potential rental scam?

[Silia31]

Hello 

I would like to ask about a concern i have. A private landlord contacted me about a flat she rent for long term via air bnb and  ant payment will be done through air bnb. She told me she leaves on Spain and cannot visit due to her work. She asked if i am financial stable and provide ant proof of  that and why i will be a good tenant and i have the choice to see the flat before rent it. 

Her email was that?

Hello,

I just read your e-mail regarding my apartment located in 120 Lindsay Road, The Shore, Edinburgh, EH6 6ND

I am the owner of the apartment. My name is Leticia Segurado Ugidos from Spain.

The apartment has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 living room, 1 kitchen and one car parking space. Is available for long-term, it's in excellent condition, very clean and fully furnished with all the necessary equipment and appliances.

The rent is £700 per month including utility bill. A security deposit of £700 is required at the start of the lease and it will be refunded at the end of the contract (a 30 day notice is required). The apartment is fully furnished, like in the pictures or unfurnished. If you have any question please let me know.

If further interested, please give me some information about yourself (age, job, lifestyle or whatever you think makes you a good tenant). I want only serious people with a healthy financial situation. So could you please email me something that shows you are financially stable... anything you want that shows you're in a good financial situation.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you

and her second email :

Thank you for your quick reply.
At this moment I'm in Spain and can not be present to deal face to face. My job doesn't allow me to leave Spain. We just hired some new staff and I'm in charge of their training. This won't affect you at all. I can make arrangements to rent the apartment through Airbnb( www.airbnb.com ) which is an international company dealing specifically in rentals apartments, I used it in the past and I was very pleased for their services. The reason I use Airbnb is because they are one of the most biggest rental company around the world and I really trust them. I belive that you know Airbnb.

Using Airbnb involves three parties: me as owner, you as a potential tenant and Airbnb as a responsible third party authorized to proper conduct the transaction.

Using Airbnb you can see the apartment before you sign the rental contract, so you can choose if you want to rent it or not. You will make the payment for the first month of rent plus security deposit using Airbnb payment platform.
I will open a reservation on the Airbnb website and indicate you as my potential tenant.

Please let me know if you accept Airbnb and provide me with the following details for your referencing application so that I can register the transaction with Airbnb
and move forward.

Your phone number
Full name
Scan or photo of ID
The date you want to move in
How many people are going to live in my apartment
For how long do you want to rent the apartment

Kind Regards,

Leticia

[Anonymous]

@Silia31  I honestly don't know whether this is the case of an organized rental scam, or a disorganized owner who's new to remote rentals. The first question I would ask is, how were you originally in contact with this landlord? Through another listing site, or some other means?

She hasn;t apparently listed on AIrbnb before, as her description doesn't relate much to how things work here. It's not possible for the host to "open a reservation" and designate a guest; the booking protocol can only be initiated by the guest. And Airbnb does not charge security deposits to conventional hosts (there are exceptions for large-scale property managers).

All of that is to say, if the host intends to have a genuine Airbnb reservation, she will list the property on Airbnb first - not collect your personal data and then make a listing. That sounds more like a money-laundering operation than a genuine landlord. Perhaps she's trying to sake money by cutting out estate agents and just had a confusing view of how to do this. Either way, I don't think I'd put my faith in this person as a landlord if there are other housing options available.

[Justyna35]

I am trying to rent a place from her as well. I found her post on right move or Zoopla (don’t remember) and got in touch with her through there. The one I am looking to rent is in Glasgow. I got the same exact message. The website, booking and everything looks good. My plan is to call and confirm with Air Bnb and try to get a video tour of the space before sending any money. I’m an international student and I’m looking for a long term rental...it would suck if I got there and had no place to stay 😅 especially with 2 week quarantine. 

[Sarah977]

@Justyna35  This is a SCAM. If you send any money, you will never see your money again and you will have nowhere to stay because the place advertised isn't a legitimate listing. You don't send money to an Airbnb host- you register your payment information on your Airbnb account and Airbnb withdraws the money when you book a place. The host doesn't arrange for the booking- the guest does that on the Airbnb site.

Listen to what people are saying here and stop dealing with this scammer.

[Silia31]

@Justyna35  this person is a scam, police investigate it and action fraud as well. 

You will never see the flat, she just wants your money. Police advised to stop any communication with her and block her. The letting agency i found her advised as well that she is fraud and hacked their systems. Air bnb does not work this way. She tries to gain your money. Listen what other say and look for other flat , expect if you want to loose money. 

I did asked her for flat viewing and landlord registration number and she never replied.

[Ellan22]

@Silia31 the same thing happened to me for glasgow

[Ellan22]

It's a scam this is the one she scammed me out of £1500 

[Sarah977]

@Silia31  This is a scam. Do not communicate any further with this person, certainly do not send them any personal information.

Airbnb doesn't have agents who give you keys or show you a place so you can decide whether you want to rent it. Airbnb hosts don't arrange reservations for guests- guests book themselves through the Airbnb platform. If Airbnb hosts require guest's personal ID info, that is only asked for after a booking is confirmed. 

@Anonymous The wording on this email is pretty much exactly what all these scammers use. It's not a case of a new host who doesn't know how Airbnb works, guaranteed.

[Sophie1600]

Hi, I received the exact same email as you from the same person - Leticia Segurado Ugidos. Both emails are the EXACT same except regarding a flat in Glasgow, Ingram Street. Unfortunately I researched this after I had already sent my passport details etc. I have now cancelled my passport. Do not send any personal information as I definitely think this is a scam. I have also reported the email address to the police and they are going to report it to action fraud.

[Sarah977]

@Sophie1600 @Silia31  These scammers don't even own the places they are trying to scam you on- they aren't landlords, they are criminals. The listing photos are usually stolen off a real estate website.

[Silia31]

@Sophie1600  same here, unfortunately i have already sent her my passport and two payslips. I reported her myself to action fraud.

[Sophie1600]

@Silia31  You should cancel your passport too to be safe! They could use it to apply for universal credit or use your identity in other ways. You can report it as stolen on the government website or phone the passport office. 

That's good that you reported it to action fraud. If there is any of your bank details on the payslips, I would cancel your card too. 

I had sent over my student loan info to prove I was 'financially stable' and it had my sort code and last 4 digits of my account number so I cancelled my card just to be safe.

[Silia31]

@Sophie1600  Unfortunately i am not able to cancel my passport as i am foreigner and i have to travel back to my country and request a new one. 

Bank details are not on my payslips only my address. 

I have already on the universal credit and have secret password and answer. 

[Sophie1600]

@Silia31 Aw okay!

I think we have both done all that we can do. Try not to worry about it too much.

[Silia31]

I hope she get trapped by police. My fiance in the start he was worried because rental via air bnb was quite abnormal