Craigslist Rental Scams in Charlottesville

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Jim

Update 21 December 2011: A friend, Jay Thompson went through the process of applying for a craigslist rental scam … hilarity ensues.

Update 13 January 2011: Another example of someone being taken by craigslist scammers – this time in Chicago. (h/t Consumerist)

Update 18 May 2010: If you get scammed by one of these, I think you should contact the local police.

In short, if it sounds too good to be true … it probably is. Craigslist in Charlottesville has apparently recently been hammered with scammers stealing information from the Charlottesville MLS and repurposing pictures and information for the craigslist scam postings.

I’ve gotten more than a few emails and phone calls in the past several weeks asking about properties that seem to be for rent and are priced to rent really aggressively … (thank you for trusting me enough to ask) …

Hello! I am contacting you hopefully for some confirmation. Two days ago I saw the [...] property listed on Craigslist as a rental and contacted the individual who posted it. I received an email back from a man currently in South Africa who claims to be the homeowner (“Engineer/Pastor Blair”). He writes that he would be willing to rent this property but that he has the keys with him in South Africa where he will be for the next two years.

Basically, it’s a scam, and I’m grateful that so many people have been doing their due diligence and not been taken in by this. But I suspect that there are others who have. Be careful.

The FBI stated last year:

David A. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in South Carolina, advises homeowners and/or prospective renters in South Carolina to be cautious of a new scheme being perpetrated by Nigerians utilizing Craigslist.

Homeowners list their homes for sale with real estate agents, who will list the homes for sale in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and also with public search websites, which allow individuals to query homes for sale via the Internet. Nigerian scammers find homes listed for sale on these public search sites, copy the pictures and listings verbatim, and then post the information onto Craigslist under available housing rentals, without the consent or knowledge of Craigslist, who has been notified.

After the posting is listed, unsuspecting individuals contact the poster, who is Nigerian, for more information on the “rental.” The Nigerian scammer will state that they had to leave the country very quickly to do missionary or contract work in Africa and were unable to rent their house before leaving, therefore they have to take care of this remotely. The “homeowner” sends the prospective renter an application and tells them to send them first and last month’s rent to the Nigerian scammer via Western Union. The prospective renter is further told If they “qualify,” they will send them the keys for their house. Once the money is wired to the scammer, they show up at the house, see the home is actually for sale, are unable to access the property, and their money is gone.

If you have questions about it, search the MLS to ensure that the house is in fact listed and then contact the listing agent to verify that they are in fact trying to rent the house …

Update 18 May 2010:

I just talked to someone in Charlottesville who was scammed by one of these crooks.

This is one of the emails she received; I removed the address. It’s a very clever email. Those darned Realtors … always inflating prices.

Greetings! Thanks for your email.. The house is still available. I decided to rent the house because we are going to spend more time here in West Africa, about 5 years.. Let me start by introducing myself. I must confess that I am very new in this landlord business.. However, My name is Joshua Lebestine , I and my wife own the house located at (Address removed,) Charlottesville VA 22902, Due to my job as a civil engineer, I works for a German company called Julius Berger Constructing,CO, and now i have been transfer to West Africa to work in a branch in West Africa.I spent less time in the States so I could not get a hold on any Realtor to handle this rent issue, although it was when I knew how long we are going to stay in Africa that I decided to rent out the house. However, the initial plan was to sale out the House. which I tried, but sometimes the agents inflates the prize and it takes longer to sell.The house include the utilities,because of this reason and more we need a responsible person that can take very good care of it as we are not after the money , but want it to be clean and for you to take it as if it were yours. The rent is: $800 Security Deposit: $700 For this 4BR/2BA. RENT APPLICATION FORM PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF Full Name__________________________________________________ Home Phone ( ) ________________________ Date of Birth_________________________________ Other Phone ( ) ___________________ Current Address_______________________________Apt#________ City__________________ State______ Zip________ Reasons for Leaving____________________________Rent $__________Phone ( ) ____________________________ Are you married____________________________ How many people will be living in the house____________________________ How many people will be living in the house____________________________ Do you have a pet____________________________ Do you have a car____________________________ Occupation____________________________ Move In Date____________________________ ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. TAKE NOTE: YOU CAN ONLY DRIVE BY AND SEE MY HOUSE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RENTING GET THE APPLICATION FORM FILLED OUT AND SEND IT BACK TO ME. Joshua Lebestine.

And this is an email she received from another scammer. On this one, she sent them money; by the second time, she’d caught on.

God bless you for your interest about my house, I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her own.Presently my wife and I  work for USAID.USAID works in agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment, education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all.

USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance.
Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help.Here is USAID Web address:http://www.usaid.gov/

USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive  death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend.. If you really impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay cause we have decided not to sell our property anymore with the property management.

This is the address of the house:
(Address removed)
Charlottesville, VA 22903

So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of $700/month and $500 for security deposit with hydro, heat laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!

I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when? Await your reply.

Contact Number:+2348191427288

Thanks.
David Hill

This entry was posted in Charlottesville and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • http://c21charlottesville.net Ray Caddell

    Jim:
    This has been going on for months. We do a lot of property management here, and they bad guys are always stealing our info…both from the MLS and Craigslist itself. Craigslist has been no help, I did get the Hook to write a story about it, but basically folks need to do 2 things: 1. Deal in person with a LOCAL firm for all real estate needs, and 2. Remember, if it’s too good to be true…

    We’ve had folks actually show up at our office for keys ready to move in after they sent their deposit and first month’s rent to Africa…

    Ray

    • http://realcentralva.com Jim

      Thanks, Ray. It’s old-hat to us and I just want folks to know about this and be careful. If we can prevent at least one more horror story …

  • http://www.dougfrancis.com Doug Francis

    When I started to hear about this scam last year from friends in San Diego, I knew that it would simply sweep the country finding new markets to hustle.

    Then I must have had a dozen e-mails just like you offering to rent for two years etc. It is good to see they are sticking to the same script!

    • Asstoot

      just got the same deal in brooklyn… if i can say one thing, he is consistent, eh?

  • http://CraigsListListing Demetria Walker

    Thanks Jim this has been maybe a little help to others but a whole lot to me and my family. I didn’t know this had been going on for so long. I am aware now thanks to you.

  • Sabrina

    I replied to one of these emails off of craigslist. The address was 1548 Stoney Creek Dr. Pastor Blair was the name they used. My fiance was not sold on this. It was a good thing. Thanks for the info.

  • J. Wagner

    Just wanted to let you know your Mr. Jim Berger is targeting anything on Craig’s List..I listed an item & got him and another guy wanting to send money no questions asked…his grammar was what got me suspicious..I googled his name & came up with all sorts of scams, your included…I am in N. Fla!!! Beware!!!

  • Robert

    I received the identical email, word for word, after contacting the address connected with a Craigslist home for rent. The photos of the property, the identity of the owners, and even the information regarding the location was all legit. But, the application was like none I’ve ever seen. I replied in paragraph form, answering most of the questions. When I realized I had left out a couple of “answers”, I hit reply again, and sent. (I had not given any kind of account information or made any commitment to a payment). When I got a reply, it didn’t mention ANYTHING about “my life” that I had discussed- you know, like, trying to get to know your prospective landlord/tenant might do?- and simply said that she would “discuss with her husband to see if they were going to rent to me”. That’s when I caught on and started to search rental scams, USAid and Craigslist scams, etc. All the warning signs that are given should be enough to stop you from going any further. BUT- when you see WORD FOR WORD the exact same pitch- you know you were almost had. Please use this example as a dialogue to friends- especially ones desperate for a place to live.

  • J. Wagner

    They have no shame…I am going to list my item again on Craig’s list & expect that I will hear from again!!! Glad you did not get taken.

  • Chuck Johnston

    When we moved here from the Raleigh area, we sold a number of items on CraigsList.
    For one antique item we were asking $500. Someone offered to buy it, sight unseen, and would pay shipping, etc.. For some reason, they would be sending us a money order for well above the asking price (around $300, I think), but we would have to send them $200 back. They would send a courier to pick up the item.
    Yeah, we were going to do THAT!
    Bottom line, be careful with any transaction via the Internet!

  • Karen Grenadier

    Hi, Jim…
    I am forwarding an email I received from “Lola Spencer” about a house he was renting
    on Scottsville Road. One of the giveaways with many of these scams is the awkward use of
    English, and the almost universal use of West Africa (Nigeria) as the point of origin.
    I have been looking for a rental for a while, and several of the “rentals” were actually
    homes for sale that were listed with a realtor. One of the ways people can protect
    themselves from these scams is common sense-if it sounds too good to be true,
    it probably is. A local company was listing a house in Charlottesville for rent for $1200-
    and someone calling himself “Jason Brackman” listed the same house for rent for $500 a
    month. Check the MLS to see if the house is actually for sale, and not for rent.
    Talk to a realtor. And for pete’s sake-don’t send money to ANYONE in exchange for keys to a place, if those keys are in Africa! It’s easy enough to check ownership of property on the
    city assessors’ web site, or any county web site where records are available. There are plenty of honest people out there, but, like they say, “trust, but verify!”

  • j

    Yep, same thing in the Los Angeles area. A crazy large house for a very low price. Craigslist is catching on though – it was only on for about 12 hours before Craigslist pulled it, but I still caught it and sent an email to the people. Once I received my response, which matched word for word with the 2nd example given above, I started to check around for usaid scams and found this post. The emailer was Ailee Wilson. Nice article – thanks for the heads-up.

  • Vince

    ” 3215 Fontaine Dr,Pearland, TX 77584 ” They are running there scam in the Houston area under ” David A Blake and Deborah Blake ” Thanks for the posting it helped me.

  • Barbara

    Same Christian (supposedly) From South Africa

    Hello ,
    Thanks for the interest you have shown.I will Ship the following document to you,to the address you sent to us and the tracking number will be sent to you so that you can possibly occupy our house, Please once again, we are giving you this base on trust and do not disappoint us and I promise you that, you will love the house… So i am with the below document here with me. you will need to make the first month rent of $1200 and the Security Deposit of $500 will be used for the shipping of the keys and the Documents to the address you have provided to us earlier.The total of $1700 the payment will be made Via Western Union money transfer or Money Gram.You can do that in any Grocery Store or Walt malt
    Here are the contents of the document.`
    1) Entrance and the rooms Keys
    2)The house documentary file.
    3)Payment Receipt
    Below is the information you will use in sending the money,the money should be sent Via Western Union Money Transfer Or Money Gram.You can do that at any groccery store close to you.
    HERE IS THE PAYMENT INFORMATION
    RECEIVER’S NAME:Richard Udeh,
    RECEIVER’S ADDRESS:60 Layi Oyekanmi Street,
    City:Ilasamaja,
    State:Enugu
    Country:Nigeria
    Zip code:23401
    Get back to me with the following details as soon as the payment is made,so that I can proceed in sending the package to you.
    SENDER’S NAME:
    SENDER’S ADDRESS”
    AMOUNT SENT:
    MTCN#:
    TEST QUESTION?Our Help Comes
    ANSWER:From the Lord
    I will be waiting to hear from you with the Payment details.
    Remain Blessed

    Richard Udeh

  • Geek

    The following the the latest incarnation of the scam. I did not fall for it, am sending a warning here and will report this email to Craigslist since it matches the fraudelent one above.

    Hello,

    God bless you for your interest about my house,yes is still available
    for rent. I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or
    family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her
    own.Presently I and my wife have work for USAID.USAID works in
    agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment,
    education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in
    more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID
    still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries,
    HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social
    cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development
    goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today
    are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance.
    Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or
    about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host
    of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and
    violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we
    seek to help.Here is USAID Web address:-www.usaid.gov.
    USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased
    trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS
    and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive
    death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex
    gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or
    more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are
    interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready
    to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really
    impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed
    to stay as long as you wish okay.
    This is the address of the Place : (non-existant address removed), Hoboken, NJ

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps
    experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price
    of US$1000/month and $600 for security deposit with hydro, heat,
    laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!
    I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you
    an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for
    rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when?
    Await your reply.

    Regards,

    Bryan Clark
    +2347029113238

  • Opalskymom

    I too just recieved the same basic email not 12 hours ago, but this time they are using the missionary excuse. Something didn’t sit right with me and so I researched it on my own and found that it was a scam I contacted the realator that had the home and also will be contacting the actual home owners to let them know that their house is being used to scam people. Luckily the person was to stupid to even post the fedex information and thats what tipped me off that something wasn’t right. This jerk not only used scriptures from the bible, but went as far as to tell me that his wife had a miscarriage and needed his attention so he wanted to rush the process. Obviously he picked the wrong person because I started questioning right away..and haven’t recieved an email back since. I think he got the picture. And you know the first thing I noticed was the difference in font when he sent me the email. It was all typed using 14 and my name was in 12 size like it was added in later, which it was. Thats when the red flag went up.

  • Liki

    I just received one…

    Hello,

    God bless you for your interest about my house,yes is still available for rent. I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her own.Presently I and my wife have work for USAID.USAID works in agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment, education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all.
    USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help.Here is USAID Web address:-www.usaid.gov
    USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay.
    This is the address of the Place: 9709 Woodhaven Blvdm, Ozone Park, NY 11416

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of US$1200/month and $600 for security deposit with hydro, heat laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!

    I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when?
    Await your reply.

    Regards,

    Jabez Kong
    +2347029113238

  • Blarrdian

    Yup saw a place I thought was a gift from god, just killed a little faith with this scam…

    Hello,

    God bless you for your interest about my Beautiful Single Family House For Rent, 2 Bedroom, 1. Baths and 1,480 Square Feet. I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her own.Presently I and my wife have work for U SAID.U SAID works in agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment, education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all.

    USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help.Here is U SAID Web address:- http://www.usaid.gov

    USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay.

    This is the address of the Single family house is: ______ Seattle, WA. Sunny open floor plan, new kitchen with counter eating space, & dining area. Two good sized bdrms & nice tiled bath. Clean, dry full basement w/laundry room & area ready for your expansion. Great fenced yard and Long drive for off street parking. Updates: New roof, new windows, copper plumbing, updated electrical, interior paint, refinished hrdwds & more! Convenient, quiet location near schools, parks, shops & bus-line.

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. The rent is US$800/month and $600for security deposit with Air Conditioning, Outside Smoking OK. Utilities Included in the rent. The house also comes with Washer & Dryer. PETS ARE WELCOME!

    I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get my house for rent, also are you ready to rent now?
    Await your reply.

    Thanks.

    Notice they didn’t offer a viewing, just an application…

    This one was in Seattle though

  • Jchoinchio

     Dammit too good to be true, just got this, when i couldnt make the phone call connect I googled it, and found this website, thank you for the info  this is from brooklyn ny

    Hello,
     
    God bless you for your interest about my house,yes is still available for rent. I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her own.Presently I and  my wife have work for USAID.USAID works in agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment, education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help.Here is USAID Web address:- www.usaid.gov.  USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay. This is the address of the Place :  201 Leonard St, Brooklyn, NYSo get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of US$1200/month and $600 for security deposit with hydro, heat, laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when?Await your reply. Regards,Russo Francis+2347029113238

    • Vinny-cent

      Yes i just got this same e-mail!! i was so excited because it was such a good offer ! thank god i searched it and found this .. i was about to get scammed ! smh. people these days.

  • Anonymous
  • Obxparadise

    My letter came from a Tony Bryant in Nigeria…..I knew it was a scam….I feel bad for the people living in their homes and having to deal with this.  I cannot believe that ANYONE would fall for this.   It’s sad.

  • Soniaencis

    hello i just got this
    Hello,
     
    God bless you for your interest about my house,yes is still available for rent. I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her own.Presently I and  my wife have work for USAID.USAID works in agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment, education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help.Here is USAID Web address:-www.usaid.gov. 
    USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay. This is the address of the Place : 32 Sammis Lane, White plains, NY 10605

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of US$1330/month and $600 for security deposit with hydro, heat, laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when?Await your reply.
    Regards,Dafna Gorfinkle+2347029113238

  • karel

    hello  yeah today i got the same letter as Soniaencis 

    God bless you for your interest about my house,yes is still available for rent. I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her own.Presently I and my wife have work for USAID.USAID works in agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment, education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help.Here is USAID Web address:-www.usaid.gov. USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay. This is the address of the Place : 32 Sammis Lane, White plains, NY 10605So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of US$1330/month and $600 for security deposit with hydro, heat, laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when?Await your reply.Regards,Dafna Gorfinkle+2347029113238

  • nick

    i got the same one… Any ideas on how I should get some legitimate info from these people? i guess even if I did craig’s list wouldn’t do anything about it.

    • http://realcentralva.com Jim

      There isn’t legitimate information from the scammers.

  • Darlene

    I got this too and i live in westchester and he got me for 70.00 and try to get more money from me…I didn’t relalize it was a scam unitl after i looked this up and saw everybody here got the same letter but some info was changed..

  • Saphera The Dragon

    Just got an email like this today in Puyallup, WA. These people need to get a clue that people are not going to fall into their scam.

    • http://www.realcentralva.com Jim Duncan

      Sadly, people do fall for this scam. Frequently. 

  • John

    Same thing here is brooklyn. I just got the same message. Total scam. 

  • Mikelaux

    Who is God’s name would wire thousands of dollars to an absentee “landlord” in Nigeria for a house sight unseen?!

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZCI7YHEGFPB5JBHE7DJSGKM5MY Dick

      I’d amend that to who “would send money anywhere?”, even across town without meeting the landlord?

  • guest

    Hello.

    Thanks for your response. GOD bless you for your interest about my House, Yes is still available for rent.. I am renting this House to a capable and also responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of GOD and treat my House as his or her own… Presently I and my wife have work for USAID. USAID works in agriculture,democracy & governance,economic growth, the environment, education, health,global partnerships,and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength,blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty.. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help. Here is USAID Web address:-http://www.usaid.gov/ ; USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons… To safe the life of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 5 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out our House,so if you are interested and will take good care of our House then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking proper good care of our House, then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay.

    House Address: 2329 Weatherford Lane, Naperville, IL

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our House or perhaps experience you have in renting Home. Hope you are okay with the price of $900 per month/$700 for the security deposit fee? With hydro, Heat Laundry Facilities, Air Condition, Water, Electricity, Fireplace, Internet Access and so on..

    PETS, CATS, AND DOGS, ARE WELCOME!!!

    I look forward to hearing from you ASAP, so i can forward you an Application Form to fill and discuss on how to get the house for rent. Also are you ready to rent it now or when? Await your reply.

    Thanks.

    Rev. Micheal Gideon +234-808-043-9299 011-234-808-043-9299

    • Guest

      I just had a brief interaction with Edward K. Wiredu who used the exact same email and phone number on me!!!!!!    What a bunch of A–holes…..    To some people this rental could have been a god-send, I know it would have for me!!!!!!!!   UGH!!!!!!!

      • Guest

        Correction I had an email interaction with someone posing to be  Edward K. Wiredu, exact same email as the guest above…….

  • guest

    Thanks for your response and interest in our house.

    The house is very much available and it is a large 3bedrooms and 2 bathroom house. Which was formally occupied by me and my family before we left for Nigeria for a pastoral duty with the US-AID, we left for a volunteer mission together with other missionaries for a development program with the aim of developing the people of west Africa physically and spiritually as God as directed us. We wanted to sale the house initially but we later changed our mind after we discovered that we wouldn’t be spending more then 4 years here in Africa.

    Presently my lovely husband and i are on the missionary field with US-AID. US-AID as u know works in agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment,education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all..

    US-AID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance.. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty.. There are a host of other threats -ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help. Here is US-AID Web address:http://www.usaid.gov

    US-AID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 5 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend.. If you really impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish.

    This is the Address of the Single family house: 1141 S Lombard Ave, Oak Park, IL

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of US$800/month and $700 for security deposit with hydro, heat laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!

    I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house ,also are you ready to rent it now or when?Await your reply.

    Best Regards

    Please Call me on: 0112347038342016 OR +2347038342016

    Note: the Rent is $800 and security deposit is $700

    Total Move In Cost:$1,500

    Thanks and God bless you

    Patricia A White

  • Zanzibar

    The guy even calls himself a Reverend! Absolutely horrible.

    Here’s the response I got in San Diego:Hello. Thanks for your response. GOD bless you for your interest about my House, Yes is still available for rent.. I am renting this House to a capable and also responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of GOD and treat my House as his or her own… Presently I and  my wife have work for USAID. USAID works in agriculture,democracy & governance,economic growth, the environment, education, health,global partnerships,and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength,blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty.. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help. Here is USAID Web address:-http://www.usaid.gov/ ; USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons… To safe the life of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 5 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out our House,so if you are interested and will take good care of our House then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking proper good care of our House, then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay. House Address: 1011 Skylark Drive, La Jolla, CASo get back to me on how you could take care of our House or perhaps experience you have in renting Home. Hope you are okay with the price of $1200 per month/$700 for the security deposit fee? With hydro, Heat Laundry Facilities, Air Condition, Water, Electricity, Fireplace, Internet Access and so on.. PETS, CATS, AND DOGS, ARE WELCOME!!! I look forward to hearing from you ASAP, so i can forward you an Application Form to fill and discuss on how to get the house for rent. Also are you ready to rent it now or when? Await your reply. Thanks. Rev. Nicholas L Alford+234-808-043-9299011-234-808-043-9299 

    • bann

      i recieved this same one in san diego less than a week ago under then name Rev. Bronwyn M Wilson
      +234-808-043-9299
      011-234-808-043-9299. its such a shame that they are scamming people..

  • Fran

    Hello.

    Thanks for your response. GOD bless you for your interest about my House, Yes is still available for rent.. I am renting this House to a capable and also responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of GOD and treat my House as his or her own… Presently I and my wife have work for USAID. USAID works in agriculture,democracy & governance,economic growth, the environment, education, health,global partnerships,and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength,blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty.. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help. Here is USAID Web address:-http://www.usaid.gov/ ; USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons… To safe the life of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 5 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out our House,so if you are interested and will take good care of our House then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking proper good care of our House, then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay.

    House Address: 1807 W 9th St, Pomona, CA 91766

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our House or perhaps experience you have in renting Home. Hope you are okay with the price of $1000 per month/$700 for the security deposit fee? With hydro, Heat Laundry Facilities, Air Condition, Water, Electricity, Fireplace, Internet Access and so on..

    PETS, CATS, AND DOGS, ARE WELCOME!!!

    I look forward to hearing from you ASAP, so i can forward you an Application Form to fill and discuss on how to get the house for rent. Also are you ready to rent it now or when? Await your reply.

    Thanks.

    Rev. Ted A Cudal
    +234-808-043-9299
    011-234-808-043-9299

    This are the same person that want to rent me a house, but I found this page and now I know was a scamer, I hope nobody is scam by this person.

  • Rhonvetzel4u

    Below is a response from Harry Lewis when I inquired about a house

    If it sounds to good to be true it usually is

    Thanks for your email.. The house is still available. I decided to rent the house because we are going to spend more time here in Abuja, about 4 years.. Let me start by introducing myself. I must confess that I am very new in this landlord business. However, My name is Harry Lewis. I and my wife own the house located at (109 …….. Drive, Madison AL 35756).Due to my job as a civil engineer, I works for a German company called JULIUS BERGER CONSTRUCTION CO, and now i have been transfer to West Africa to work in a branch in West Africa.I spent less time in the States so I could not get a hold on any Realtor to handle this rent issue, although it was when I knew how long we are going to stay in Africa that I decided to rent out the house. However,the initial plan was to sale out the House. which I tried, but sometimes the agents inflates the prize and it takes longer to sell.The house include the utilities like Heat, A/C in wall/window, Hydro, cable, Garbage Disposal, Fireplace , Fridge, stove, Dishwasher, Dryer, Breakfast Bar, Dining Table and Sofa Set,Refrigerator,Canopied deck overlooking nature.,internet access e.t.c. because of this reason and more we need a responsible person that can take very good care of it as we are not after the money , but want it to be clean and for you to take it as if it were yours. I hope you will promise me to take very good care of my home, also i will be come once in 4 months for visit to see how you are taking care of the home, and if any thing need to be repair in the home, i can fix it back!
    Information about the house below:
    The rent is: $1200 Security Deposit: $800
    This 4 bedroom home
    Parking type: Garage – Attached
    Pet are also Welcome.

    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 HOME:_______________________?
    PHONE WORK:________________________?
    PRESENT ADDRESS:________ ?
    HOW LONG:________?
    MARRIED:__________ ?
    CHILDREN:_________ ?
    HOW MANY:________ ?
    AGES:__________________?
    PETS:_________ ?
    NAME OF PET
    KIND OF PETS:__________________ ?
    HOW MANY?_______?
    HABITS
    DO YOU SMOKE______________ ?
    DO YOU DRINK______________?
    DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT?____?
    MOVE IN DATE____________________________?
    HOW SOON CAN YOU HAVE THE RENT AND DEPOSIT PAYMENT SEND TO ME___________________________?
    HOW SOON DO YOU WANT TO RECEIVE THE KEYS AND DOCUMENT OF THE HOUSE___________________________?

    …………………………………………………
    Comment
    …………………………………………………
    TAKE NOTE: YOU CAN ONLY DRIVE BY AND SEE MY PLACE FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT IF YOU DRIVE BY THE HOME YOU MAY SEE A SIGN THERE, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT IT BELONGS TO OUR PREVIOUS AGENT SO YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO CALL THEM BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THE HOME ANYMORE! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RENTING GET THE TENANCY RENT APPLICATION FORM FILLED OUT AND SEND IT BACK TO ME. ALSO YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT +2348165123066
    Regards,
    Harry Lewis.

    TODAY(Beta) • Powered by Yahoo!
    Superfan builds working ‘Akira’ motorcycle
    The iconic red bike from the classic anime film took more than seven years to build.
    Privacy Policy

  • http://www.facebook.com/nicole.sillitta Nicci Valdez

    just got a call from him just now i knew it was too good to be true 

    Hello,

    God bless you for your interest about my house,yes is still available

    for rent. I am renting this house to a responsible and neat person or

    family who has the fear of God and treat my house as his or her

    own.Presently I and  my wife have work for USAID.USAID works in

    agriculture, democracy & governance, economic growth, the environment,

    education, health, global partnerships, and humanitarian assistance in

    more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID

    still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries,

    HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social

    cohesiveness and economic strength, blocking the very development

    goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today

    are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance.

    Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or

    about one billion people, live in absolute poverty. There are a host

    of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and

    violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we

    seek to help.Here is USAID Web address:-www.usaid.gov.

    USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased

    trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS

    and trafficking in persons.To safe the live of peoples from primitive

    death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex

    gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 8 years or

    more and this is why we are actually renting out house,so if you are

    interested and will take good care of our house then we will be ready

    to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really

    impress me by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed

    to stay as long as you wish okay.

    This is the address of the Place : 28 Broadway, Dover NH 03820

    So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps

    experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price

    of US$1100/month and $700 for security deposit with hydro, heat,

    laundry facilities, air condition and so on. PETS ARE WELCOME!

    I am looking forward to hear from you ASAP so that i can forward you

    an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for

    rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when?

    Await your reply

    Timothy Gordon

    +2347029113238

  • Zombiiemommy

    We’ve been looking for a house to week on CL for two weeks now. EVERYTHING I’ve been interested turns out to be a scam. I never responded back to the emails, I knew right away that it was a scam. Hello. Thanks for your response. GOD bless you for your interest about my House, Yes is still available for rent.. I am renting this House to a capable and also responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of GOD and treat my House as his or her own… Presently I and  my wife have work for USAID. USAID works in agriculture,democracy & governance,economic growth, the environment, education, health,global partnerships,and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all. USAID still faces an uncertain future. In many developing countries, HIV/AIDS and health issues are having a dramatic impact on social cohesiveness and economic strength,blocking the very development goals we seek. Virtually all the new democracies in the world today are fragile; others are democracies more in name than substance. Nearly a quarter of the people living in developing countries, or about one billion people, live in absolute poverty.. There are a host of other threats – ranging from terrorism to infectious disease and violent conflict – that challenge us and the developing nations we seek to help. Here is USAID Web address:-http://www.usaid.gov/ ; USAID efforts to foster world-wide economic growth and increased trade,and tackling cross-border issues such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons… To safe the life of peoples from primitive death that claims the souls of younger ages as a result of casual sex gave us transfer to West Africa and we will be away for 5 years or more and this is why we are actually renting out our House,so if you are interested and will take good care of our House then we will be ready to accept you as our future tenant and family friend. If you really impress me by taking proper good care of our House, then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay. House Address:  Bolingbrook, ILSo get back to me on how you could take care of our House or perhaps experience you have in renting Home. Hope you are okay with the price of $1000 per month/$700 for the security deposit fee? With hydro, Heat Laundry Facilities, Air Condition, Water, Electricity, Fireplace, Internet Access and so on.. PETS, CATS, AND DOGS, ARE WELCOME!!! I look forward to hearing from you ASAP, so i can forward you an Application Form to fill and discuss on how to get the house for rent. Also are you ready to rent it now or when? Await your reply. Thanks. Rev. Alva & Glenna B Hess+234-808-043-9299011-234-808-043-9299

  • Guest

    Another Scammer;

    Hello, we are pleased that you have an interest in our house, our lovely home is still available for lease and we want responsible adults/family that are neat and also believe that they have what it takes to take care of our house as if it were theirs. My wife and I initially had it up for sale but had a change of mind in leasing it out ourselves because the agent that was in charge of our rental property was asking too much of an agent fee and also making it difficult for people who cannot afford the rent, stay away from renting my house. The reason why our house is up for lease is because I got transferred from my place of work to CANTON OH I will be away with my family for at least 4 to 5 years because of the love I have for them, I have decided not to sell our house and also assuring them that we only have few years to spend here and will be willing to lease it out to person/family who is willing to assure us of taking absolute care of our home and pay their rent on time. I will start by telling you more in regard me and my family. I have a daughter named Leslie (20yrs) who attends University of Ohio as a medical student, she has a lot going for her and she is also down to earth in all that she does to keep us happy and when she is back home on vacation, she also assist her mom in the house work when am at work. I work as a Robotic Programmer & Welder/Fitter here in CANTON OH and got married to a lovely wife who is a member of Joyce Meyer Ministries. We will be very pleased if we can find the right tenant to rent our home, a person who is a clean freak and does not tolerate anything that has to do with dirt… we also would like to know more about you and your family, your renting experience and how long and when you plan moving into our home. These 2 bedrooms and 2 baths home are very specious and neat. 1,142 sq-ft Below is the rental property address: , Naperville IL 60564 Pets allowed: YesRent:800Deposit: 800 The rental fee is inclusive with utilities. Sincerely,Mr. & Mrs. Lainie F Caccavale

    • Ldh

      OMG..I just got that same email this morning for the exact same house. I sent a response back saying ” I was born at night..but not LAST night”

  • Janicemc27

    Atlanta Georgia Here! I received the same scam on CL for a house in Woodstock GA.

  • Cjsuter

    Did your dad ever tell you, ” if it too good to be true its not”.  My listing was hijacked and after reading the response once all sorts of red flags went up.  Wise up people.

  • Meridian_male

    The same type of scam is occurring in Meridian, MS Craigslist ads. But I did know enough to do a search to see if this was legit.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/XPX3RQGSW3QIPPE5LRHMAOFDWA SusanN

    There is a craigslist posting up right now for a 3 bedroom in charlottesville for 700 dollars onMonte Vista Avenue that is a SCAM. I inquired about this house today, but then later noticed the MLS listing price was completely different, and actually much more what I would expect of such a nice house. If it looks too good to be true… Then, I got this msg, and was completely convinced this is a scam: 

    Thanks for your swift response regarding my property,the house is currently vacant and it is available for move in.
     
    The rent fee is $700 per month and the security deposit is $500,Utilities like washer, dryer, gas, electricity, Dishwasher, Electric Stove, Fridge are included in the rental fee and pets are allowed,i am a Construction engineer and i am currently out of the Country to Head a construction project in West Africa and my stay here will be for 5 years so i would love a Long term lease.
     
    I want you to drive by the property and view the exterior and i assure you that you will love it,as soon as you have done that get back to me ASAP so we can proceed further.