Scam attempt

jamie11

Son #4 has just called me.

He has had a letter addressed to him at the property he rents from me claiming that someone has an AST for that property supposed to be a family of 5. Also claiming there is a deposit of £850 that has been paid over, evidenced by a scan of a page from the 'prescribed information'
There is also some paperwork to do with a claim for DLA.

His signature has been forged, needless to say he has never heard of this guy.

Another call now informs me that this guy is actually a friend of one of his lodgers.

He has already informed the police of a suspected fraud. He now has a crime number.

I'm wondering if he should bother telling the council anything or just let the scammers carry on until the police bring them up short.

Still got things to find out about this but does anyone have any thoughts?

Guest101

So what's the scam, sorry i've possibly misread or something

jamie11

Guest101 wrote: »

So what's the scam, sorry i've possibly misread or something

I'm not sure myself yet.

According to the paperwork he's just scanned over to me there is supposed to be a £850 deposit secured with TDS, that's not true, he's never let this property to anyone else, he lives there himself with lodgers, he has a valid AST from me and I allow him to take lodgers.

It seems this guy is friend of one of the lodgers. That could mean he has had access to the house when my son has been at work.

There's also something to do with a claim for DLA and something about insurance from AVIVA in there.

The so-called AST is an obvious fake, for one thing it says the tenant is
Mxxxxx Gxxxxx and Family. instead of naming all the adults and sets the rent well above the spurious deposit.

My first thoughts are that it is an attempt to claim DLA, second thoughts that it may be aimed at my son although I can't see how.

The signature purporting to be that of my son is badly forged.

Dunno! Strange happenings.

ValHaller

To me it looks like the scam is Housing Benefit related - a false claim is being made and your son is being made out to be the patsy who is aiding and abetting with false tenancy documentation.

jamie11

ValHaller wrote: »

To me it looks like the scam is Housing Benefit related - a false claim is being made and your son is being made out to be the patsy who is aiding and abetting with false tenancy documentation.

Yes, I think I agree with you V, Neither my son nor his lodgers claim any housing benefits so the property would not come up as already claiming in the town hall's records.

It looks like there's going to be a change of at least one lodger in the near future,

GDB2222

I would definitely contact the benefits dept at the local council. The fraud is against them.

jamie11

I've already decided to do that GDP, first thing Monday morning.

PasturesNew

Seems odd.... clearly a first attempt at fraud, so cr4p at putting it together.

Guest101

Ah yes I see, I thought they would be trying to secure your property etc, obviously that wouldn't work. But this does make sense. You're doing exactly the right thing

G_M

I suggest that as your son is the legitimate tenant, and it is his name on the forged documents, that he should go to/contact the council himself (with or without you too).

jamie11

G_M wrote: »

I suggest that as your son is the legitimate tenant, and it is his name on the forged documents, that he should go to/contact the council himself (with or without you too).

Good idea, except I'm on the Costas spending my ill gotten gains, and he works from early am. to late pm. He has reported it to the police and gotten a crime number though so there should not be a problem following it up.