Can I trust in her?

CaptainProzac · Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 2

Hi,

I've recently posted an ad on gumtree looking for a room in a flat to share.
I received an answer from a certain Jane. She offered me a room in a flat near Victoria station at £350 per month.
She has also sent to me some pictures of the flat and a picture which shows her passport. Her complete name is Louise Jane Millar ( it's written on the passport).
Her mail address is whereismyflatmate@yahoo.ca .

I'm a new user so I ask to you: can I trust in her?
Does anybody of you have already heard this name?

Please help me!!!!

Thank you.

Bluey · Community Moderator Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Posts: 4637

Follow our top tips to stay safe when looking for accommodation.

Always view properties in person. Never wire money to a 'landlord'.

http://www.gumtree.com/help/stay_safe#item73

If the 'landlady' comes up with an excuse when you try to arrange to view the room, it is invariably a scam - the absent landlord scam is a very common one. Anyone can mock up a document or send pictures of any room whose images they can copy from other sites.

CaptainProzac · Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 2

First: thank you Bluey for answering so soon...

I explain my situation:

I don't live in London, so I cannot see the flat but I have some friends who live in London who can see the flat for me.
I was looking for a room just for the month of August in order to attend an english school.
If I have to book a room for August, is understandable if the landlord/lady ask me an amount of money just to book the room.

In my situation, is there any way to be sure at 100% to don't be cheated?
Does anybody have any suggestion for me?

An other question: Is it possible that a really nice flat near Victoria station costs just £350 per month?

Thank you very much!!!

Mallrats · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 11

You can find cheaper rooms in Belfast anyway.

Now, and in a few weeks student people who come from out of Belfast are begin to leave because of the summer. And I know people who are paying 100 hundred pounds a month for a room in Falls Rd (It's very cheap but real). Also people who are paying 150 all around Belfast and in the centre

There are a lot of empty rooms now in Belfast and there will be so much more in a few weeks. For example, in my house in winter time there had been living 7 people paying 180 pounds a month because we didn't know that we could find cheaper rooms, but now we know that there are several rooms empty (Houses as well) and this month there will be one person living in the house.

If you are from out of Belfast and come up here, at the first time the best way is stay in a youth hostel and take a look day by day in person to find a cheap room.

iveroa · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 3

NO!! YOU CAN'T TRUST HER!!! well the person who sent you that wasn't even her!!! I almost get scammed by that person, I got her passport too offering me a different stayment!! "she" wanted me to make a transfer through western union... which is almost aways a fraud. The room she offered me didn't exist! How I wish to let the real Louise Jane Millar know that someone is using her identity to commit fraud... she surely wanted a flat or room and sent her passport and now some shitty people are using it to commit fraud. another scammer!! don't trust.

iveroa · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 3

Sanne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 145

You'd be lucky to find a nice one bedroom flat near Victoria for under 300/week. It's definitely a scam.

machavelli · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Location: London

Smells like a scam. :lol: No Landlord needs to provide details of their passport to prospective tenants. When I advertise my flat for rent I am spoilt for choice of tenants. Book into a hostel short term, there are good ones around.

gums · Joined: 18 May 2008 Posts: 177

no you cant trust her and you deffo cant trust western union...

Cov · Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 678 Location: London

CaptainProzac ... you will learn, the one way or the other.

And no, you won't be smiling anymore.

lorent · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 1

its really horrible
this girl offered me a room in NEW YORK !!!!!!
i am sure now it was a trap , a big trap !!!
i am from paris and i am going to NY for 4 months in ten days.
the flat was very interesting .....
i paid by western union.....
and now i see she did the same with many people
i dont know what i can do
i paid for two months ans also the deposit, and she sent me a mail because her mother is sick , and she must go in london to see her mother and she wanted that i send her 800 dollard to help her!!!
its at this time that i feel the trap
its really horrible
what i can do???????

Sanne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 145

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do. These people don't live in the US< UK or other countries where you might be able to get the police involved. And since the person used a false ID in your friend's name to pick up the money, it would be very difficult to find out the scammers real name in the first place.

corsu · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

[quote="lorent"]its really horrible
this girl offered me a room in NEW YORK !!!!!!
i am sure now it was a trap , a big trap !!!
i am from paris and i am going to NY for 4 months in ten days.
the flat was very interesting .....
i paid by western union.....
and now i see she did the same with many people
i dont know what i can do
i paid for two months ans also the deposit, and she sent me a mail because her mother is sick , and she must go in london to see her mother and she wanted that i send her 800 dollard to help her!!!
its at this time that i feel the trap
its really horrible
what i can do???????[/quote]

Hello every body. First of all thank you because at this time I am doing buisness with her. I never trust her but it's a good confirmation !! 3 days ago she called me by phone and forget to hide her mobile number. Now I lose it but I am sure that I can have it again. If it's the case I keep in touch with you...