Beware of rental SCAMS

[AdamSink]

Hello! I almost got scammed just now. Luckily I didn't put down any money.
But other people may fall victim, and lose a lot of money for nothing!!!

DO NOT PAY ANY MONEY TO ANYONE UNTIL YOU HAVE MET THE LANDLORD AND BEEN INSIDE THE PROPERTY.
Read this official Hong Kong Police article: https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/04_...180222_01.html

What happened with me is, the supposed "landlord" is not in Hong Kong, and he has the only set of keys, so it would be impossible for me to go inside the property. I would have to pay him an advance (of several thousand HK dollars), and then he would MAIL me the KEYS. LOOK OUT FOR THESE TYPES OF MESSAGES. He will take your money and disappear!

This the email he sent to me initially:
"I got a contract job in an engineering company for a construction project as part of the structural engineers to build a high-rise building in Pretoria, South Africa. I am a Building tech specialist, so my accommodation period in South Africa will be about 4 years, so that's the reason why i am renting out the unit. I do not intend to make profit out of it all i want is to find a good and clean person to take good care of the place. I`m the owner of the unit and it is furnished but if you want you can make use of your furniture's and help keep mine in the storage locker which is situated both in the unit and in the building and these does not attracts any funds.The monthly rent am requesting for includes all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, 1 parking spots, air conditioning, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, stove, laundry in-suite, washer and dryer) the monthly rent you will be paying includes all this and they will be taken care of as soon as you pay your rent. Everything in this unit is functional and in good working conditions. Once you started staying in the unit and there is any case of any repairs which is as a result of normal faults like leakages, you will get in touch with me and i will get it fixed, i am in possession of the keys to the apartment which makes hard for you to view the unit. You can move into the unit when you receive the keys but the only problem is that am the only person who has the keys but i hope that we will be able to reach a compromise on this.TERMS AND CONDITION:
~The lease is month to month , 6 month or 1 yr and can be renewed ~It can be rented furnished or unfurnished ~ You will have to take good care of my unit ~Utilities are included in the rent ~Pets Allowed Any further questions please contact and get back to me for the pics and address of the unit. Thank you for your interest and i`m awaiting your response."

Look out for similar emails and messages when you're communicating with supposed "landlords"!!!

Take care, and don't fall for SCAMS.

But have a nice day ;-)
Adam

[Editor]

So many red flags in his email:

Storage Locker in the back
Dishwasher /Garbage disposal

[hullexile]

Would anyone pay money before actually seeing inside the property?

[chuckster007]

Yah so many scams out there and they are bound to get through and scam some unsuspecting/over trusting person.

NEVER DO DEALS WITH PEOPLE WHO YOU CANNOT PHYSICALLY BITCH SLAP IF THEY ARE NOT STANDING INFRONT OF YOU is my rule

When I was selling a car some IDIOT Scammer said they wanted my car but to ship it overseas blah blah, told them feck off.

[FrancisX]

These have been going on for years. Used to be all over HK Craigslist back in the day. Seem to recall they'd use photos of rooms with open fires. In HK!

[vmlinuz]

This exact post has been around since at least 2013 (with the landlord's overseas location changed):
https://scamwarners.com/forum/viewto...p?f=39&t=75633

[AdamSink]

I think for all first-time tenants (which I am), it can be much easier to get conned! And yes, I've seen posts and videos online where people paid the money! And now they're either hoping they'll get it back somehow, or they're on news shows, telling their tragic story!

These have been going on for years. Used to be all over HK Craigslist back in the day. Seem to recall they'd use photos of rooms with open fires. In HK!

LOL Open fires!!! Idiots! And parking? In HK? Noone would give free parking like that in HK, it be expensive AF.

Damn the scammer is trying to follow up with me now. Gotta shove him off somehow

[hullexile]

I think for all first-time tenants (which I am), it can be much easier to get conned! And yes, I've seen posts and videos online where people paid the money! And now they're either hoping they'll get it back somehow, or they're on news shows, telling their tragic story!



LOL Open fires!!! Idiots! And parking? In HK? Noone would give free parking like that in HK, it be expensive AF.

Damn the scammer is trying to follow up with me now. Gotta shove him off somehow

No keep him posting just for fun.

My wife had one and she got him to go to Western union to collect imaginary money three times!

[AdamSink]

No keep him posting just for fun.

My wife had one and she got him to go to Western union to collect imaginary money three times!

Haha, that be savage. I could tell him i want the place for $5/month

[bdw]

I do like to play around with scammers sometimes. Tell him you've sent the money, play dumb and act worried in a few days when he says he hasnt received yet. Just waste his time a bit and enjoy.

I had fake "Australian taxation office" calling me the other day with a recorded message threatening jail for unpaid taxes, press 1 to speak to a tax officer, I pressed 1, fake tax guy asked me my name and number, I said he had called the Australian Federal police phone scam investigation department, whats your name? He hang up on me pretty quickly