Read Craigslist scam warning page where they warn about this exact scam
ANY time you cannot see the inside of the apartment before sending money or filling out an application it's a scam
If someone was working overseas, they would have a real estate agent, property manager or family member showing the property. They would not send keys to a stranger
Common Scam.
After you see a few, you will pick it out in seconds.
For this one, the blatant clues are mentions of Nigeria, the landlord being out of town, the keys being out of town, excessive mentions of God, excessive comments about wanting to make sure you are a nice person, complaints about other people being thieves, any request for money up front (this scammer is going for $300 a victim), contradictory information (first she says hubby will be able to show you the unit, then says they'll have to mail you the keys--plus nonsense about no one else being available to show it to you), ridiculously low rent, all utilities included....
100% Scam.
It is just a scammer trying to get you to part with your money.
CL:
Dear Applicant,
The apartment is still available for rent and as furnished or unfurnished there is a storage room in the unit where you can keep our furniture, my husband and i are the owner of the apartment located at (2XXXX Proctor View Ct Utica, NY).
Let me tell you little about us. My husband currently got a permanent Job in West Africa (Coca-Cola company in Nigeria) I was working as a Medical Doctor here in the state but i finally lost my Job on the month of Jan 18th 2010 due to the accident I had during the envy snow, the accident which almost destroyed most part of my body especially my legs, but I thank God today that I am still alive and i can at least walk again...but I can't talk very well cos the shock are still in my body according to my Doctor, the best way I can communicate is through writing but I believe with God all things are possible, I have the faith in him that I will be healed perfectly it is just a matter of time.
I just relocate to live with my husband cos my doctor say's i need his care, maybe he can help me get well soon.
Anyway, my husband his a very busy man that's why i told him that i will find a nice,honest and responsible person for this our lovely home It has been a hard time for us.
The apartment is $460 per month we are asking for 1 month rent and security deposit $300. it comes with all utilities Like + Gas, water and electric, dishwasher and microwave and Laundry. A parking space is available.
The kind of tenant we want is A responsible person, serious and trust worthy, who is willing to pay 1 month rent and a security deposit (your credit does not matter to us). Also someone that can take care of the kitchen, because i loves the kitchen very much...
I know you will like to see the unit that not a problem because my husband still need to Pick up some things from the Unit and some documentation in a few days. HE WISH TO USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE UNIT.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED KINDLY FILL OUT THIS GAP PLS IS VERY IMPORTANT AS A CANDIDATE FOR THIS APARTMENT.
Me: After i replyed telling her about myself and with what she needed...
CL: How are you doing?
We are very happy to hear back from you and how clear you have made it to us that you are going to take good care of the apt. My husband just inform me that his trip has been cancelled by the board of directors. which means he will have to stay back officially.However, you are our # 1 candidate, selected from almost 10 candidates by my husband. but when i told my husband about you he was very excited that we are going to have somebody like you as our first tenant.
The only option left for us is to move forward.
However,We would have asked you to go to the building manager to show you the Unit but the access he has is based on emergency only and its building policy for someone with out the authorization letter to show the unit.
The lease is a long term lease.To Inspect the unit you will have to go there with the keys and the authorization letter so my husband and I thought about shipping the keys & documents out to you so that you can have a look at the unit from inside.
I will like you to know how this is going to work. You will have to make a security deposit of $300 which is refundable once you move in .
Once you have the keys & documentation and you don't like the unit we will refund your deposit back. My husband will ship you the keys & documents via FED EX ( express package, which will take less than 2 day to get to you).Because he cannot just keep shipping the keys and documents back and forth , he have decided to ship the keys and documentation to you once you agree to pay the Deposit which is refundable.
Kindly email back with the reconfirmation of the address where keys and documentation will be shipped to.
As soon as your address is received I will go ahead and send you the payment information to have the security deposit sent .he will have the keys and document shipped to you immediately payment is confirmed. ...Why the arrangement is like this is because of the act that we had from a student who wanted to rent the unit and when my husband wanted to ship the keys, on getting to the FedEx office.. I called her number just to correct the address she gave , only for her to inform me that she had found other apartment and paid a day before...without notifying us. we felt bad because if I have not called her we would have sent our keys and relevant documentation out .
Because of this, we decided to receive security deposit from any serious tenant before shipping the keys & documentation out.If the keys and document will be shipped, it is left for you to email the address where it will be convenient for you to receive them.
Regards and God bless
Carol Jones.
