31 am

TOTAL scam, and not all that unusual. The apartment doesn't exist, or if it does, the current owners or renters would be very surprised that someone else is planning to move in, since they are completely unrelated to the scammer trying to rent it out.

TNT service is nothing more than a standard fake shipping company. Some people think that if they send money to a company, not the supposed owner, then they are somehow safe or the deal is somehow legitimate. The question and answer are all that is needed to pick up the money, and you scammer will walk into moneygram and collect it, then disappear.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:02 am

A slight correction. TNT is a valid freight/delivery company http://www.tnt.com/express/en_au/site/home.html but it is based in Australia. Scammers will often use the name of a genuine organisation in order to give their scams an appearance of legitimacy. But yes the story posted by the OP is definitely 100% scam.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:03 pm

Sorry, SC.

I should have said that the scammer's TNT rep and/or TNT website will be fake.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 2

Thanks everyone. I emailed back and asked the supposed landlord if there were any other options besides putting up money before even seeing the place and of course I haven't heard back since!

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:01 am

I'd say:

Quote:

Dear Sir,

I'm in London. I'd like to schedule an appointment to see this place. Any day/time is fine with me.

and then watch the crickets sing.