“Se Laura fosse stata la moglie di Petrarca, pensate che lui le avrebbe dedicato sonetti tutta la vita?” (George Byron)

Ovunque sia stato girato il video di questa canzone – a giudicare dagli edifici, direi Bank e dintorni, ma… un po’ troppe colonne! – a me il riascoltarla ricordera’ sempre Aldgate e una Fenchurch Street intasata nel primo pomeriggio. E il conseguente peregrinare senza meta per le viuzze tutte uguali della City, ovviamente. Il TomTom non avrebbe mai potuto prendere il segnale, in mezzo a quei grattacieli. Percio’… avanti ad intuito. Fino a ritrovarsi di colpo di fianco alla cattedrale di St Paul e chiedersi “ma come c***o ci sono finita qui?” e rendersi conto che da Aldgate sarebbe bastato andare sempre diritto per arrivarci lo stesso, ma camminando meno della meta’ dei chilometri!

“I bei libri si distinguono perché sono più veri di quanto sarebbero se fossero storie vere.” (Ernest Hemingway)

A detailed description, an accurate location on the map, a mobile contact: that GumTree advertisement had everything needed to be trusted. Everything but house’s pictures. Not so uncommon, according to certain users’s inability with the service.
A small but cozy house. Furnished, just 2 miles far from the city centre, 100 pounds a week, bills included. Likeable, being the Merseyside.
You decide to contact the landlord. You ask for more infos about the tenancy and some pictures, too. Answer is well-timed. Images are attached below. You look at them: they’re fakes. Nothing but unfocused thumbnails, probably stolen from a luxury residence’s website.
You read the message, while bowels are shaked by anger: here you are, facing again the umpteenth fraud after Salome Bally’s. Doesn’t matter if now you’re searching for a house in Liverpool and not in London: you’re in front of the very same issue.
The message is pretty long and rather incomprehensible. Five no-fullstops lines and a dreadful language: to get a headache.
The man points out with a certain emphasis that he wants to be sure you’ll be able to pay your rent. You know, he says, I live in Ireland and arranging a viewing will cost me time and money.
You slightly smile, that kind of smile you set up when you’re looking at something incredibly stupid. At least, if nothing else, you have succeeded to catch him redhanded at the very first email, thanks also to your tested experience as regards scams.
Can you take care of my flat as it is?
Sure I can, Donald. I’ll keep it exaclty the way it is, trust me!
You assure him once again that you’ll be able to earn your living and ask him to arrange a viewing of the flat. Let’s see what he’ll answer, then!

.
Two hours after the first, piteous email from that presumpted Donald W, here you are another message in your inbox. It is the answer from another landlord you had contacted through GumTree.

2.7 miles from the city centre, with all amenities and facilities. Furnished, separate bedroom, bathroom and livingroom/kitchen. 360£ per month”

Bills excluded, you guess. Of course. Exactly the prices you had seen in estate agencies’ websites.
The answer the landlord sends you is just a text email that begins with a nice “Thanks for the interest you have in my flat!”. Your brain politely knocks at your attention’s door: be careful, this sentence should remember you of something, shouldn’t it?
You simply ignore it. It has to be kinda of common sentence that landlords use when writing to tennants. Then you go on reading. Opposite to what you had understood, the description tells you that all the bills are included in the price. Your sixth sense’s bell joins the polite knocking of your brain in waking up your attention: 87 pounds a week including bills and Council Tax? Rather impossible, even in Liverpool!
You go on reading. The woman, Marie, says goodbye begging your pardon for some questions she’d like to ask you. First of all: can you take care of her flat as it is?
With a laugh halfaway between disbelief and anger, you press R and write out your reply.
Two frauds out of two selected advertisements. Definitely an excellent score.

.
During the following hours Donald W, the landlord of the other flat, becomes your most devoted correspondent. In your inbox there are more emails from him than from your closest friends. A zealous landlord who cares to look after his tenancy’s fate, without any doubt!
You answer to his and Marie’s emails at the same time, until you get absolutely confused about who’s cheating you with what. Marie, like Donald as well, wants to be sure you’ll be capable to pay your monthly rent. Marie, like Donald as well, has had some previous bad experiences with tennants who didn’t pay the rent anymore but stayed there living off her.
So, Marie too wants to be totally positive about you respecting her flat. To assure her that, you’ll just have to pay a small deposit in advance before viewing the house. In her instance, 848 pounds.
848 pounds? A so good deal that you have to hurry up and pay!

.
The problem with trying to fraud a person with no time to waste is that that person could have unpredictable reactions. If that person is basically a fighter and admittedly against frauds… cheaters are simply fucked. Moreover, if they add to that the person’s previous experiences with people like them, they can easily understand the anger felt against that kind of presumed fraudsters and what could happen then: the person could even decide to become vengeful.
In the very minute Donald and Marie asked, using almost the same words, my personal datas and Western Union’s deposit’s reference numbers, I made a decision: I had to get even with them using their very same mean.
The cheated cheater. That would be the end of the pitiful trick they were trying to set up from Nigeria. Because, again, emails’ headers referred to a Nigerian IP address. Lagos, to be exact. Or, at least, Donald’s Yahoo came from that country. “Marie”, from GMail, had been smarter and succeeded to disguise her IP address.
To set up what I was thinking about I had to ask once again for Rania R’s help, my dear, old Spanish friend who had dealt also with Salome Bally.
It was sufficient to paste Donald’s last message – I choosed him just because his request for a Western Union transfer was even more persisting than Marie’s – into Rania’s email account, changing all headers and details, to start off my trick in return of his. Predictably, he didn’t even notice the change: he probably was dealing with so many users that he didn’t even remember their names.
Rania reassured him that she would pay the deposit the morning after. Donald was so excited that he was totally beside himself: when would she do the transaction? At what time? Would she remember to scan the receipt and send it to him straight away, wouldn’t she?
The stronger he pumped, the higher got my rage: how many people did he succeed to cheat so far? How did he do it, looking at his arrogance, at his pressure on people and at the scaring quality of his communications? But he should have succeeded a few times, if that fraud had been going on for years all over the UK.
That’s why I’m writing this article. I want people – even the dopest person – to be aware of what they’re going through when they accept to deal with those kind of ads. Supposing that they’ll ever search for information before paying 800 pounds to a perfect stranger.

.
The morning after Rania R had two incoming emails from Donald W waiting for her. Did she do the money transfer? He was still waiting!
Honestly, my sense of right and wrong that day had to deal with my job research. I was out of Manchester and Rania couldn’t answer but in the late evening. It took me just 15 minutes time to trasform, thanks to Gimp, a sample of a Western Union receipt found on Internet into a blank WU receipt. Then, it took me only one further minute to print it and to fill it out with Rania’s totally invented datas (I do apologise for missing a H in “six hundreds”!):

I apologised for the delay and confirmed him the payment of the deposit. I asked him to finally fix a date for a viewing. While attaching the scanned copy of my fake WU receipt, I could almost see before my eyes the scene it would develop at the bottom of the world just few minutes after: a blissful man jumping on his chair on a crowded Internet Point. To be immortalized in a picture.
The following emails were a succession of thrust and counter-thrust between Donald and Rania. Send me your datas again, re-write the money transfer code, check carefully the receiver’s name, what kind of transaction did you do, Rania? Pressing and pushing. The smell of his sweat while fearing to lose the deserved 600 pounds spread out of any single, non-sense word.
I was fed up with him and his pathetic attempts to access to Western Union’s reference number’s check page. I was fed up with his arrogant communication. So I decided to make short work of it. I simply told him that I would check the receipt the day after. Right, Rania, but at what time are you supposed to give me news?
He had definitely gone over the limit of my patience. I suddenly felt a strong wish to write him something appropriate, something so posh to make the British Establishment to be envious, but I didn’t.

.
At 10:11 of the following morning Donald sent to Rania an empty message. He could at least write something like, for example, “Ping!”, just to check if she was there, but I’m seriously doubtful that I would answer “Pong!” as expected*. I simply ignored the message.
Half an hour after sending his talkative message, Donald received Rania’s answer. Yes, he was right, the transaction hadn’t been succesful, but she wouldn’t try to do it again. She would search for another house, maybe easier to get than his.
The last email I sent him clearly shows my endurance reset to zero. If only I had a mobile to call, I would do it just to express by spoken words all I thought about the entire thing. According to his perfect, Oxbridge English, I’m sure he would understand each single word.
Donald’s answer arrived together with a profusion of capital letters: he was, perhaps, even more pissed than me.
After telling me that I was a dishonest person (!), he closed thanking me for making him lose his time (!!!).
And what about Marie? Well, she’s still waiting for my 848 pounds deposit.
Be patient and wait, Marie: that’ll be the day!

______________________________

From: Juana Romandini
Subject: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
To: Donald W
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 9:48 AM

Hello,

I’m moving to Liverpool from Manchester because of my job. Non-smoker, clean, tidy and serious tennant. I’ll be in Liverpool today at lunchtime. Is it possible to take a look at the house? Is it possible to see some pictures?
How much will be the deposit?

Thank you so much indeed for any further information!

Juana

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10:29 AM
From: Donald W
To: Juana Romandini

Thanks for the interest you have in my flat. My flat is Affirmatively available for short and long term rent and it’s fully furnished in and out , it is situated at Old Hall Street,L3 9EL Liverpool City Centre and some picture are attached to this mail. i can make a reservation for you for the said date. Here are the necessary things you need to know about the rent and deposit.

Rent : £ 100.00 pw All Bills Inclusive,
Utility bills inclusive ( water, gas, council tax, TV license and wireless Internet) Utility Cost : £ 0.00 pcm.
Minimum Stay : 2 weeks Security Deposit: £ 400.00 (Returnable at the end of a week stay in my flat)
Utility bills inclusive ( water, gas, council tax, TV license and wireless Internet) Utility Cost : £ 0.00 pcm.
Further more Can you take care of my flat as it is?
Where are you coming from you when do you want to move in ? cos it is still available for today and you can move in ASAP.
I would like to make this known to you that if you are serious and willing to view the flat i must be sure if you are FINANCIALLY CAPABLE to rent the flat!!!.
This issue of financier capability has been the serious and effective part of my rental activity because i have had bitter experience in the past about tenants that will come for viewing and and they end up not having funds to rent the flat i main not financially and morally capable to rent my flat and apparently making me waste my time and losing all other capable tenant cos i reside and work in the Ireland so i will have to buy my ticket and book a flight to come down and show tenants around the flat, so this has not been encouraging that is why me and my (Solicitor) lawyer reach a compromise of the protocol for all those willing to make a viewing of the flat so which is how all landlords does to be sure about any tenant seriousness and mostly their financier capability.
So reply me if you are interested in going through the protocol for me to know if you are financially capable and serious for me to security retain the flat for you.
Awaiting your responds ASAP so that i could let you know the protocol.

God Bless.

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10:42 AM
From: Juana Romandini
To: Donald W

Thank you for the pics and the full description, Donald!
I can assure you I’m perfectly capable to pay my monthly rent. I’m moving there for my job and can easily provide all the documents you need to be sure I’ll give you the money at the agreed date.
I am 27, Italian, non-smoker. I have no pets, no relatives in GB, no DSS. I need a flat not too far from the City Centre – but I can also consider flats within 3 miles! – possibly bills included or having a lower rent if not.
Will you give me a receipt in case I should take the flat and give you the deposit? Will there be a regular contract? Which kind of guarantee will I get to be sure I’ll have my deposit back once left the house?
Sorry for all those questions, I just want to be sure that everything will be ok as you want, too.

Regards,
Juana Romandini

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 12:40 AM
From: Donald W
To: Juana Romandini

Thanks for your interest my flat.
All document and gratee will be in the tenacy agreement we will make before you get into the flat so it will be writing and confirmed that your deposit will be refunded.
Viewing is possible asap if you can meet up with my solicitors requirements….
My solicitor and i had some past bitter experience of
booking viewing
and reserving accommodation for tenants without any form of
confirmation of their financial ability and
not keeping up to time as at when scheduled has made me loss time and money
for traveling as I work and Live in Ireland.
I will not collect any deposit from you until i take you round my flat and
you are satisfied with it, i just need to confirm your financial ability
before i can book my ticket here and i will also need to
seek two days off from work before i can come and take you round and
hand over the keys to you asap…
Also some tenants do not meet up with the appointments which has led to the
dismissal of some landlords in office by their employees, I hope you
understand this.
Therefore my Solicitor has acknowledge a protocol by which you can
confirm your financial ability to me before I schedule a viewing and also
book a ticket here to come down there to take you round the flat.

In this case, a bank-statement wont be accepted as we have had wayward
tenants tendering fake documents, also you don’t need to pay any upfront or
reservation yet, all we require is,
You will need to transfer two weeks rent and security deposit to your
friend,partner, family member or your self as the receiver within the UK
premises…You can make the transfer within your family and scan the receipt to me so that i can forward it to my solicitor to confirm it.

I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO SEND THE MONEY TO ME BECAUSE I WILL NOT COLLECT ANY
DEPOSIT UNTIL YOU HAVE VIEWED AND YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH MY FLAT..
Scan the receipt and send it to me so that i can forward it to my solicitor
to confirm that you can afford the flat and that you are really
interested AND NOTE THAT THE TRANSFER CHARGES WILL BE REFUNDED BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU COME FOR THE VIEWING OF THE FLAT SO MONEY IS NOT MY PROBLEM……..My solicitor will also show up on the view day with all required
documents because he is a very busy man and has a lot of properties
that he is looking
after, he wants to confirm the transfer before coming.
I will contact you as soon as the transfer has been confirmed to go and
pick the money up or cancel the transaction….
I will refund all charges procured in the transfer as soon as i arrive on
the view or move in day……
I just want to confirm that you are capable of renting my flat and that you
are really serious about it before buying my ticket and asking for two days
off at work….
Transfer should be made via western union only!
I hope you can understand me?
Kindly make the transfer as soon as you can so as to book my ticket and
seek off from work asap..
Tell # : 07024062585.
Regards

Donald W.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10:30 PM
From: Juana Romandini
To: Donald W

Hello Donald,

Thank you for your really too long email.
It’s amazing to see how you managed to find an agreement for the property, so that you won’t lose your working days and I won’t lose my time! And I won’t either lose my money, since I have just to do a small transfer and that’s all!
I’m going to do the transaction tomorrow morning. Please, can you tell me how much the deposit should be, exactly?

Thank you very much, cheers!

Juana

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10:53 PM
From: Donald W
To: Juana Romandini

Thanks for the mail. the funds are 2weeks rent 200 pounds plus 400 pound security deposit make 600 pounds altogether.

So i will be waiting to hear back form you firs thing tomorrow morning with the scan copy of the receipt so that i can verify and we can make necessary arrangement for viewing.

Thanks.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 7:10 AM
From: Donald W
To: Juana Romandini

Good morning,
i will be waiting to hear back from you first thing this morning with the can copy of the receipt so that it can quickly be verified and we arrange for viewing ASAP.

Thanks and hope to read back from you soon.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 7:36 AM
From: Juana Romandini (signed as “Rania”, but he didn’t even notice!)
To: Donald W

Hi Donald!

Don’t worry, I’ll send you the receipt later this evening!
Hear you soon!

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:57 AM
From: Donald W
To: Juana Romandini

Okay..i will be waiting to hear from you.

Thanks for your effort.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 4:46 PM
From: Donald W
To: Juana Romandini

Hi, i am still waiting to hear back from you.
Thanks.

—————–

…So, let’s go on with Rania R!

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:22 PM
From: Rania R
To: Dondald W

Hello Donald,

how are you doing?
I paid the deposit this afternoon. Can you please come as soon as possible so that I can view the house?
I will be free from tomorrow on.
I’ll be waiting to hear from you!
Thanks,

Rania

(attached, the fake Western Union receipt)

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:36 PM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

Thanks for the mail, Please the picture you send to me is not clear, also is the transfer made via western union and can you better write out the details for me so that is can be easy to verify so as to make arrangement.
get back to me now.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:44 PM
From: Rania R
To: Dondald W

Hi Donald,
which details aren’t clear, exactly?

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:46 PM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

The Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) and the receiver’s name and not clear, so please write them out and send it to me to aid quick verification.

Thanks

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:52 PM
From: Rania R
To: Dondald W

9447212000
Mr Alvaro R

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:55 PM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

Good. i will forward it to my lawyer now and get back to you as soon as it done so that we can make arrangement for viewing tomorrow.

Thanks for your effort.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:58 PM
From: Rania R
To: Dondald W

Brilliant, thank you!
Hear you tomorrow!

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:00 PM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

My lawyer just contact me that the money i not available..please can i
know what is going on cos we have to confirm that the funds are valid
before you pick it up so as to be sure that you sent it.

Get back to me now!

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:05 PM
From: Rania R
To: Dondald W

I’m sorry, I don’t know. What I can do is to ask directly who helped me with the transaction, so that I can report it back to you. Now it’s too late, I’ll have to do it by tomorrow.

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:08 PM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

has it been pickedup or what? And what time should i expect the feedback from you so that we can make the arrangement for viewing?

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:08 PM
are you sure the MTCN you sent to me was a correct one?

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:21 PM
From: Rania R
To: Dondald W

I have just scanned the copy. I will check it tomorrow and let you know by 10.

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:23 PM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

i will be waiting for you by ten to know if it available for verification.,

Thanks.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Friday, November 20, 2009, 10:11 AM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

(e-mail empty)

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Friday, November 20, 2009, 10:52 AM
From: Rania R
To: Donald W

Hello Donald,

I’ve just come back home.
So the transaction wasn’t succesful, it seems. I’m sorry, I can’t repeat it again. I have no time. I will search for another solution, I’ve already found another house.
Thank you for your time, have a nice day.

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Friday, November 20, 2009, 10:57 AM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

That is absolutely unfair,i already booked my ticket for the viewing today since you said you are free today but is not good that i have already wasted my time on this and lose some other interested candidate on my flat which is what i told you earlier before we went ahead.

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Friday, November 20, 2009, 11:01 AM
From: Rania R
To: Donald W

I had never, EVER told you that I would be free today. Instead, YOU told me that you had to receive the payment before getting to Liverpool. Should I think that it was all a bullshit?
I cannot match the infos you gave and are giving me, I’m sorry.

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Friday, November 20, 2009, 11:07 AM
From: Donald W
To: Rania R

NOW I SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT A STRIAGHT FORWARD PERSON..THIS IS WHAT YOU ATTACH TO THE MAIL YOU SEND TO ME ALONG WITH THE SCAN COPY OF THE RECEIPT

Hello Donald,
how are you doing?
I paid the deposit this afternoon. Can you please come as soon as
possible so that I can view the house?
I will be free from tomorrow on.
I’ll be waiting to hear from you!

Thanks,

SO TELL ME HOW I AM MISTAKING AND HOW YOU DIDN’T TELL ME YOU ARE AVAILABLE FOR TODAY..ALSO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY BILL SHIT IN ALL MY EXPLANATION COS I DIDN’T TELL YOU TO SEND ANY MONEY TO ME I TOLD YOU TO SEND IT TO SOMEONE YOU CAN ENTRUST YOUR MONEY WITH.
FINANCIALLY WHAT INFO DID I GIVE YOU AND YOU CAN MATCH.

NOW I CAN SEE THAT YOU FAKE THE RECEIPT OF WESTERN UNION WHICH WAS SENT TO ME YESTERDAY AND ALSO YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.

THANKS FOR WASTING MY TIME AND EFFORT.
MY GOD FORGIVE YOU.

_________________________________________________

…But, meantime, there was another attempt of fraud going on:

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 1:25 PM
From: Marie D
To: Juana Romandini

Hello Juana,
Thanks for the interest you have in my flat. My flat is still
available for rent and here are the necessary things you need to know
about the rent and deposit.

Rent : £ 87.00 pw
Security Deposit: £ 500.00 (Returnable at the end of a week stay in my flat)
Utility bills inclusive ( water, gas, council tax, TV license and
wireless Internet)
Utility Cost : £ 0.00 pcm

However, at this stage that you want to rent my flat, i need to ask
few questions from you. Can you take care of my flat as it is? How
many months do you intend to rent and pay for? Do you have references
in Liverpool?

Kindly reply for further information and i would like to know where
you are coming from to stay in my flat.

I look forward to reading from you.

Kind Regards

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 7:25 PM
From: Juana Romandini
To: Marie D

Hello Marie,

Thank you very much for your fast reply!
I live in Manchester at the moment and, having been living and working there, all my references come from that city. Hoping it’ll be enough! I can easily provide also my present landlord’s references, if needed.
I’m planning to stay in Liverpool at least one year. It means that I won’t left the flat from one day to another!
I’m clean, tidy and respectful. You’ll get your house back exactly the way you’ll give it to me.
Please, feel free to ask whatever you want. Just let me know when you’ll be available to take a look at the flat and we could arrange a viewing!

Have a good evening, take care!

Juana

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 7:04 AM
From: Marie D
To: Juana Romandini

Hello Juana,
Thank you for your reply and i would be more than willing to have you
in my flat and you can stay in my flat as long as you want to stay.It
is unfortunate that my past bitter experience of inviting people to
come and view or reserve my flat without any form of confirmation of
their financial ability and not keeping up to time as at when
scheduled, has brought about great loss to me. I have traveled all the
way from Ireland to take some interested candidates round my flat
because that’s where i work with M. Gould (Scunthorpe) Ltd.

Some outside tenants do not have the money to pay the rent and yet
they disturb the landlord to arrange a viewing with their friend or
relative who are in Liverpool, also some do not meet up with the
appointments which has led to the dismissal of some landlords in
office by their employer.

However, you will need to make a deposit but before that, my lawyer
will need some information from you to draft a contract which you will
print and bring along with you on your arrival date to my flat.

Your full name:
Present address:
Confirmed move in date:
Mobile number:

Kindly get back to me with these information so that i can tell you
how to proceed with the deposit.

I would be looking forward to reading from you as soon as possible.

Kind Regards.

—————–

Ok, let’s involve Rania R again!

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 7:31 AM
From: Rania R
To: Marie D

Hello Marie,

Thank you for answering.
I provide you the datas you need straight away:

Your full name: Miss J Rania R
Present address: M3 4JH, New Elm Rd 54, Salford, Manchester (moving from there)
Confirmed move in date: 25th November 2009
Mobile number: 0752 4325466 (sperando che questo mobile sia davvero inesistente! – NdR)

Just tell me how much should I pay for the deposit and we’ll find a way.

Cheers!

Rania

—————–

Subject: Re: Reply to your ad: A BEAUTIFULL AND ASTONISHING ONE BEDROOM FLAT IN LIVERPOOL.ALL BILLS INCLUSIVE WITH RENT.
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 9:20 PM
From: Marie D
To: Rania R

Hello Riana,
Thanks for the reply and the information provided. As i stated in my
previous mail that i have been disappointed in so many ways by few
candidate in the past. More so, i would like you to know that i am a
God-fearing woman and i am not after your money,all what i wanted to
know is your financial capability to rent my flat.

However,i have forwarded your details to my Lawyer,as we await his
response, you will proceed with a deposit of at least 1 month rent
which is 348 GBP and a security deposit of 500 GBP which is
returnable after your few days stay in my flat.You will transfer the
deposit with any of your family member name as a sender and use your
name as the receiver in Liverpool in which when you arrive
Liverpool,you would locate the nearest western union agent and pick up
your money and you would pay your rent during viewing .

Once you have done that, you will get back to me with a scan copy of
the transfer receipt or write out the details on the receipt which are
SENDER NAME,RECEIVER NAME,MTCN NUMBER (10 DIGITS),COST OF TRANSFER. So
that i can forward it to my lawyer to confirm with Western union if
the transfer is valid.

Note that i would return the cost of the transfer when we meet.
Kindly let me know your opinion as soon as possible.

I look forward to reading from you soon.

Kind Regards

—————–

Getting no reply from Rania, the zealous Marie decided to send her another email, this time with just some pictures of the house:

Foto 1
Foto 2
Foto 3
Foto 4
Foto 5 (who the hell are them?!?)

_______________________________________

Marie is still waiting for an answer. Let’s keep her waiting. That’ll be the day.

Meanwhile, I paste below a link of a government website where they explain in detail the way rents and deposits work in UK:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/RentingAHome/DG_4001366

And a website where they try to help people in recognizing scams, giving a list of the details usually foundable in scammers’ communications:

http://rentalscams.org