First off, the posting itself. This indicated that a two-bedroom apartment was up for rent on Avenue A for a combined total of $750/month! Surely this was wildly inconsistent with other New York rent prices, but I could just have been the only one to see this and jump on it right? Ha, suckers who aren't me. Meanwhile, the picture attached to the listing was convincing enough...
I mean, how could he have taken that exterior photo of that anonymous building if he wasn't it's landlord? They just don't let you take photos of public property in New York! That just doesn't happen! And look at that building - it's CLEARLY actually on Avenue A. New York City! USA! Earth!
Needless to say, I quickly contacted my future landlord, expressing my extreme interest. I received the following prompt response. (This individual was going to be a delight to do business with!)
Hello,
I have the apartment available including ( square ft. 840), because I moved with my job in England/London and I need money to pay the rent here, that's the reason I want to rent it at this price and to find a good person for my apartment.I can rent you the apt for max.3 years because I have a contract here in England for this period. I`m the owner of the apt and it's like in the photo. The rent for 1 month is $ 750.You have all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, etc). You can move in the apt in the same day you receive the keys.The only problem is that I`m the only person who have the keys but I hope that we will find a compromise.For get the keys and the contract for the apartment i will use a escrow Company from England www.Rapid-Express-uk.net,
If you are able to make the transaction i need:
You name:
Address:
Zip code:
City:
Country:
After i will have this details i will go and start the transaction and when the transaction was started the Company will contact you with the invoice,tracking number,contract apartment,shipping and payment information, to check the transaction.
Once you have all this details from the Company i inform you must send to the Company a Small deposit($500usd).
After the transaction was closed you will send me the money per month in my account.This is what i can offer you if you really want to rent my apartment.
Thank you and waiting your email back,
Oh, he lives in London. Exotic! He's a man of the world, I like that. Sure, his English on such phrases as "after i will have this details" and "the only problem is that I'm the only person who have the keys" isn't the best. But he's not from America, after all. He's in England. Sure, I should probably take notice of that, but look at this great deal! $500 bones is a small price to pay for three solid years of bliss. And hey, the apartment was "like in the photo" (outside!).
I consulted Lizzy Munkenbeck, my future-roommate-at-the-time, and confirmed that we were squarely on board. I contacted my new friend to see when we could come check the place out. To that I received yet another prompt response...
Dear cliente,
I told you I moved with my job in England/London and I need money to pay the rent here,that's the reason I want to rent it at this price.I told you for our warranty i will use a shipping Company from here www.Rapid-Express-uk.net to send you the keys and what do you need.The transaction will take 1 days until you will get the keys contract and all you need to complete the transaction.After you will have all this and you will move in my apt you will pay me per month.If you are able to make the transaction i need:
You name:
Address:
Zip code:
City:
Country:
After i will have this details i will go and start the transaction and when the transaction was started the Company will contact you with the invoice,tracking number,contract apartment,shipping and payment information, to check the transaction.
Once you have all this details from the Company i inform you must send to the Company a Small deposit($500usd).
Thank you
Boy, this fella sure has a style, and is damn persistent. I can dig that - he's a tough-as-nails businessman, i.e. the kind that gets shit done. And sure, I'm fine with him referring to me as "cliente" - keep it professional. After all, we had only just met. And so what if he made the same grammatical and basic English mistakes a second consecutive time? We're all human! Plus, it's not like www.rapid-express-uk.net was the worst website I'd ever seen!
Still excited as ever, I sent the link to my mother, proudly proclaiming that her subletting son had found his future home. Minutes later, I got this e-mail back from her, which was quoted from another Craigslisting.
BEWARE OF SCAMS! I EMAILED SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE ASKING ABOUT THE RENT AMOUNT FOR SEVERAL APTS. BECAUSE THE PRICE WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE AND I FIGURED IT WAS A TYPO. I HAD READ
A WARNING ABOUT THIS SAME TYPE OF LISTING BEFORE BUT I DIDNT REALIZE THIS WAS IT UNTIL I GOT MY RESPONSE. AS SOON AS I READ IT, IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS IS A NEW WAY FOR THEM TO MAKE MONEY, SO BEWARE. THIS IS THE REPLY I RECEIVED - Hello,
I have the apartment available including ( square ft. 840), because I moved with my job in England/London and I need money to pay the rent here, that's the reason I want to rent it at this price and to find a good person for my apartment.I can rent you the apt for max.3 years because I have a contract here in England for this period. I`m the owner of the apt and it's like in the photo. The rent for 1 month is $ 750.You have all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, etc). You can move in the apt in the same day you receive the keys.The only problem is that I`m the only person who have the keys but I hope that we will find a compromise.For get the keys and the contract for the apartment i will use a escrow Company from England www.Rapid-Express-uk.net,
If you are able to make the transaction i need:
You name:
Address:
Zip code:
City:
Country:
After i will have this details i will go and start the transaction and when the transaction was started the Company will contact you with the invoice,tracking number,contract apartment,shipping and payment information, to check the transaction.
Once you have all this details from the Company i inform you must send to the Company a Small deposit($500usd).
After the transaction was closed you will send me the money per month in my account.This is what i can offet you if you really want to rent my apartment.
Thank you and waiting your email back,
If you want more details from the Company here you the Email address : contact@rapid-express-uk.net
IF THE PRICE SOUNDS RIDICULOUSLY GOOD, THEN IT PROBABLY IS.
Really? This guy was just a fraud? That just don't add up! What about the picture?! What about the general address?! What about his elaborate backstory about working in London?! Not since I found out that Santa Claus was only real if you weren't Jewish had so much innocence been lost in such a short amount of time. The lesson was learned the hard way - through a simple internet search and an everlasting lack of integrity in the eyes of your mother.
Anyway, joke's on that guy - five-hundred bucks won't even WORK in London!
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