Bastyr UniversityStudent Life
Space Needle
Student Housing
Scams and Fraud

Most people who use the housing database have great stories to tell about their experiences with renters, sellers, tenants, landlords and such, but we also receive occasional reports of scams and fraud. We have heard that one of the best ways to avoid this problem is to keep all transactions local -- whenever possible, do not do business with anyone who is not in your local area.
Use caution and common sense when dealing with any financial transaction:

  • DEAL ONLY WITH LOCAL RENTERS AND LANDLORDS! Most non-local inquiries are scams.  Though some could be potential students coming to the University.  If it sounds suspicious, it probably is.  Use your best judgment.
  • Never wire funds to a distant renter, via Western Union or any other carrier
  • Be wary if the other party wants to use an escrow service such as BidPay or Squaretrade
  • Never give out personal financial information (checking account number, SSN, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
  • Trust your instincts, and always remember the most important rule -- BUYER BEWARE

Who should I notify about fraud? If you think you have been scammed, contact the non-emergency number for your local police department -- they may be able to offer advice about your options.

Other resources:

  • FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
  • FTC online complaint form (www.ftc.gov)
  • Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov)

Recognizing scams
Most scams involve one or more of the following:

  • Long-distance renter or landlord (usually out of the country)
  • Offer includes a cashier's check, postal money order, Western Union , or escrow service (BidPay, Squaretrade, etc.)
  • Refusal to meet face-to-face or wants to rent sight-unseen
  • E-mail typed in ALL CAPS
  • Overpayment with request to refund money
  • Coordinating and paying for delivery of furniture

Tips on how to avoid scams

Types of Scams
1. Distant renter/landlord indicates our housing list/Bastyr University will guarantee the transaction, certify a renter/landlord, and/or claims that Bastyr University will handle or provide protection for a payment.

  • This is a scam. Bastyr University does not have any role in any transaction.
  • Potential renter/landlords may even provide detailed documentation of a "protection program.”  Any such document is fraudulent.

2.  Distant potential renter/landlord offers a high-value (but fake) cashier's check

  • You receive an odd email (actual examples below) offering to rent site unseen.
  • Cashier's check is offered as a deposit for a rental (or just about anything else).
  • Value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - renter asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
  • Banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR DAYS LATER
  • Scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)

3. Distant renter/landlord requests payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:

  • Renter/landlord often claims that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.
  • Common countries currently include: Nigeria, UK, Romania, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere
  • Deal often seems too good to be true

4. Distant renter/landlord offers to send you a cashier's check and then have you wire money:

  • This is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE
  • Sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not
  • Scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check
  • Deal often seems too good to be true

5. Distant renter/landlord suggests use of an online escrow service .

  • Most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers
  • For more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud"
  • If you must do business with a distant seller, insist on a legitimate service, such as www.escrow.com

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Actual examples of scam emails (courtesy of homerentalads.com)
Hello Steve ,
Thanks for the mail well I have contacted my client about this situation of the house on the security deposit you told me about and he told me that his associate in the state who is going to make the payment for him inform of either a cheque or money order of about $3000 which he has claimed of which will be sent to you so I will like you to send your contact information below so that the payment will be able to get to your house door and I will instruct you on what to do with the rest of the funds which you will have to send to the shipping agent who is going to pack my things to your location after that we will be able to talk about the rest of the money.

NAME IN FULL:
CONTACT ADRESS:
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER:

Hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers,
Mr. Johnson.
NOTE: THIS IS A SCAM
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July 4, 2005
Hello,
I saw your apartment advertised on a classified advert and I want to know if it is still available. I want to sign a one year lease for it and intend moving in by the end of July.

Please let me hear from you asap.
My regards.
NOTE: THIS IS A SCAM
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Dear Sir/madam

I am Macklin Conor I live in uk. I am going on sabbatical leave so I will be relocating to your area with my family in a few weeks time I would want to pay for the rent of the family house you advertised on Bastyr.edu. I will also want to know your final price of the rentage and please let me know if a cashiers check drawn from a U.S bank will be acceptable by you for payment. as you give me a reply to know if you will be of help to me and my family.
THANKS!!!

Regards,
Macklin Conor
NOTE: THIS IS A SCAM
----------------------------------------------------
Hello,
I understand you be will be receiving the payment today, and my creditor sent $33,000 instead of the $34,000 he was supposed to send. However, I want you to contact me the moment you receive it. Also, I want to plead with you to kindly assist me like I told you earlier, by helping me send $5,300 to the seller in Houston-Texas to enable him ship my items to me on time, since we will be coming soonest. And I want to also plead with you to make sure he receives his own money through western union money transfer since he said he would need his payment sent via western union money transfer. Which means my balance sum I would need you to hold for me before I come with my family will be $6,900, after deducting the rentage. Here are his details to enable you send the money to him via western union:
Franklin Straw,
6320 Main Street,
Brown, 9 Sunset Blvd,
Houston, TX 77005-1891
Phone...718-219-xxxx
And do not forget to deduct the western union charges used in sending the money to him from my balance of funds with you. And send me the western union details used in sending him the money, so that I can contact him to let him know his money has been sent, and finalise my arrangements with him. Also, let me know the cost of sending the money, and total amount left with you for the purpose of accountability.
I am really sorry to bother you in this regard, and will be counting on your assistance. However, I will be waiting to hear from you as soon as you receive the payment today, ans also include the directions from the Airport to enable us find our way. My regards to your family. We look forward to meeting you.

Jeffery
THIS IS A SCAM. DO NOT DO IT! See how polite they are when they are trying to get your money.
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Examples of Rental Scams
My name is (name of landlord) and we have an ad for a condo for rent in Albuquerque. Two of the respondents: Charles Farley at charlesuf2001@Yahoo.com and Bernard at nobleconsult2000@yahoo.com responded to the ad. Both said that they lived in England and wanted to rent the condo. They wanted to send a cashier check for a year's rent and Charles said that he had ordered furniture for the condo and wanted us to accept the furniture for him when it arrived in Albuquerque. He said that he would send us a cashier check for the furniture. We e-mailed back and forth, we sent him pictures of the condo and dimensions of the rooms etc. We asked him to complete an application for rental so we could check references. He gave us some names and phone numbers he said were in England. We called the operator for info on the numbers and the numbers he had given us were from Nigeria. On Bernard, the numbers he said were in England, were actually numbers in Russia. He also wanted to send us a cashier check for a year's rent. What do you think, scam or not.
THIS IS A SCAM. DO NOT DO IT!
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I was contacted for my Pinehurst, NC rental by a Dr. Jose Cami of London who said he was a "medical practitioner". We have talked via cell phone a few times. He didn't respond to the rental ad through the ad, but typed in my email address and the subject was "UPDATES" in his emails to me. He said since the condo was unfurnished he would ship furniture from London. He was to have his financier send me 6 months rent and money to pay for the furniture delivery when it comes. He wanted it to arrive a few days before him so his things would be here when he arrived with his wife and daughter. On my third request he sent his "financier’s" name and phone. When I called it was not the person's he said it was and it was a number in Hawaii and the person I spoke with said he didn't handle others financial affairs and didn't know a Dr. Cami.
My worst fears are this is a scam to pay for the furniture delivery after a check arrives which will turn out to be bad and I will be out the cost of the furniture shipping which will be substantial. Of course I won't do it and will tell the furniture people they will have to hold onto it until Dr. Cami gets here and he can pay for it and of course I also won't let him sign a lease until he verifies what he has told me and gives me paper money. The only thing I am out so far is not renting the place to others who have called.
Have you heard of anything like this before?
YES, THIS IS A SCAM. DO NOT DO IT!
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Lastly, there is Scam baiting
A number of internet groups have invented the hobby of scam baiting. The object is to pretend interest in a scammer's scheme, while convincing the scammer to waste time, perform ridiculous tasks, or otherwise entertain the baiter. These scams have the weak point of having to use a working email account. Forwarding such emails to the abuse@ address of the email account can get scams shut down quickly.


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