Apartment scam

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 2

I was looking for an apartment to move into and contacted the person on an ad I saw on Backpage (similar to Craigslist). This is the response I received:

Hello

Thanks for your response regarding your interest in having my apartment for rent.It is in a conduscive atmosphere that is close to everything.The apartment is much available for now but what happened is that I am now presently in West Africa for my Hospitals Project prayer crusade for 2 years with my wife and we have the keys right here with us.I will like to inform you that it was due to my transfer that makes us to leave the apartment and also want to give it out for rent and looking for a responsible 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 all time and the person that will rent it will have to take it as if it were his/her own..So for now,We are here in West Africa, our new home and also with the keys of the apartment,we were trying to look for an agent that we could give this document before we left but could not see and we are as well as don’t want our apartment to be used any how in our absent that is why we took it along with us here..We are only willing to give the apartment out to a lovely and caring person only, so if you know you cannot give the apartment the neatness it deserves please don’t contact me.But if you promise to always take good care of the apartment,get back to me on how you could take care of our apartment or perhaps experience you have in renting a home. I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP,My cell phone number is +234-802-956-9995.

Below is the application form for you to fill and discuss on how to get the apartment for rent and also to know if you are qualify,Kindly confirm your interest by filling the form below:

TENANT RENT APPLICATION
FIRST NAME: __________________
MIDDLE NAME: __________________
LAST NAME: __________________
PROFESSION: ________________
DATE OF BIRTH___________________
PHONE (____) __________ (CELL)
PHONE (____) __________ (WORK)
PHONE (____) __________ (HOME)
MARITAL STATUS: _________
KIDS _____ (YES/NO), HOW MANY ________
Home ADDRESS: ___________________________
CITY: _______________
STATE: ______________
POSTAL CODE: ____________
HOW LONG? ___________IF RENTING
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING? _______________________________________________________________________
CURRENT RENT: _______
DO YOU HAVE A CAR?
HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE LEAVING IN THE APARTMENT
IF THIS APARTMENT IS BEING GIVEN TO YOU,
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING? ____________
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN? ______________
HOW MANY MONTHS WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PAY AS UPFRONT? ______________

Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file in case of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you.Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the key to you,please we are giving you all this base on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words,you know that,we do not see yet and only putting everything into God's hand,so please do not let us down in this our property and God bless you more as you do this.

Regards…

Any advice on how to have some fun with this guy?

Baiting Guru Joined: 27 Mar 2011 Posts: 21155

First off, welcome to the forum! Second, are you using your real information? If you are, drop him from that and make up a totally false one.

As for having fun, there are many ways but your imagination can lead you down any path you feel comfortable with. Want to run a puppy mill? A brothel? Medical Marijuana factory? Is it zoned for such operations?

Take any idea that strikes you as a horrid tenant and run him in the dirt about it. Is the glass sound proof? Bullet proof? How many slaves can you keep in the apartment at one time? Is the garage attached in case one of your newly acquired struggles a bit?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 2

Thank you for the welcome!

I sent the guy a new email from an old email address I use for spam with a fake name, so waiting to hear back - I imagine it will be the exact same reply within the next day or so.

I've been combing websites trying to figure out the best way to go about this, ultimately I want to catch him in his own web of lies, and I am thinking of what the best way to go about that is....whether it means making up my own ridiculous story about myself or focusing the email on pressing him to be really specific about bank details, addresses, previous tenants etc. or some combination of the two.

Elite Baiter Joined: 10 Mar 2013 Posts: 1482

cr275 wrote:

Thank you for the welcome!

I sent the guy a new email from an old email address I use for spam with a fake name, so waiting to hear back - I imagine it will be the exact same reply within the next day or so.

I've been combing websites trying to figure out the best way to go about this, ultimately I want to catch him in his own web of lies, and I am thinking of what the best way to go about that is....whether it means making up my own ridiculous story about myself or focusing the email on pressing him to be really specific about bank details, addresses, previous tenants etc. or some combination of the two.

Few pointers:

Bait safe: No real information to a scammer. None, ever! If you must have a phone number then it is advisable that you use a prepaid cell and use it only for baiting. And under no circumstances do not go to meet him!!!

Do not educate them. If you can de-educate them by inventing new words or laws in your(or someone else's) country you are doing things right. Most basic thing is that you don't point out his lies or how some words should be spelled. Just go along be stupid. If he becomes lazy or careless then he may be careless with someone else too.

Ask a lot of questions: This wastes his time and keeps him from scamming others. He can't complain as you have the money he wants. This also keeps him from demanding inevitable payment you aren't going to pay and keeps the lad in the hook longer.

Blame it on him: If anything goes wrong (make sure that it does) then it is always lad's fault.

Do not break the character: Do not explain what you are doing or why you are doing it. You are dealing with criminals and they don't realy understand the concept of "doing it for fun". If he thinks that you are an annother lad messing with him then all the better.

Never give him anything he can use: If he wants to have a picture of your passport do not send it or any photoshopped fake you made. He may use it himself later.

Lad lies: Only truth he is going to tell you is the one that coincidentaly gets him closer to payment or out of the trouble so consider it all as part of the scam.

Feel no pity: See the bit about lying. There is a thread about a lad who got his leg broken while on safari. Don't feel pity about him. He or his boss was/is successfull enough scammer to go to safari.