Jack Williams Apartment Rental Scam jw7455@gmail.com

As some of you may read and know from the other blog, I've accepted a new job in another city from where I live in Alabama and I have started to look at apartments in the city of my new home where I'll work.

I wound up looking at lots of other apartments in the city where the job was located but kept turning up disappointed because of the layout or the apartment itself wasn't up to my standards with the amount of rent,deposit, application fees, and the like.

So I turned to my somewhat at times trustworthy website, CraigsList.com for help. I actually posted an ad on there for housing wanted stating I was moving into the area and was looking for an apartment in the range of $600 to $700 per month and preferred one open to an older pet cat I had of mine.

You'd be surprised how many emails I received, most offering me to share a home with someone else when I mentioned specifically I wanted a home of my own and not to share with a roommate or roommates.

Then this ad reply below came from Jack Williams, at the email address on google.com, which just screams fake all over it.

Let's read what he replied to me about his housing:

Hello Dear,

Calvary greetings to you, also to your house hold..I got the AD you
posted on craigslist... I am looking for responsible tenants that
he/she is going to take care of the house as if it were your own and
he/she will be willing to make the Property clean as we left it.
Actually I resided in the house with my family, such as my wife and my
only daugther before and presently we had packed due to my transfer
from my working place and now situated in the (United Kingdom) and
won't be coming to the House until Four years now and that means we
are renting the Property for long term and short term lease is also
acceptable. and presently my house is still available for rent for
$1000 which the deposit is $800 dollars including 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 .,it is furnished or if u wish to move in with your furnitures
no problem..Moreso Now, i went for a Crusade in United Kingdom.

I will solicit for your absolute mentenance of this house and want you
to treat it as your own, it is not the money the main problem but want
you to keep it tidy all the time so that i will be glad to see it
neat when i come for a check up.i do that once in a while....I also
want you to let me have trust in you as i always stand on my word.

SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTRESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENTAL
APPLICATION FORM BELOW FOR RECORD PURPOSE

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____________________________
HOW SOON CAN YOU HAVE THE DEPOSIT PAYMENT SENT TO ME___________________________
HOW SOON DO YOU WANT TO RECEIVE THE KEYS AND DOCUMENTS OF THE
HOUSE___________________________

You will only be able to drive by the house for now but not have a
look at the interior until i have sent the keys and documents of the
house to you..and the requirement for getting the keys and documents
of the house is a fully refundable payment of $800 USD,which is the
security deposit. Please note that the deposit made is fully
refundable should in case you finally gain entrance into the house
after receiving the keys and documents and feel unsatisfied or
uncomfortable with the interior,but i am giving you a benefit of doubt
that you will love everything about this lovely home..

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR RENT ONLY STARTS COUNTING AFTER YOU HAVE FINALLY
MOVED INTO THE HOUSE, SO YOU NEED NOT TO WORRY ABOUT MAKING THE
DEPOSIT PAYMENT NOW AND NOT MOVING IN IMMEDIATELY,ALL YOU'RE DOING IS
SECURING THE HOUSE IN YOUR FAVOUR IN ORDER NOT TO LOOSE IT TO OTHER
INTERESTED APPLICANTS..

Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can
have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and
contacting you. Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how
to get the document and the key to you.

Regards
Jack Williams

Now at this point you're probably thinking this sounds like a great deal...but it's really not. It's a scam. I've read in our local newspaper and google searched that the internet is now becoming a source of scams for people searching for rental property as well.

Notice how this email reads...reads just like someone who isn't familiar with the English language or how to make things flow well. Everything I bolded above comes just as it was written by this scammer. I hate to call them a person because they are a scammer and only a scammer.

I did send him a reply which I'll post on my next entry here. All I can say is to be careful. The wording my change, but the same traits for a scam seem to follow for other replies I had in my search for rental property.

Have a great week!! Look for regular updates to this blog and the other one coming very shortly!!