gumtree scammer

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i saw an ad on gumtree that admittedly seemed to good to be true, and called the number. the person who answered seemed surprised to have been called, had a heavy accent (possibly indian). he said he lived in glasgow and was in a wheelchair, and couldn't come down to london to show me the flat unless he was REALLY REALLY SURE i'd be there, because the last person he tried to show it to didn't even turn up! aw, i said. email me, he said. so i did. here's what i got back:

Hello,
Thank's so much for the call and email signifying your interest in my property.I am sorry for getting back to you a little bit late this was due to my computer/internet problem. The property is still available for rent .The rent is inclusive Gas,electricity and water Bills. You are only to pay for council Tax. The flat is double glazed, newly decorated and fully furnished. Also to enjoy is private garden, car park and private entrance.The cost of the Rent is £1000pcm and a refundable deposit of £1000.The property is at Elizabeth Street London. SW1W 9PA. You can get access to buses and tube at anytime of the day and close to local stores.As regard viewing it,there has to be something concrete,because am a Disable man that goes about on mini mobility scooter/Wheelchair and i reside in Glasgow Scotland. I only go out on very important issues. I can come to london to show you the apartment anytime you want, but i have to be sure you are genuinely looking for an
apartment,I am giving this flat away just because no one is making use of the house at the moment. and i hate to see it dirty and untidy every time. It's better for me to let it out to someone who will make it clean and tidy,I hope you understand this. Well, viewing the property is not a problem,but i will like you to do something.I guess you will understand it.It's a policy my Lawyer came up with after several disappointment from intending or interested clients which am adhering to strictly. Am not asking you to pay me any money right now, bear that in your mind. I want you to proof to me and to let me believe you really need the property.I have been fooled several times,while I had to travel a long journey from scotland with my Lawyer to meet clients who wants to view my property and at the end of the day they tell me they want to stay in the property for a month before they would pay me or not even showing up at meeting place for viewing. I don't want this to happen
to me again so My Lawyer has advised me that I have to be sure that who so ever that really wants to rent my property should be capable of paying the cost of the rent.hope to hear from you soon.for further enquiries you can call my home number.01414162716

Best Regards
Joe

I can give you a long term agreement if you will be a good tenant with refrences,The 1000 does not include council tax,is just electricity,gas,and water bills,and the flat is fully furnished.As regards the council tax,I will advise that one tenant's name should be on the agreement form,then you can tell the tax people the other person is a visitor,so that the tax rate will be reduced,but usually taxes are rated or determine depending on your status, but the standard rate in the area is between 800-1000 per Annum.

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ok, so this is 99% certainly a scam but i sent back a short email saying that i doubted his offer was legitimate. if he would promise to meet me at the flat, though, i would promise to be there. then he sent this:

Hello,
This is what i want you to do for me,you will go to the nearest WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER location around you and Send to your wife or your wife will send to you the sum £1000 via western union.The money is still within you and your wife. I am not ready to get money from you as i said. All I need to see is the western union money transfer copy of receipt giving to you. Email the western union details or scan the receipt and send it as an attachment to my email just for me to view it so that I can forward it to my lawyer to confirm the transaction with western union that the transaction is real and be sure you are ready to get the property, after viewing the property, and you really like it, we can go together to the western union location agent around the property to pick up the £1000 back and we can reach an agreement on how you will move into the property and my lawyer will send you the Tenancy Aggreement form once am able to see the said receipt. I will pay back
to you the charges you expended in sending the money in western union. If you don't understand, Here is an example of how to do it.... for futher enquiries you can reach on
my home phone number.

SENDERS NAME....................YOUR NAME
RECEIVER' NAME...................YOUR WIFE'S NAME.
AMT........................£1000
MTCN.......................IO DIGITS NUMBER

Best Regards
Joe

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my question is: what should i write next?

Tracer Hand, Thursday, 12 June 2008 10:50 (seventeen years ago)

I wouldn't even bother writing back.

Ed, Thursday, 12 June 2008 10:54 (seventeen years ago)

i can't help but think that i can pull some kind of ultimate jujitsu reverse scam on him, but you're probably right

Tracer Hand, Thursday, 12 June 2008 10:56 (seventeen years ago)

Hahahahaha! SCAM.

For a start, if he's disabled, I'm Heidi Fleiss.

Ed, I think the Hand is now bored and wants to toy with him.

suzy, Thursday, 12 June 2008 10:57 (seventeen years ago)

poke

Ed, Thursday, 12 June 2008 11:03 (seventeen years ago)

sorry, i just wanted to poke a thread as ILE new answers appeared to have frozen

Ed, Thursday, 12 June 2008 11:03 (seventeen years ago)

This happened to a friend of mine who was flat-hunting recently, except that time it was supposedly a French woman called Vivian and the flat was in NW London somewhere. I think the mention of Western Union is the clincher. I guess you can report it to Gumtree and they'll pull the ad hopefully, other than that just ignore them or tell them to fuck off if they start phoning you. Wonder if anyone's actually fallen for this?

Matt #2, Thursday, 12 June 2008 11:56 (seventeen years ago)

you should ask him to prove that he is for real by posting a picture of himself at kelvinbridge with a sign that says "i shag sheep"

ken c, Thursday, 12 June 2008 11:59 (seventeen years ago)

I think the mention of Western Union is the clincher.

always the way

DG, Thursday, 12 June 2008 12:05 (seventeen years ago)


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