Scammers on Craigslist

[roxxstar]

I'm starting to get really annoyed with the scammers on Craigslist. It's ridiculous these days. I've been looking for a new place to move in to on 5/1 and have been emailing people regarding their rental properties. I would say 1/3 is a scammer.

Here's my latest example. It was a nice looking place close to the neighborhood that I live in now, but for $300 a month cheaper (that should have set warning bells off in my head to begin with).

So I send the following email to him regarding the property:

From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 9:21 AM
To: '[e-mail]'
Subject: $700 / 2br - Lovely 2BR/2.5BA Townhouse For Rent (West Des Moines)

Hello,

I’d like to take a look at your rental if you want to set up a time. Let me know what works best for you. My fiancé and I work 7:30-6:00 MTWF. So we can do anytime after 6 and anytime on Thursdays or the weekend. We are looking to move in to a new place on 5/1.

Kyle Earley

ADP National Account Services

[roxxstar]

Here's the reply I get:

From: Charles Goodall [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 3:27 AM
To: Earley, Kyle
Subject: Re: $700 / 2br - Lovely 2BR/2.5BA Townhouse For Rent (West Des Moines)

Attn Applicant,


Thanks for your email and interest in renting my house..am the owner of the house you are making enquiry of...Actually I resided in the house with my family, my wife and my only daugther before and presently we have moved out due to my transfer from my work now in Warsaw,Poland. Presently my house is still available for rent for $700 USD (rent already includes utilities).More so Now, i'm currently in Lagos,Nigeria for an international Christian follower's crusade.

Pls i want you to note that i spent a lot on my property that i want to give to you for rent,so i will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own, It is not the money that is the main problem but i want you to keep it tidy all the time so that i will be glad to see it neat when i come for a check up.I also want you to let me have trust in you as i always stand on my word.

LOVELY TOWNHOUSE IN A NICE AREA WITH COOL AND SWEET PLACE FOR YOUR FAMILY ONLY.2 Bedroom 2.5 bath Townhome in West Des Moines. Over 1350 Sq ft. All the appliances included as well as the washer and dryer located on the 2nd floor.

This is the address of the House(8601 Westown Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA, 50265 )....

SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW.

RENT APPLICATION FORM.

FIRST NAME:__________?
MIDDLE NAME:__________?
LAST NAME:__________?
PROFESSION:__________?
PHONE:
(CELL)PHONE__________?
(WORK)PHONE__________?
(HOME)PHONE__________?
KIDS _____ (YES/NO), HOW MANY ________
PRESENT ADDRESS: _____________________
CITY: _______________
STATE:______________
ZIP CODE: ____________
HOW LONG? ___________IF RENTING
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING__________?
IF THIS HOUSE IS BEING GIVEN TO YOU,
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING? ____________?
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN? ______________?
IF YOU HAVE A PET,
NAME OF PET: _____________?
KIND OF PETS: _____________?
HABITS
DO YOU SMOKE ______________ ?
DO YOU DRINK ______________?
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT? ____?


Looking forward to hearing from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file in case of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you...Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the keys to you,please we are giving you all this based on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words,you know that we have not seen yet and only putting everything into Gods hands,so please do not let us down in this our property and God bless you more as you do this...
The house is available for rent at the moment so you are free to move in as soon as you wish to...A Deposit of $800 (which happens to be the security deposit) is required before moving in...Feel free to call me for more information and arrangements on how to get the keys and other necessary documents delivered to you....my number is ([phone] OR 011-234-706-518-6023 ).The house will be available for rent for a period of 4 years so you have a choice of deciding how long you intend staying there...

God Bless,

[lpcalihawk]

Does a Nigerian Prince come with the house?

[roxxstar]

At this point, I was pretty sure it was a scammer. But I decided to play the game because of two reasons; 1) It was a nice place for a good price and 2) because he asked if I smoked or drank.

I would normally be extremely weary of renting from a bible thumper, but would definitely have considered it beings how the man claimed to live overseas. The fact that he asked me my personal habits led me to believe he was real and just a judgmental prick.

So anyway, I send out the following reply:

From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 7:43 AM
To: 'Charles Goodall'
Subject: RE: $700 / 2br - Lovely 2BR/2.5BA Townhouse For Rent (West Des Moines)

Hello Charles,

Here is the information you are requesting:

RENT APPLICATION FORM.

FIRST NAME: Kyle
MIDDLE NAME: Lee
LAST NAME: Earley
PROFESSION: Senior Client Service Representative
PHONE:
(CELL)PHONE [phone]
(WORK)PHONE [phone]
(HOME)PHONE N/A
KIDS: NO (YES/NO), HOW MANY N/A
PRESENT ADDRESS: 1065 68th St. Unit #6 West Des Moines, IA 50266
HOW LONG? 15 months IF RENTING
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING My fiancé and I currently live with a roommate who is moving out on their own, as are we.
IF THIS HOUSE IS BEING GIVEN TO YOU,
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING? At least 6 months, but most likely at least a year or more. It would depend on your lease requirements. We don’t have any intention of leaving West Des Moines, so it may be even longer if the arrangement works out well.
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN? Our lease expires on 4/30, so around 5/1 (maybe a week earlier or so)
IF YOU HAVE A PET,
NAME OF PET: Roxx, Ruca
KIND OF PETS: 2 Jack Russell Terriers (under 15 lbs). They are housebroken and crated when we are at work.
HABITS
DO YOU SMOKE No
DO YOU DRINK Yes
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT? No

[roxxstar]

Soon after I get this happy little email:

From: Charles Goodall [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 9:37 AM
To: Earley, Kyle
Subject: APPLICATION ACCEPTED.........

Attn Earley Kyle,

Greetings once again from Africa,it's been very hectic here,but interesting working in the Lord's vineyard.Good to read from you,am very comfortable with your profile,and have no doubt you would be of good morals and discipline,because am an intellectual and very mindful of the kind of individuals i associate with,let alone lease my house to.At this point,i would give your family consideration over other prospective tenants applying.However,for the fact that you are been considered the most eligible,does not guarantee your interest,because there are other prospective tenants,i would have to put onhold,pending your confirmation of seriousness.which is meeting with the financial aspect of the transaction(Deposit) to enable shipment of the Keys and document to the address you will have to provide to us, after which you could move in at your convenience. The rent starts counting when you move in, so you could go ahead with the payment straight away to make things faster. The payment should be made to me via western union so you are to go a western union outlet near you to make the payment.
Here are the contents of the document that needs to be sent.

1) Entrance and the rooms Keys
2) Paper/Permanent house form
3) The house documentary file.
4) Full Description of the house
5) Payment Receipt..

So please do get back to me today so that I will let know the next step to take concerning the payment.You can call us on how to make payment for the shipment of the Keys and Document to the house. Our house number is ([phone] OR 011-234-706-518-6023 ). and you could give us a call at your convenience. Or you can indicate if you want me to instruct you on how to make the payment.

Thanks and Remain Blessed
Regard.



Hooray! My application was accepted! I'm doing well in life. LOL

[roxxstar]

At this point its obvious it was a scam. So I sent the following reply:

From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:09 AM
To: 'Charles Goodall'
Subject: RE: APPLICATION ACCEPTED.........

I knew you were a scammer. Let me ask you a question, do people really fall for your shit? You expect me to Western Union you money for a deposit on a place I haven’t even seen? Are you fucking retarded?

Do me a favor and shove that God dribble up your ass and then go fuck yourself with a rusty hammer. Get a life man and stop trying to make a living off of ripping people off.

[roxxstar]

There really isn't a point to this thread. I'm just venting my frustrations. People are fucking dumb.

[roxxstar]

At the very least, the mother fuckers could spell check their shit once in a while. Oh yeah, and stop calling me Earley Kyle or just Earley.

[Solar Stud]

Mar 27, 2009 9:42:16 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

At this point its obvious it was a scam. So I sent the following reply:

From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:09 AM
To: 'Charles Goodall'
Subject: RE: APPLICATION ACCEPTED.........

I knew you were a scammer. Let me ask you a question, do people really fall for your shit? You expect me to Western Union you money for a deposit on a place I haven’t even seen? Are you fucking retarded?

Do me a favor and shove that God dribble up your ass and then go f**k yourself with a rusty hammer. Get a life man and stop trying to make a living off of ripping people off.

Well done!

[poncho72]

Mar 27, 2009 9:46:36 GMT -6 Solar Stud said:

Mar 27, 2009 9:42:16 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

At this point its obvious it was a scam. So I sent the following reply:

From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:09 AM
To: 'Charles Goodall'
Subject: RE: APPLICATION ACCEPTED.........

I knew you were a scammer. Let me ask you a question, do people really fall for your shit? You expect me to Western Union you money for a deposit on a place I haven’t even seen? Are you fucking retarded?

Do me a favor and shove that God dribble up your ass and then go f**k yourself with a rusty hammer. Get a life man and stop trying to make a living off of ripping people off.

Well done!

+1

[twinegarden]

Yeah, sounds like a complete sham to me.

Also, when looking for apartments on craigslist beware of any links to a free credit report. Usually these links come in response to a ridiculously low priced place that has full amenities and quite frankly, doesn't look like a typical rental in Des Moines, IA.

I've almost given up on using craigslist in the rental search because it is becoming spoiled by scam artists and apartment manages who post their same shitty locations every day (eg. 6312 Urbandale Ave).

Do any other Wastelanders have any suggestions on finding a good apartment/townhouse/house for rent without using something like Craigslist?

I was thinking of just driving around town or looking in the paper, but I think the paper is becoming an outdated medium for renting places.

[MoHawk]

Probably not, but I'm curious if he responded to your last email. I'll send something similar to that every once in a while when I'm in a bad mood and I get a spam email. Got a TON of them while I was unemployed...real winners there trying to scam money off a guy who doesn't have a job.

Fuckers.

[roxxstar]

Mar 27, 2009 9:50:35 GMT -6 @twinegarden said:

Yeah, sounds like a complete sham to me.

Also, when looking for apartments on craigslist beware of any links to a free credit report. Usually these links come in response to a ridiculously low priced place that has full amenities and quite frankly, doesn't look like a typical rental in Des Moines, IA.

I've almost given up on using craigslist in the rental search because it is becoming spoiled by scam artists and apartment manages who post their same shitty locations every day (eg. 6312 Urbandale Ave).

Do any other Wastelanders have any suggestions on finding a good apartment/townhouse/house for rent without using something like Craigslist?

I was thinking of just driving around town or looking in the paper, but I think the paper is becoming an outdated medium for renting places.

Yeah, I've been getting a lot of replies to go to a credit website and supply information. I always tell them to fuck themselves. The fact that a credit report wasn't mentioned in the ad above made be want to believe it was legit. Then comes the western union catch.

I'm still going to keep searching Craigslist because they do still have legit rentals on there. But I would certainly be open to other suggestions.

[twinegarden]

Mar 27, 2009 9:46:36 GMT -6 Solar Stud said:

Mar 27, 2009 9:42:16 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

At this point its obvious it was a scam. So I sent the following reply:

From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:09 AM
To: 'Charles Goodall'
Subject: RE: APPLICATION ACCEPTED.........

I knew you were a scammer. Let me ask you a question, do people really fall for your shit? You expect me to Western Union you money for a deposit on a place I haven’t even seen? Are you fucking retarded?

Do me a favor and shove that God dribble up your ass and then go f**k yourself with a rusty hammer. Get a life man and stop trying to make a living off of ripping people off.

Well done!

My favorite part was "go fuck yourself with a rust hammer". Exalting you for your originality.

[NotMyKid]

Mar 27, 2009 9:42:16 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

At this point its obvious it was a scam. So I sent the following reply:

From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:09 AM
To: 'Charles Goodall'
Subject: RE: APPLICATION ACCEPTED.........

I knew you were a scammer. Let me ask you a question, do people really fall for your shit? You expect me to Western Union you money for a deposit on a place I haven’t even seen? Are you fucking retarded?

Do me a favor and shove that God dribble up your ass and then go f**k yourself with a rusty hammer. Get a life man and stop trying to make a living off of ripping people off.

That's what kills me about these guys. Who the hell rents a place without looking at it? On another board that I go to a guy went on for about 20 emails back and forth with a guy and even sent an email from another account as the guys attorney. The scammer kept trying to come up with reasons why he couldn't see the property it was funny as hell.

[Saggitariutt Jefferspin (ith)]

Mar 27, 2009 9:42:58 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

There really isn't a point to this thread. I'm just venting my frustrations. People are fucking dumb.

Sure there is. Pure entertainment.

[NOTTHOR]

God damn it. Don't let him know that it's a scam so early. Say, okay, please send me the info for Western Union and tell him the money is on its way. String him along for a few days saying, "Western Union told me that you should have received the money by now..." "Oh sorry, the Western Union I went to is closed today, I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow..."

You could set it up like this:

"You said the place is available to rent for 4 years, can we negotiate a 4 year lease right now? If so, can I just go ahead and prepay the lease for the full 4 years? Would you consider a 3% per month discount on the rent if I were to prepay?"

Then you draft up a lease that basically says he has to pay you like $10,000 and that you are going to sue him if he doesn't pay you. Oh fuck man, put the fucking craigslist link up here, this guy deserves a Wasteland mindfuck this weekend...

[Iowafan1]

Mar 27, 2009 12:15:07 GMT -6 NOTTHOR said:

God damn it. Don't let him know that it's a scam so early. Say, okay, please send me the info for Western Union and tell him the money is on its way. String him along for a few days saying, "Western Union told me that you should have received the money by now..." "Oh sorry, the Western Union I went to is closed today, I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow..."

You could set it up like this:

"You said the place is available to rent for 4 years, can we negotiate a 4 year lease right now? If so, can I just go ahead and prepay the lease for the full 4 years? Would you consider a 3% per month discount on the rent if I were to prepay?"

Then you draft up a lease that basically says he has to pay you like $10,000 and that you are going to sue him if he doesn't pay you. Oh f**k man, put the fucking craigslist link up here, this guy deserves a Wasteland mindfuck this weekend...

[/color]

cosign

[roxxstar]

desmoines.craigslist.org/apa/1091083392.html

[roxxstar]

Looks like this guy took the pictures from Goodall's website and posted them on Craigslist for $450 less a month then the actual price.

[mattahawk]

Looks like they took it down. It has been flagged. At least that is what my computer says.

[Iowafan1]