Beware of Scams!
A series of scams actually hit apartment renters
A frequent one goes like this:
Someone sees an ad on the billboard and contacts the person who placed it from afar by e-mail, asking for more information. This potential tenant or sub-lessee quickly agrees to rent the dwelling and sends a large deposit. The method of payment varies, but the landlord (or student who wish to sublet his room) is sent more money than normally required to secure a reservation. Soon after, the tenant-to-be pretends that an error occurred or that the situation has changed and asks for some money to be wired back to him.
There is the catch: the scammer pays with counterfeit cheques, grabs whatever the landlord or the student sends back and runs with it.
See below texts that have actually been employed by someone initiating a fraudulent attempt.
Hello,
My name is Mr XYZ, I am highly interested in making payment for the Room Accommodation you advertised for rent, I want to make the payment on behalf of my Daughter who intends to be at your location to further her education. So I would like you to let me know how much you will be charging per week or per month. So, try and get back to me as soon as you can and also I hope the environment is a quiet-condusive and peaceful place for her to concentrate and further her education, and note that your payment will be made to you via Bank Check or Money order. I look forward to receiving your response as soon as possible with the FINAL ASKING PRICE.
Thanks,
Mr XYZ
Another example:
From: Mary Stewart
Date: 2010/8/18
Subject: RE: Re :PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT.....KINDLY GET BACK TO ME SOON.
To:Hello
Thanks very much for the information provided,i have forwarded your information to my sponsor company and i will provide you all the shipping information as soon as the check has been issued and sent out to you.
I will want you to know that my sponsor company will be issuing you a check of $5000 which includes the payment of all my expenses such as traveling expenses and so on....so i urge you to deduct the cost of the room for the first and last month and all other necessary expenses and help me to forward the remaining balance to the traveling agency in United Kingdom through western union money transfer for them to be able to process my traveling plans to Canada.You'll have to deduct the transfer fee from the remaining balance also.
I know all these may look very complicated for you but i urge you to do this for me from the debts of your heart. You may deduct $200 for your personal self from the check for the stress i may put you through on this.
Thanks very much
i will be waiting for you positive response on this.Thanks and God bless.
Mary.
When someone contacts you to rent your dwelling, do some research before dealing with that person. You would be advised to:
- Google the contact email or the telephone number - you can be surprised by your findings
- Google a sentence or part of a sentence used in the e-mail
- Learn as much as possible on rental scams by visiting websites monitoring them. Simply Google 'rental scams' to find a bundle of them.
If you suspect that you are subject to a fraudulent transaction attempt,
please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.