Help me Is this a Fake Lanlord

zack98

Hi,
Can anyone help me to identify is this a fraud? I was looking for a room for my self and found a room at Gumtree.Flat owner contacted with me via email.. Here the part of her email...

my solicitor and i have decided to carry out a simple test on seriousness and financial ability to pay for my rent before coming for viewing. At least 1 month rent together with the security deposit
£ 400 which is refundable would be required from you to transfer to someone close to you through Western Union Money Transfer agent using your name as the Sender and your friend's name as the Receiver.

Once you have done this, scan the receipt to me or write out the details on the receipt as i will forward it to my solicitor to verify if it's truly genuine and available in your friend's custody, after verification, then we can proceed for the viewing.

Note that the transfer must be confirmed valid before the receiver picks up the money and also, i will refund back to you the cost of transfer when we meet.
I look forward to reading from you soon.

Regards
Mrs Mason
+447024013061

1.I am suspicious on landlord phone number.
2. In next email she told me that she lived in Ireland and she want someone take good care of her flat.Also she ask me send her receipt before receiver picks money.Why ?
3. Is anyone can get money from western Union without ID?May be one of Western Union employee is doing this?

Thanks in Advance for help

sooz

Anything involving Western Union & Gumtree is always a scam.

Don't do it.

They withdraw the money with the scan of the receipt you send them. And then do it to the next person too. There is no Landlord, solicitor or property.

satchmeister

zack98 wrote: »

Hi,
Can anyone help me to identify is this a fraud? I was looking for a room for my self and found a room at Gumtree.Flat owner contacted with me via email.. Here the part of her email...

my solicitor and i have decided to carry out a simple test on seriousness and financial ability to pay for my rent before coming for viewing. At least 1 month rent together with the security deposit
£ 400 which is refundable would be required from you to transfer to someone close to you through Western Union Money Transfer agent using your name as the Sender and your friend's name as the Receiver.

Once you have done this, scan the receipt to me or write out the details on the receipt as i will forward it to my solicitor to verify if it's truly genuine and available in your friend's custody, after verification, then we can proceed for the viewing.

Note that the transfer must be confirmed valid before the receiver picks up the money and also, i will refund back to you the cost of transfer when we meet.
I look forward to reading from you soon.

Regards
Mrs Mason
+447024013061

1.I am suspicious on landlord phone number.
2. In next email she told me that she lived in Ireland and she want someone take good care of her flat.Also she ask me send her receipt before receiver picks money.Why ?
3. Is anyone can get money from western Union without ID?May be one of Western Union employee is doing this?

Thanks in Advance for help

Fraud, not the way flats are rented out. There are proper ways to carry out a credit check, stay well away.

zack98

Thank you!!!

louby_lou

Big old fake. Don't send any money anywhere. I have in my letting experience found 2 properties to rent on Gumtree (including the one I'm in now) and think its far better than going through a LA - however you do have to be really vigilant.

If in doubt do post their responses to your enquiries on here (though best to remove personal info of potential landlords so as to preserve anonymity of the real ones!) and people will be quick to help out.

Good luck

Martin81162

It's a well known scam. There is no property.

DannyboyMidlands

Definitely genuine. I'd send them £1000 just to show that you are serious.

theartfullodger

Fake, crooks: As said not the way genuine LLs (even bit-dodgy ones..) behave.. Western Union a very bad sign. Ask for a photo of them and their address then send to Police & Trading Standards.

joolsybools

theartfullodger wrote: »

Fake, crooks: As said not the way genuine LLs (even bit-dodgy ones..) behave.. Western Union a very bad sign. Ask for a photo of them and their address then send to Police & Trading Standards.

We don't want scum like this in our country..

They're probably not in this country

Trollfever

Rental fraud happens when would-be tenants are tricked into paying an upfront fee to rent a property.

Report here:

http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/fraud-az-rental-fraud