Scam?

[t walgamuth]

I have a house advertised for rent. I got this response to my Craigs list ad from "Dr. Ben Scott" No actually it was scott ben.

I come across your house for rent advertised on the internet and
> i am interested in renting it,please let me know if it is still available.I
> will be signing one year lease for this unit and will be staying with my
> wife and daughter,and will be willing to offer you 2 months rent plus the
> security deposit in order to secure this unit prior to our arrival.Could
> you be kind enough to let me know what the electricity/utility cost would
> be?as i will really need to have this unit to myself.You can send me the
> lease application,to enable be review it ahead of time.i would eventually
> have it signed physically when i arrive in person.
>
>
>
> Please do get back to me in time because i will really appreciate a quick
> response.

It smells like the lead in for a scam attempt to me. Several more communications then a check will arrive and I will be asked to forward some sum of money to him for some bogus deal.

What do you all think? Scam?

I gave a generic response and will await the next move. Anybody willing to bet this is a real deal?

[elchivito]

He'll send you a 20K dollar check for the two months rent and deposit. All you have to do is send him 5K of it back and keep the rest.

[Mike D]

Hmmm, a doctor with maybe 10th grade writing skills? Sure, sounds legit to me. Just to protect you, when he sends the check for $20K and asks for the remainder to be remitted to him, you send the amount to ME and I'll hold it for you until we are sure he is on the level.

You can trust me with the money as I have just received notification I am the recipient of 20 gadzillion dollars held in trust for me by the Croatian government and therefore have no need of such a paltry sum.

[dynalow]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I have a house advertised for rent. I got this response to my Craigs list ad from "Dr. Ben Scott" No actually it was scott ben.

I come across your house for rent advertised on the internet and
> i am interested in renting it,please let me know if it is still available.I
> will be signing one year lease for this unit and will be staying with my
> wife and daughter,and will be willing to offer you 2 months rent plus the
> security deposit in order to secure this unit prior to our arrival.Could
> you be kind enough to let me know what the electricity/utility cost would
> be?as i will really need to have this unit to myself.You can send me the
> lease application,to enable be review it ahead of time.i would eventually
> have it signed physically when i arrive in person.
>
>
>
> Please do get back to me in time because i will really appreciate a quick
> response.

It smells like the lead in for a scam attempt to me. Several more communications then a check will arrive and I will be asked to forward some sum of money to him for some bogus deal.

What do you all think? Scam?

I gave a generic response and will await the next move. Anybody willing to bet this is a real deal?

I'm a cynical easterner, but that looks fishy to me and written by a non-American, maybe a native Indian.
OTOH, you live in a university town. Is there a lot of foreign student coming and goings in Lafeyette? Reply & see what he says...so far it's no harm no foul.

[LandYaghtLover]

Looks fishy. If it was a doctor, he would know that electricity cost is habitual. NOTHING to do with the property really. 4 kids with TV on all day? High bill. Single person always at work? Lower bill. When I did property management only the most stupid ask this question.

[t walgamuth]

I'm thinking 99.9% likely to be bogus.

[Pavka007]

Now this really made me laugh.
The long story short.... I have some properties myself that I am renting out. I had a property on the market about 2 months ago and as you probably have guessed already, yes I got the very same e-mail for the property advertised

Just mark it spam and get on with your life

[t walgamuth]

I wondered if anybody might have gotten the same email.

Thanks!

[Jim B.]

".....a fool and his money soon go separate ways"...


~~~song lyrics, "Evil Woman" (Electric Light Orchestra, 1975)

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

".....a fool and his money soon go separate ways"...


~~~song lyrics, "Evil Woman" (Electric Light Orchestra, 1975)

A fool and his money are soon paryting...

[t walgamuth]

Today I got an inquiry from Malaysia. It has a return email address of zst0000@gmail.com.

Does that look like a potential virus source with an address like that?

[jaoneill]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I wondered if anybody might have gotten the same email.

Thanks!

I also received the same email a month or so back.....

Jim

[tbomachines]

Craigslist is one of the best ways to find places to rent and/or roommates. Of course if you don't do you're homework you're gonna get shafted like anything else...just vet the places or people and you'll be fine. Many if not most of my colleagues found their current places via Craigslist.

[t walgamuth]

Still hoping someone can advise about the email address and its potential danger.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by tbomachines

Craigslist is one of the best ways to find places to rent and/or roommates. Of course if you don't do you're homework you're gonna get shafted like anything else...just vet the places or people and you'll be fine. Many if not most of my colleagues found their current places via Craigslist.

of course.