Beware rental scam

MissB1988

Hi.

Ive recently been the victim of a rental scam on gumtree. I put an ad on there saying i require a property that accepts housing benefit. Long story short i was contacted and discussions took place where they said they lived far away and would need a holding fee first before i viewed it as they have been let down with viewings in the past and wanted to make sure i had the money. Me being desperate for a this type of property and being in supported acommodation suffering with mental helath difficulties snapped at the chance. I didnt want the property to go so sent the fraudsters 500 quid onyl to learn it was all fake.

They sent tenancy agreements and other supporting documents. The photos were taken from a number of estate agents websites, my friend pointed this out and thats how i found out it was a scam.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Lessons learnt and i know i was incredibly niave!!! anybody that does something similar and gets approached by a samantha boakes from coventry beware. Theyve probably changed their name now. They used 688 sewall highway, coventry as the address. Ive already found one complaint online of a caller name of rosemarie grant linked to this address, so they must change their names not sure why they dont change the address though.

The police know and the bank tried to get the money back but its been withdrawn.

MissB1988

My friend right clicked on the photos theyd sent me and looked at the properties of the image and it showed the location of where each photo came from I realised too late.

mrsbee17

MissB, so sorry to hear that this has happened to you. Thanks for sharing your experience and I hope that no-one else falls into this trap. We are all known to do things we don't normally do when we're put in a desperate situation. Hope you find somewhere soon.

MrsB x

MissB1988

Thank you for your kind words MrsB x

G_M

I'm afraid this is not the first time.

Gumtree is a common place for property scams of various kinds.

Sending money to strangers is never advisable.

MissB1988

Hindsight is reat and a cooling off period is also great lol

thesaint

I advise people not to send money to strangers they have never met.
This does not just apply to Gumtree.

AnotherJoe

Gumtree & scam. No surprise.

Cakeguts

There are several signs that something is a scam.

1 The "landlord" does not live nearby or in the country. This is the first sign of a scam because landlords who don't live nearby use agents to look after their property.

2 You never send money to a "landlord" who you have not met in person.

3 If the property you have seen looks too cheap for what it is then this is a scam. Landlords do not let properties for less than they are worth.

4 If the property looks too good for a housing benefit property this is a scam.

5 If the property is in a very good area and is in very good condition and offered as a bargain. It is a scam.

6 If you are asked to send money to someone to secure the tenancy before you have viewed the property this is a scam.

7 If someone says that they are not in the country or nearby and you need to send money for the tenancy agreement/keys to the property. This is a scam.



Your local council should have a list of landlords willing to accept housing benefit tenants.

G_M

Just to add to Cakeguts list, there have been examples of tenants who are about to leave a property advertising it on gumtree, showing applicants around while posing as the landlord, taking a deposit/rent, and then leaving/vanishing.

They would pass all of Cakegut's critera above!

AnotherJoe

G_M wrote: »

Just to add to Cakeguts list, there have been examples of tenants who are about to leave a property advertising it on gumtree, showing applicants around while posing as the landlord, taking a deposit/rent, and then leaving/vanishing.

They would pass all of Cakegut's critera above!

I would add point 8. If its on Gumtree, its a scam.