SCAM ALERT for Property Owners - Common Scams to Be Aware Of

1. Cashier's check is offered for deposit/rent.

2. Value of cashier's check exceeds the actual price - renter asks you to wire/send the balance back.

3. Banks will cash the fake cashier's check, release the funds to your account, AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK IS LATER DETERMINED TO BE FAKE.

1. Cashier's check is offered for deposit/rent.

2. Value of cashier's check is the correct amount, however the renter immediately cancels and asks you to wire/send the balance back (and keep a rebooking fee for the cancellation).

3. Banks will cash the fake cashier's check, release the funds to your account, AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK IS LATER DETERMINED TO BE FAKE.

Remember, counterfeit cashier's checks are usually cashed by your bank and the funds are released to you. It might take many days to weeks for the bank to determine it is fake and then it holds you responsible for the full amount. You should also never accept a cashier's check for an amount more than is owed to you. If you receive a cashier's check, please do not immediately issue any refund to a renter until you verify the check is valid. Please contact your bank for more information on confirming the validity of a cashier's check, especially if it is of international origin.

If you feel like you have been the victim of fraud on the Internet, please contact your local law enforcement.
In the United States, you may also file a complaint of Internet fraud with the FBI and NW3C at http://www.ifccfbi.gov .

Hello,
Good day to you. My name is Ryan Kuss, a manager of oceanic bank in Canada.
I will be in the state for a vacation session for the priod of march 10/2006 for the duration of two weeks. I want to know if this apartment
is still available or not. Could you please get back to me if it is still available with the total cost including all utilities. I will await ur quick response as soon as possible...
Thanks
ryan_kuss_111@yahoo.com

How are you and your family, to God be the glory. i am a right now i am in Nigeria. I and my family will be looking out to having a vacation holiday in the states and in your apartment. So i will like you to tell me more about your apartment for rent and send pictures of it to me too to my email address and stating the means of payment as you know that i am outside the states. lankey_wood@hotmail.com I will be looking forward to hearing from you soonest.......... SHALOM.
Rev. Lankey Wood.

Hello,
Thanks for the details on the Home. Pls do reserve the Home for me. My company (sending me for an official assignment) is responsible for payment of my accomodation which will include my Travelling Expenses,Rent,Allowances,Feeding e.t.c.All these sums up to a total  amount of $4,000 for the period of my stay in US.

I will contact my Supervisor now telling him I have gotten an accomodation for November stay in US.So theywill be sending you the full payment of $4,000 (which includes your rent payment).You will then deduct you rent fee for of the home which i know it will be of 1 Week is $1002.78 And send the balance.To My Personal Assistant (who will be responsible for Booking of my Travelling Air Ticket and other Personal luggages) via Western Union Money Transfer.So I will want you to immediately send your details like: Full name (as you will like it to appear on the check)....

Address (where the check should be sent to)...........
Telephone number........................
So i will forward it to my supervisor for immediate payment to be made
out to you. Hope to hear from you soon.
 

My Regards
bruce..

Another variation is the following:

A Christian organization wanting to organize a conference and wants to book your property for a substantial bit of time (1-2 weeks or more).
The messages are often written by someone who doesn't seem to know English very well.

If you tell them that they can book your property, they may follow up with an e-mail like this:

"Thanks for your reply and assistance so far. I am glad to tell you that we have concluded payment with the delegates.
However, a Certified American Postal Money Order of $1,900 was earlier made out by the Christian organization, for a condo that can accomodate 2 delegates  whose services were not up to the standard of what your own  is offering to us now. Which was meant for the accommodation, provision for car hiring and other necessary arrangement.

I have now been instructed to send you the Money Order, which will cover the cost of your accommodation and all the necessary arrangement for the delegates.

Moreover, we also made an arrangement with a pre paid car hiring firm who will supply the delegates with cars they will use during their stay.  So you are required to deduct the cost of your services $xxx and send the balance of $xxx via Money Gram International Transfer, tothe car hiring agent whose information will be forwarded to you as soon as possible.So confirm this and provide me with your (1) YOUR FULL NAME (2) ADDRESS for payment to be delivered to you via courier.

Please remember that the integrity of our agency is involved, so this business requires prompt response. I also hope the stay of the delegates will be made comfortable."

This is a scam - please do not get trapped by this!

If someone sends you payment that exceeds the required amount:

1. Never send a refund until the original payment has cleared -- and the successful deposit to your bank account has been confirmed by your bank. Even this can be dangerous. It may take months before a check might be determined to be forged.

2. Or return the original money order (or other payment method) and request a replacement payment in the correct amount.

3. Better yet, you can accept payment only by credit card, for the exact amount that's due to you from your renter. 
   If you are approached by someone you think might be a scammer, explain that you only accept credit cards. If the thief gives phony credit card number, you'll know as soon as you verify it.

Another variation is the following:

"I am an agent searching for a home to rent for my clients and I am interested in your house.
I would like to know if you can accept a cashier's cheque drawn on a US bank? Kindly mail me back as soon as possible because my client needs the rental very urgently."

You tell the person that a cashier's check is acceptable.  They then send you a cashier's check for an amount that is HIGHER than required and they ask you to SEND A REFUND CHECK FOR THE DIFFERENCE. Since you have a cashier's check you may be tricked into sending the requested refund, only to find out -- after it's too late -- that your bank will not honor the check. We make the following recommendations to avoid this type of scam.

If someone sends you payment that exceeds the required amount:

1. Never send a refund until the original payment has cleared -- and the successful deposit to your bank account has been confirmed by your bank. Even this can be dangerous. It may take months before a check might be determined to be forged.

2. Or return the original money order (or other payment method) and request a replacement payment in the correct amount.

3. Better yet, you can accept payment only by credit card, for the exact amount that's due to you from your renter. 
   If you are approached by someone you think might be a scammer, explain that you only accept credit cards. If the thief gives phony credit card number, you'll know as soon as you verify it.