*****BEWARE!!! GUMTREE PROPERTY SCAM*****

legs1987 · Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 1

BEWARE there are a number of people on gumtree advertising property for rent.
They will tell you they are working away or live in another country and need proof of finances before they come and show you the property, they will ask you to send a Money Gram to a relative or friend and get you to send them the reciept.
Even if you keep the reference number given to you by The Post Office when you transfer the money, the person who stole £800 from me still managed to get the money without ID or the reference number. This should NOT have been aloud by Money Gram or The Post Office but it was so BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!
Most of the postings are cheap flats in central london locations, too good to be true!!!!![/b]

the_tidy_kiwi · Gumtree Moderator Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 610

Please see the following thread in the Accommodation forum for more information about this scam: http://forums.gumtree.com/viewtopic.php?t=157751

jojamesbrown · Joined: 20 May 2009 Posts: 6

This made me laugh out loud at the name he\she used
Email address to watch out for is bewarrenatty@aol.com

Hello,

The flat is still available for rent.The rent is £520 per month (for the whole flat) including all bills and the council tax. I've moved to Berlin, Germany because I'm working in petrol research industry. You can rent the flat as long as you need to stay, even for 2 or 3 years. The first payment will be ensured for 2 months (£1040). If you still want it, let me know so we can arrange the transaction.

Thank you
Warren Beatty

penpact · Joined: 23 May 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Brighton, England

I am trying to find accommodation. They introduce themselves gently, and after a while the truth is revealed.. they are not in the country so cannot meet you. In order to draw up the tenancy agreement they need your name, address, date of birth etc... WHY??? Then they say they need proof you can pay so you have to buy a Western Union money order. They talk about doing it through their lawyer, but you have to email the info to the scammer. I said I would only deal with a registered lawyer. DO NOT send any info by email etc.. I have evidence of about 4 of these people, and wish to report them to the Police, but is it ever possible to catch them? I'd love to be involved in finding them. I cannot report each one to Gumtree because no doubt they change email addresses all the time, and I don't want to waste my time. This is not happening just in the UK, but everywhere...!

jojamesbrown · Joined: 20 May 2009 Posts: 6

Wow they seem to love me - here a few addresses to watch out for
intelsloane@yahoo.com
dave551966@hotmail.com
georgefindal@yahoo.com
bewarrenatty@aol.com
dastephenldry@aol.com

A good way to check where these people are in the world
Check out this link
http://www.ip2location.com/emailtracer.aspx

Folow the instructions by clicking on outlook, yahoo or hotmail etc

penpact · Joined: 23 May 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Brighton, England

I don't think that's proof of where they are located, as when they set an email up they don't have to give accurate/true information do they?

jojamesbrown · Joined: 20 May 2009 Posts: 6

Hi it gives you the country local ADSL provider and IP address

kyochiyan · Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 2

this guy is sayin he has gone to spain, his english was alright the first time, then later poses as someone with difficulty sayin send the money via western union then i'll come down with the key!

mrtnplmr50@gmail.com

this one from denmark:

stephen_alexander_w@yahoo.co.uk

please take care people!

kyochiyan · Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 2

montyzuma · Community Moderator Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 7536

muskaan · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

Hello,
thanks for the mail.....16, Hanover Square, W1S 1HT ,it is available as soon as you want it.you can stay as long as you want to stay,its 600GBP for the whole apartment,all bills are included in the cost of the apartment,the bond is 700GBP..Like i told you that im not in London at the moment and that i just secured a new job in a company here in Dundee , so for you to get the keys to the apartment posted to you via DHL you will have to make a reservation payment for the place via a money agent to me here in Dundee but before the payment you and i will have to sign a rental agreement form in which i will like you to supply me the following details for me to prepare the form and send to you.you can move in as soon as you want:
Your name ...............
Your address........
Your move in and out date......
Your passport id number.......
Your date of birth........

So i will be waiting to read from you as soon as possible

montyzuma · Community Moderator Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 7536

mUSKANN

A WEE EXPLANATION OF WHY YOU ARE POSTING THIS MIGHT HELP

are you asking iif its legit or are you showing a scam email?

It is of course a scam using western union

jonin60seconds · Gumtree Admin Joined: 18 Mar 2009 Posts: 1286

Yep, this one is scam!