Does this sound like a scam? Overseas landlord

sprintstar

I'm enquiring about renting a property, and the landlord says he is overseas. It's a good deal, and I'm very keen on it, but haven't viewed anything yet. This is the last email the vendor sent to me

Hi,
I work for xxx in Germany and is very hard for me to come in UK. I can't take the risk to leave my new job for days and when I arrive in UK to see that I come for nothing. I want to be 100% sure that when I will meet you, we do the rent papers then i can come back in Germany.
So i can be sure of that look how we can do:
You make the payment from your name and address to your best friend name and address in UK using MoneyGram for 2 months rent that means xxx GBP and send me the scanned receipt. As soon as I see the scanned receipt that you have made the payment, I will come in UK and you will see the flat and maybe rent it. After that, we will go together at the MoneyGram office and you will take the money back and pay me.So all you have to do is to find a MoneyGram office and wire xxx GBP from your name to your friend name and send the scanned receipt.I am asking you this to be sure that I do not come in UK for nothing. Hope you can understand my situations.
P.S : As I told you,I have a lot of customers interested to rent the apartment. I will reserve the apartment to the first one that provides me the scanned paper from MoneyGram. As soon as I have the confirmation from MoneyGram that the money are available on his name I stop the transactions with all the other customers.

I wait your response

At first I thought this screams out scam, but as I understand it, he is asking for me to wire the funds to someone else, and just wants to see a receipt. So I wouldn't be sending him any money without seeing the property first.

Anyone have any ideas? Or heard of anything similar? Should I run a mile?

rach29

It's a scam, I've read about something similar I'm sure. I'll go see if I can find info.

MX5huggy

I don't know how MoneyGram works really, as I have no call to use it. But I prsume that from the details on the receipt the scammer could pull the money. If it reads like a scam smells like a scam it's a scam! Would your really want a LL that is in Germany!

If you want to bait him a bit move the money as requested to get the receipt then get the money back out before you send him the receipt.

Catti

This is a total scam - it was featured on Watchdog recently.

ILW

Its a scam, run two miles.
If this were genuine he would be using a letting agent, not all this mucking about with Moneygram.

QTPie

sprintstar wrote: »

Should I run a mile?

Yes :eek:

QT

ILW

sprintstar wrote: »

I'm enquiring about renting a property, and the landlord says he is overseas. It's a good deal, and I'm very keen on it, but haven't viewed anything yet. This is the last email the vendor sent to me


At first I thought this screams out scam, but as I understand it, he is asking for me to wire the funds to someone else, and just wants to see a receipt. So I wouldn't be sending him any money without seeing the property first.

Anyone have any ideas? Or heard of anything similar? Should I run a mile?

Where did you first hear about this property?

kazwookie

Who says the flat is his to let inthe first place.

Scam

Run and keep going.

sprintstar

Damn. Thanks folks

sprintstar

ILW wrote: »

Where did you first hear about this property?

Gumtree, so alarm bells were already ringing

sooz

it is a well known gumtree scam. They can claim the money from the info on the scan of the receipt. And you have no comeback though moneygram/western union.