Someone on Park Slope Parents thinks she’s being scammed but wanted to check with PSP first. It’s a strange story. Is this a typical scam?
Has anyone on this list been a victim of an apt scam? We found a “too
good to be true” apt that is vacant, the owner is in London and needs
to rent it out asap, but she has the keys with her and will mail them
to us, etc.Since we have friends who have been scammed before, I am
extremely skeptical. And we cant afford the monetary lose. Is there
anyone willing to share their experience with me and any red flags I
should be looking for? I am refusing to hand over any money until I
have the keys but I wonder if somehow she has the keys to this apt but
isnt the real owner, is that possible?Thanks for any and all help!
I saw that same listing months ago on Craigslist. SHADY! That is true scamology.
It’s a scam, I wrote to the same woman about a place on the UWS. I googled the name on the email she sent me and found a posting on a message board for scam victims (http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=13&p=14778 3/4 of the way down the page) that had an identical email to the one I had received. I called the building’s management company and they said it was definitely a scam and it has been going on for a while. Be careful and flag those postings for removal!
one thing you might try is Propertyshark.com and see who’s name is listed as owner, and what tenant names might be listed….definitely send no money abroad without a face to face at least, or a checkable lease…
Since these scams tend to involve multiple hopeful tenants and one appealing apartment, the precinct where the apartment is located is much more likely to have information (if they choose to share it) than the readers of PSP or OTBKB.
I have dealt with this scammer already. It is a scam.