Is this a fraud using moneybookers escrow?

[Edewit]

Just in case some people are still wondering if it really possibly couldn't be true after all...

I contacted the security department of the real Moneybookers. This is what I got from them:

----

THIS EMAIL WAS SENT FROM THE MONEYBOOKERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT.

TO REPLY YOU MUST LOGIN TO YOUR MONEYBOOKERS ACCOUNT AND SEND US A MESSAGE
VIA THE ACCOUNT/SECURITY SECTION OF OUR MESSAGING CENTRE.
********************************************************************************

Dear Mr #####,

thank you for contacting Moneybookers Customer Support.

We appreciate your enquiry and would like to inform you that Moneybookers does not work with Western Union, Moneygram nor any other similar entity and we do not deal real estate and do not have any agents offering those kind of services.

Please be informed that you have been a victim of a scam and we would kindly advise you to contact the appropriate authorities.

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

#####,
Moneybookers Customer Support

----


Advice for people on the househunt

Before signing anything or wiring any money:

- Google all names of people involved.
- If an organisation like Moneybookers is involved, check with them yourself if they are indeed aware of the transaction.

Taking these 2 steps will likely cause a whole lot less people to get scammed.

[lightfair]

I will write in portuguese some conversations because the fraud was in Brazil and this way people over here could read and understood better.

Thanks. Yes, it's a worldwide scam and it's important to see those examples in non-english languages.

[parispaparis]

Also in Switzerland:
1st email:
Hello ,

My name is Julian Lewis and I received your email of interest for the rental of my apartment located in Hintere Hirzbodenweg 15,4052 Basel.
I am a research engineer for a pharmaceutical company and I bought the apartment while working on a 4 year contract in Switzerland as an alternative to renting . I the only owner of the apartment , the apartment is paid in full and with no legal problems . The apartment is not inhabited since I am no longer living in Switzerland .
My intention is to rent the apartment to nice , clean people and in order to do that I would like to know a little something about you , like how many persons do you intend to live in my apartment,do you have a steady income ,etc . I must tell you from the beginning that I don't have a problem if you are a student and I don't have a problem with pets (I own a little dog myself) and I appreciate sincerity .
Also here is a little something about the apartment and myself so we can get to know each other.
The apartment is the one in the pictures but the furniture has been moved into my private storage room . If you don't have furniture I can take it back with no extra costs for you .
The rent for 1 month is 825 CHF (for the entire apartment) including all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, private washing machine). You can rent the flat for any period of time (open end contract).
About myself, I am 44 years old and as I told you I am a research engineer for pharmaceutical products , currently living in Liverpool , my home town .
You can move in the apt in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m already in Liverpool but I hope that we shall find a solution.
Thank you for your interest and looking forward to a future collaboration and friendship.

Best regards,
Julian Lewis
P.S. Please tell me if this is what are you looking for and reply my only if you are truly interested in the apt.

2nd:
Hi Paris ,

Thank you very much for your reply and for your willingness to rent the apartment . I would love to have you as my new tenant if you are still interested , of course .
My only request is that you please take care of the apartment like it were your own because I invested a lot of money in this apartment as you can see from the pictures . I am giving you the flat in trust so please don't disappoint me . I promise you that you will love the place .
I am in Liverpool now but I found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast.The solution for the viewing is provided by an escrow company called MoneyBookers . This company will provide an escrow account for us and will act as a licensed third party for our transaction
The delivery for the keys (apartment keys , inter-phone , alarm) and viewing permit (signed by me) , will be made through an authorized courier .
I will explain the procedure if you are interested so please email me as soon as you read this message because I really need to take care of this matter.

Have a nice day ,

and the 3rd:
Hi again Paris ,

The viewing procedure using the Moneybookers escrow blocked account involves 3 parties : me as the home owner , you as the prospective tenant and Moneybookers as a licensed third party responsible for good development of the transaction .
The Moneybookers Escrow Blocked account is exactly like the blocked account where you pay the damage deposit when you rent an apartment .The will keep the deposit until you visit the apartment and return the keys and after you return the keys they give you the deposit back .
The value of the deposit is equal to the first month of rent and must be paid for the activation of the Blocked Account .
The delivery for the package will be made using an authorized courier like Pegasus , DHL , Federal Express , UPS and the package will be sent by Moneybookers at your home address .
You must know that in case the keys in the package shall not correspond to the apartment keys you will receive three times the value of the security deposit from Moneybookers out of my Security Deposit fund that I have with Moneybookers .
If you are still interested in rent my apartment and if so, i will be in contact with Moneybookers to initiate the exchange procedure (keys and legal documents / security deposit) and I will need some information from you .
MANDATORY INFORMATION!
-Shipping address (address where you want the package to be delivered) and the name of the receiver
-Arrival Schedule ( when you will be home to receive the package and sign for the receipt)
-Telephone number in case of any emergencies .
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION !
You have 14 days to inspect the apartment since the arrival date.
If you want to keep the apartment I will set up the open end mietvertrag from here with your information , I will sign it and I will send it to you .
You have to sign it and send it back to me .
-If you do not keep the apartment, you give the keys/contract back to moneybookers and you collect the security deposit .
This will be in writing in the moneybookers contract i will sign.
The MoneyBookers fees will be paid by me when i will initiate the procedure, you will have to pay for the money transfer fees when you will have to pay the moneybookers agent.
I will wait your soon reply and if you agree, i will need your full name, shipping address and your daytime phone number and i will initiate the moneybookers transaction.
Thanks again for your time and look forward to hear from you soon."


I went to check the building and there was actually a door bell without a name in the entrance of the building. I was lucky enough to talk about it with a friend who googled it and we found this forum. THANKS!

[global_property]

For sure it is scam property deal and if you even pay with moneybooker you still will not take the property as nothing is guarantee.

[Just2letUknow]

Hi there,
Same happened to us. I'm from germany and looking for some apts.
It was all the same the only other thing was, that the person now is in Italy milano for about 8 years. Strange to me was the much too low price, that this person owns the apt in germany but is writing in english instead of german, and that the email adress contained the number 1951 which is mostly the year of birth and a 59 years old lady moving for 8 years because of the company sounds not very trustfully. But we've been also bit happy to find such an opportunity and we've been just before giving our adress to the person. But finally we found some informations about this scams in the Internet.
And here is the name:

Christina Warren, mail: Christina.warren1951@hotmail.com

So really be carefully. Thank god we've been in the end...

[alsoinberlin]

I have been looking for a place in Berlin and also encountered this scam.
Once by a Kate Russell:

katerusl@gmail.com
First name: Kate
Last name : Russell
Address : 87 David Lee Point
City : London
PostalCode: E15-3LF
Country : United Kingdom

With the phoney agent:
MoneyBookers Agent Details:

First name: Taylor
Last name : Nolan
Address : Lewisham Way 158
City/State: London
PostalCode: SE14 6PD
Country : United Kingdom

And a second time by Miranda Arney
miranda5t6y@hotmail.com

[Just2letUknow]

I've posted this URL on Facebook. To let everyone know. So maybe u all should also tell ur friends and so forth to stop that kind of crime.good luck to you all with ur new apt!

[ancuta.tarta]

Boy, am I sure glad to have found this forum! I was smelling something wrong, but I am so desperate to find a proper accommodation in Copenhagen that I wanted to believe it. So here it goes, but conversation with the "Italian researcher in pharmaceutical industry" Sophia Zeberga.

"Good day,

I am Sophia Zeberga and I just received an email of interest in my 1 room apartment located in Ungarnsgade 26. I am an Italian researcher working for a pharmaceutical company and this apartment was bought while working here in Denmark on a 5 year contract, as I thought it would be a better investment than renting. I the only owner of the apartment, it is paid in full and it has no legal problems . The apartment has not been inhabited since I am no longer living in Copenhagen.
I wish to rent my apartment to some nice and responsible people and in order to do that I have to know a some details about you, like how many persons are you planning to live in the apartment, for ho long, if you have a steady income, etc. I must tell you from the beginning that I do not have a problem if you are a student and I am very fond of pets and willing to accept them in the apartment(I am the proud owner of an english bulldog). You should also know that I appreciate sincerity very much.
In addition to everything else here is a little something about the apartment and myself so we can get to know each other.
The apartment is the one in the pictures from the advertisment, but as the last tenants had their own furniture it was moved into my private storage found in the basement of the building.If you don't have furniture I can take it back to the apartment with no extra costs for you.
The rent for 1 month is 4000 Kr (for the entire apartment) including all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable). You can rent the flat for any period of time (open end contract) but not less than 4 months.
About myself, I am 56 years old and as I told you I am a researcher in pharmaceutical products, currently living in Rome, my home town .
You can move in the apartment in the same day when you receive the keys. The only issue is that I am already in Italy but I hope that together we are going to find a solution.

I appreciate your interest in my property and I am looking forward to a future collaboration and friendship.

Best regards,

Sophia"

Of course, later on when I wrote to her for details she sayed we'll "figure something out", and "of course I can see the flat first" and I'll get the documents and keys via Moneybookers...etc etc etc.
So watch out for "her" too!

[ancuta.tarta]

...aaaand...we're back, with a nice scam in Copenhagen, email of the wonderful 56-year-old Sophia Zeberga, this time Italian, owning an English bulldog, working in pharmaceutical industry...etc etc etc, you read the story before, but here is her email, just to make sure it is a scam! Boy, I almost bought it, I've been trying to find a place here so hard! Thanks for this forum, and beware of sophia.zeberga@yahoo.dk!
"Good day,

I am Sophia Zeberga and I just received an email of interest in my 1 room apartment located in Ungarnsgade 26. I am an Italian researcher working for a pharmaceutical company and this apartment was bought while working here in Denmark on a 5 year contract, as I thought it would be a better investment than renting. I the only owner of the apartment, it is paid in full and it has no legal problems . The apartment has not been inhabited since I am no longer living in Copenhagen.
I wish to rent my apartment to some nice and responsible people and in order to do that I have to know a some details about you, like how many persons are you planning to live in the apartment, for ho long, if you have a steady income, etc. I must tell you from the beginning that I do not have a problem if you are a student and I am very fond of pets and willing to accept them in the apartment(I am the proud owner of an english bulldog). You should also know that I appreciate sincerity very much.
In addition to everything else here is a little something about the apartment and myself so we can get to know each other.
The apartment is the one in the pictures from the advertisment, but as the last tenants had their own furniture it was moved into my private storage found in the basement of the building.If you don't have furniture I can take it back to the apartment with no extra costs for you.
The rent for 1 month is 4000 Kr (for the entire apartment) including all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable). You can rent the flat for any period of time (open end contract) but not less than 4 months.
About myself, I am 56 years old and as I told you I am a researcher in pharmaceutical products, currently living in Rome, my home town .
You can move in the apartment in the same day when you receive the keys. The only issue is that I am already in Italy but I hope that together we are going to find a solution.

I appreciate your interest in my property and I am looking forward to a future collaboration and friendship.

Best regards,

Sophia"
_______________________________________

Hi Ancuta,

Thank you for your timely response and for your willingness to rent the apartment. If you

are still interested I agree to rent it to you. I promise you that you will fall in love with

the place. You seem to be a very nice person and I can assure you we will not have any problems .
Of course you will have to see the apartment before discussing further details because

you cannot rent an apartment that you haven't seen. As the furniture was removed from the

apartment I am willing to send you the keys so you can visit it and see it suits your needs.
The delivery for the keys (apartment keys, interphone, alarm) and viewing permit (signed

by me), will be made through an authorized courier and using a Moneybookers Escrow Account to

make sure that we can trust each other.
I will explain the procedure if you are interested so please email me as soon as you

read this message because I really need to take care of this matter.

Thank you,

Sophia

_______

Hi again Ancuta,

Using the Moneybookers escrow blocked account, the viewing procedure involves three parties: me as the owner, you as the prospective tenant and Moneybookers as a licensed third party responsible for the good development of the transaction.
The Moneybookers Escrow Blocked account is just like the blocked account where you pay the damage deposit when you rent an apartment except that instead of a bank we will use Moneybookers. Of course, nobody can touch this money until you return the keys.
The deposit, which is equal to the first month of rent must be paid for the activation of the Blocked Account through bank to bank transfer.
The delivery for the package will be made using an authorized courier such as DHL, Federal Express or UPS and the package will be sent by Moneybookers to your home address .
You must know that in case the keys in the package will not correspond to the apartment keys you will receive three times the value of the security deposit from Moneybookers out of my Security Deposit fund that I have with Moneybookers .
To start the procedure I will need the following information from you :
-Shipping address (address where you want the package to be delivered) and the name of the receiver
-Arrival Schedule (when you will be home to receive the package and sign for the receipt)
-Telephone number in case of any emergencies .
You will have 14 days to inspect the apartment since the arrival date.
If decide to keep the apartment I will set up the open ended (3 month notice) contract from here with your information, I will sign it and I will send it to you. You will also have to sign it and send it back to me .
-If you do not keep the apartment, you give the keys/contract back to moneybookers and you will collect the security deposit. This will be in writing in the moneybookers contract I will sign.
The MoneyBookers fees will be paid by me when i will initiate the procedure, you will have to pay for the bank transfer fees when you will have to make the deposit in the designetated blocked bank account.
I will wait your reply as soon as possible and if you agree, I will need your full name, shipping address and your daytime phone number and I will handle the moneybookers transaction.

Thank you again for your time and I am looking forward to hear from you soon.

Sophia"

[felipeamorim]

Same fraud. Again in Brazil.

I was suspicious for the "too good to be true" nature of the deal and the weird Western Union payment system instead of using Moneybookers online. And finally what gave it away was some words mispelled in the text. After further inspection in the raw body of the last email (detailing the payment) I noticed the images from the email came from many different addresses, a clear sign of a scam.

First name : Gerard
Last name : Herten
Address : 72 Vincent Square
City : London
PostalCode: SW1P 2PA
Country : United Kingdom

gerardher@googlemail.com