Rental Scam? Please help.

Computer_Beginner

akaleon wrote: »

Hi,

Thank you all for your comments. I just waned to let you know what I have been doing.

I've spoken to Spareroom who have been rather unhelpful in the matter, but this was to be expected. I have also spoken to Action Fraud and have managed to get the other people affected to log all evidence they have within my CRN. Apparently the more people complain the better, however I've been reading online that unless your money is of substantial value there's not really much Action Fraud nor the police will do.

I have however been doing my own research on the scammer. I found two articles online about him, apparently back in 2009 he was arrested and subsequently jailed for stalking his girlfriend. The date of the article and age listed matches his age on the passport, as does his name and the photo used. He has a very peculiar name - so I know it's definitely him, plus I found his twitter account which was opened back in 2012 - again, it was the same name and the photos are definitely him because I have met the guy. Also, I spoke to someone on his twitter who told me that he hasn't spoken to him in a couple of years, but that he still lives in London. I have been around to the property every single day after work to see if someone will answer but up to this point no one has. The sites in which the property are listed do not have contact details and there are never any available dates meaning the property is no longer being advertised by the owner. I am speaking to Spareroom because they did a land registry check and I will get the details of the owner that way.

When I was applying for the property I screenshotted every single message between myself and him, both on Spareroom chat and Whatsapp. He also used actual photos of himself on Spareroom and for his Whatsapp photo. He has blocked me on Whatsapp but hasn't fully blocked me meaning if I wanted to I could call him - the reason I know this is because I withheld my number and rang him. He's still using the phone because it was ringing through.

I've supplied all of this information to the police - I've pretty much done their job for them. They just need to locate the guy.

I've also spoken to a few tabloids who are interested in the story because rental scams are on the climb. Some of which are willing to pay, albeit not the full £925 but at least that's something. I'm obviously going to wait until after the investigation is over (if it ever starts). I'll also be doing a Facebook post soon outlining the entire ordeal and putting pictures up, including his face. Hopefully that gets shared enough that someone from his family or friends spots it.

I've probably missed some things, but yeah I've been doing my best when I'm not working to find this person.

Interesting - so it sounds like the passport was genuine?
Would be interesting to know if the bank account was his or belonged to a mule.
Sounds like he may not be the most sophisticated of fraudsters, maybe he was was counting on nobody bothering to persue him?

Sounds like you've ben doing an excellent job and the police have been quite lazy.
Doesn't surprise me at all.
But since a crime has been commited, the police have a duty to act, whether they like it or not.
So don't stop hassling the police. I would write to the senior officer at that station and their crime commissioner etc, if they're still not doing much.

Do you know which bank you sent the money to?
You can get your own record of who owns the flat from the land registry - it's only about £3.

I would still write to the passport office, just because a passport has been used in a crime and it may be a fake. Someone will have countersigned that passport photo and it will probably have been delivered to an address. (I'm assuming it's a British passport?).

Every time you write to one organisation (eg the bank), copy in the others (eg passport office and police etc). Most of the organisations will have some duty to reply to your letters, so the admin burden you start to create may prompt them to act. They just want an easy life.

If the actual owner of the flat starts to seem a bit dodgy (like they may know more than they're letting on), then it may not harm to start mentioning the words ''undeclared rental income'', ''HMRC'' and ''home insurance'' to them...

Good luck. Be persistent and keep us updated.

Computer_Beginner

Just to add, it's actually much easier than you'd think to trace someone in the UK.
The DVLA, DWP, HMRC, council tax, electoral register etc may not talk to you, but they will co-operate with the police. So don't let them fob you off with any ''we can't find him'' nonsense.

Then there's the banks, utility companies, broadband providers etc. They all keep databases and have a clause in small print saying they will disclose your details to help prevent fraud. Even the NHS data share now - but it usually has to be quite serious for them to co-operate.

Computer_Beginner

Leon,

Just thinking ahead.
Assuming the police catch this guy. They'll hopefully prosecute and you should get some money.

But if you don't get the full amount (or more) back, you can use the criminal case to get your own CCJ in a small claims court against the guy.

Right now, he may have no money or assets etc.
But what happens in life, is that people often change. They meet someone, settles down, want a mortgage, a car, or a relative dies and they get an inheritence etc.

That's when you can get more money back. Hopefully with interest and charges etc.

Now, I'm no expert but I understand that once a CCJ is awarded, it effectively lasts until the defendent dies. (Or maybe until they go bankrupt?) I'm not sure - so check it out (for free) online. There's also Victim Support and CAB who may be more up to date.

Another potential advantage a CCJ has, is that it can stop him getting a car on PCP, etc.
So he'll need to buy his own car. Which will be registered with DVLA and will probably be valued at more than £1000. So in a few years, you can ask a debt recovery firm to pop around and clamp it, while he finds some cash...

akaleon

Hi,

Thanks - your responses have been more than helpful. Really appreciate the time and effort you put into your posts.

Just to let you know, the police have been in contact and I have provided them with an overview of the situation, including all evidence I have compiled on the suspect.

To answer one of your questions, he is with Monzo and coincidentally so am I. The transaction was within the same bank. I spoke to Monzo in August as soon as I knew I'd been scammed and they said they'd look into it (it needed to be escalated). Which, is fair enough. The only annoyance was that I must have messaged them about 8 times in the past three weeks to find out the status of the investigation to which they said it was still being looked into. Then yesterday they told me that there was an error and they had actually concluded their case the day I initially told them about it - which infuriated me because they kept telling me that it was still ongoing. I appreciate the suspect would have moved the money relatively quickly but for Monzo to string me on was frustrating. So now they've told me they're escalating my complaint that communication between them and me has been poor, whatever that means.

I'll update once I hear anything back from the police.

Thanks again,
Leon

Comms69

Computer_Beginner wrote: »

Leon,

Just thinking ahead.
Assuming the police catch this guy. They'll hopefully prosecute and you should get some money. - not necessarily.

But if you don't get the full amount (or more) back, you can use the criminal case to get your own CCJ in a small claims court against the guy. - Indeed, but only with an address.

Right now, he may have no money or assets etc.
But what happens in life, is that people often change. They meet someone, settles down, want a mortgage, a car, or a relative dies and they get an inheritence etc.

That's when you can get more money back. Hopefully with interest and charges etc.

Now, I'm no expert but I understand that once a CCJ is awarded, it effectively lasts until the defendent dies. - Not quite. You need permission to enforce it after 6 years. (Or maybe until they go bankrupt?) I'm not sure - so check it out (for free) online. There's also Victim Support and CAB who may be more up to date.

Another potential advantage a CCJ has, is that it can stop him getting a car on PCP, etc.
So he'll need to buy his own car. Which will be registered with DVLA and will probably be valued at more than £1000. - being the registered keeper does NOT prove ownership So in a few years, you can ask a debt recovery firm to pop around and clamp it, while he finds some cash...

Whilst you're broadly correct, it's much more difficult then a few phone calls.

akaleon

Comms96. You have literally added no value to this thread, whatsoever.

Why add comments like "Indeed, but not without an address.". Obviously.

I remember a couple of weeks ago when you thought I was being ridiculous and demanding.

Not so ridiculous now.

I know you can't help yourself and will come back with some derisory comment, but I want you to know I shan't be replying to it.

Comms69

akaleon wrote: »

Comms96. You have literally added no value to this thread, whatsoever. - Your opinion means absolutely nothing

Why add comments like "Indeed, but not without an address.". Obviously. - yes, but often that's not obvious to people

I remember a couple of weeks ago when you thought I was being ridiculous and demanding. - you were.

Not so ridiculous now. - indeed, but the facts f the situation changed

I know you can't help yourself and will come back with some derisory comment, but I want you to know I shan't be replying to it.

Excellent, since my post wasn't aimed at you in any way, shape or form....


Feel free to add me to your ignore list.

Jenniefour

OP - just to say thanks for the update, and all the best going forwards. I have been following your thread and, to me, it's amazing what scammers can get away with in situations like this. I would like to think that Spareroom (who I think are a good site and have lots of useful info) will also review all their recommendations and see what else they can suggest that would protect would be tenants/lodgers.

akaleon

So, over a year later and I'm back with an update! The police have finally caught him today.

I randomly messaged the officer yesterday to see if there was an update to the case and he responded this morning to say that he'd finally been caught somewhere in Kent, over a separate matter mind you!

At this point I'm not that bothered about the money, but I can't wait to watch him get sentenced.

Wooo! It's been a long time coming. :T

Comms69

akaleon wrote: »

So, over a year later and I'm back with an update! The police have finally caught him today.

I randomly messaged the officer yesterday to see if there was an update to the case and he responded this morning to say that he'd finally been caught somewhere in Kent, over a separate matter mind you!

At this point I'm not that bothered about the money, but I can't wait to watch him get sentenced.

Wooo! It's been a long time coming. :T

He hasn't been convicted of anything yet, he will be put on bail and out today; and gone tomorrow.