whats the scam?

not_loaded

AMILLIONDOLLARS wrote: »

…When they have your details via the cheque, bob's your uncle instance access…

Could you explain that? They’ll have your sort code account number, name and signature.

How does that give instant access?

Jowo_2

Well did they act suspiciously in anyway during any of your interactions? Ask questions which you now regard as odd? Did they try and charm you and come up with excuses why they could not supply a deposit or rent and try to persuade you to grant them a tenancy or did they merely all want a tenancy and then went silent?

I'm still baffled as to how 3 prospective tenants who request to move in but then change their mind is suspicious. Did you discuss taking up references and doing a credit check with them?

It is, indeed the norm, for dodgy tenants to target private landlords hoping to identify an amateur who isn't going to pick up their dodgy credit history, previous evictions, low income, etc.

However, 'professional tenants' (those who obtain tenancies without any intention of paying) will sometimes pay the deposit and initial rent knowing it will take the landlord 6 months to get them legally evicted and in the meantime, they won't pay any rent or they will sublet it themselves.

A skilled pro tenant or scammer is going to be able to fake ID, bank statements, employer references and so on.

AMILLIONDOLLARS

Had an example where someone got hold of a company cheque. The fraudster tried to use it to withdraw money from the company's account, luckily it was for a large amount, the bank called to verify amount being paid out. When I check knew nothing of the person etc. apparently they had opened dodgy account was trying to cash the cheque into in.

Another example, the mobile phone fraud, someone got hold of my husbands bank details and set up standing order payments for someone elses phones, over £1000 paid out, for phones he knew nothing about.

For some companies you no longer need to sign a standing order/direct debit mandate, and if one is sent out, its normally send to a fraudlent address given out, so you know nothing about it.

Don't forget ID fraud is on the increase.

AMD

Glitzkiss

Did they take photos of the flat? If they did then they are possibly going to use them to scam other people into believing they have a real flat for rent. Therefore you may not be the victim but an unwilling participant in another scam.

Probably a bit far fetched but the only thing I can think of at the moment

Jowo_2

Glitzkiss wrote: »

Did they take photos of the flat? If they did then they are possibly going to use them to scam other people into believing they have a real flat for rent. Therefore you may not be the victim but an unwilling participant in another scam.

Probably a bit far fetched but the only thing I can think of at the moment

Firstly, most scammers aren't even in the country where they are scamming their victims - they do it by email or telephone and come up with excuses why they can't view the property. Face to face scamming is rare.

Secondly, scammers who operate that way don't need to take pictures of the property - they simply download photos from existing adverts to use in their own scams.

From the information given by the OP, all I can think is that they were either genuine but time-wasting tenants who changed their mind and didn't have the courtesy to inform the landlord.

Or they were either potentially rogue tenants, or possibly hoping to sublet the the property or pretend to be the owner for a future scam, who decided not to pursue the tenancy realising that the landlord wasn't going to be a sucker, so they just moved onto a softer target.

Here is an article that outlines some common scams by criminals posing as tenants.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3341236/Theyd-have-the-roof-over-your-head-the-garden-garage....html

peachyprice

Glitzkiss wrote: »

Did they take photos of the flat? If they did then they are possibly going to use them to scam other people into believing they have a real flat for rent. Therefore you may not be the victim but an unwilling participant in another scam.

Probably a bit far fetched but the only thing I can think of at the moment

That's exactly what I was thinking.

They could the the same Nigerians scamming on gumtree. For their scam they need photos and address of an empty flat.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1924913