Be careful of fake hosts!

[Kwang2]

I'm a new user here and just had a bad experience which is not airbnb's  fault, but I just want to share with everyone here so you can aware of these scam hosts.

A few days ago I was looking for an apartment to rent in West UK and found a very nice looking one on some website called g_mtr_e.com. I sent a direct message to the owner to request more details and payment via this website and not long, he/she names Katarzyna Mizielska replies back and asked me to send her my email so she can contact me. After I sent her my email our conversation started via email  *sensitive information hidden*  I told her when I would like to move in/out. Please see the conversation below:

Hello,

I just read your e-mail regarding my apartment located in The Crescent, _______

I am the owner of the apartment. My name is Katarzyna Mizielska from Poland. I bought the apartment while working in UK.

The apartment has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 living room, 1 kitchen and 1 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 £900 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. 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.

Please see the apartment pictures here 1drv.ms/f/s!AtM878SfpfTVefnDtYHdr83vCP8

Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you

Katarzyna

After this I have sent her my details age, job, lifestlye etc. and she replies:

Thank you for your quick reply.

At this moment I'm in Poland and can not be present to deal face to face. My job doesn't allow me to leave Poland. 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,

Katarzyna

Which I didn't realized at that moment that I shouldn't have sent her my passport, i just thought if i am the owner, I also would like to know more and trust my tenant 😞

Then she sent me back the airbnb link for me to book. 

Hello,

You can book here www airbnbcom/rooms/327852301

I rent whole apartment. The bills (tv&internet, gas/electricity,water) are included in the rent price.

Kind Regards,
Katarzyna

After clicked, it looks all like airbnb official site, but I can only pick how long I would like to stay like 2 months, 3 months,.... but the actual site I can choose the date of arrival and check out date. THen I started to realized and smell there's something wrong. I tried to check on her property reviews, but I cannot click into reviewer's profile, also I can't click to any buttons, even the airbnb logo that should be linked to home site.

Lucky that I didn't make any payment yet, but I just worried that she/he will use my id to get money from other victims. If you see my name Potjana **** posting somewhere and ask people money or whatever, don't trust!!!

Be careful! and check everything before you give them your personal details or make any payment.

Good luck!

Potjana (Kwang) [Surname hidden]

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Kwang2

you are right, it's a scam. Look at the address bar of the website she sent you:

and the real Airbnb website:

You see the green padlock ?

[Kwang2]

I didn’t notice it, but it’s very helpful. Thanks @Branka-and-Silvia0

Now I just worrying if this scammer is going to use my name to do some bad things 😞

[Linda108]

@Kwang2  It is good of you to post this issue.  Your experience has been repeated multiple times and there are many posts about the exact same problem here.  @Branka-and-Silvia0 are very helpful in recognizing a fake listing.  Unfortunately this is after the fact for you.  Are you still looking?  Did you use the official website of Air BNB?  Good luck!

[Kwang2]

Thanks, @Linda108. I've checked on that website again and found that this fake host has deleted his/her old ad and just post a new one yesterday. Another thing to notice is that they keep posting new ad and if you look at the place available date, it's available from the day they post.

I'm still looking for the place to stay and found one that available for me, but I didn't get any reply from the host. I've checked on her reviews, seems like she's very responsive to other guests. Maybe she's still on her holiday. 

Wish me luck!

[Helen3]

That place is not The Crescent in Bristol and you would never get a place like the one in the photos for £700 a month even under a long term rental @Kwang2.

If you want a place in Bristol for a long term rental register with local estate agents, look on RightMove too.

Some hosts do discounts for long term rentals in Bristol, should be fairly easy for you to find something at this time of year.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Kwang2

don't use those obscure webistes, don't be naive, you could lose your money and endup without place to stay. Register on Airbnb.com or some other well known booking portal like booking.com for example

[Kwang2]

Thanks, @Branka-and-Silvia0 I'm using Airbnb now, but still find it hard to contact the hosts 😞

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Kwang2

it is no hard, you can contact host using the link "contact host" placed under " listing's description" and above "amenities" section.

If you don't see it now , you will see it once you sign up .

[Roberta2]

Hi @Kwang2

Looks for Superhosts - you can filter your search.

Superhosts are long standing hosts, that get good reviews and have good communication.

Good luck on your search!

[Lauren545]

I have received the same offer - there is an advertisement of a very nice flat in Gumtree. When I replied, I got quickly a reply from katarzyna.mizielska@outlook.com  including a link to fake AirBnB site.

Do not send any personal information to this address!!!!

[Karolina67]

Same happened to me TODAY!!! It is sad that you had this experience. Same person tried to trick me with same email and same story. katarzyna.mizielska@outlook.com.  Thanks to your post I was able to filter out the scammer quickly using google. Hope the person won't use your personal details for bad things.. 😞

[Gareth63]

I've just encountered the same scam whilst looking for a flat to rent in Bristol on Gumtree. This time it's using a different address :

I just read your e-mail regarding my apartment located in 31 Deanery Road, BRISTOL BS1 5QH
I am the owner of the apartment. My name is Katarzyna Mizielska from Poland. I bought the apartment while working in UK.
The apartment has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 living room, 1 kitchen and 1 allocated car parking space.

...

Please see the apartment pictures here https://1drv.ms/***********

From the same katarzyna.mizielska@outlook.com address

[Alexa86]

I just had the exact same....but she is now operating under the name "Zofia Pardela" for flats in Bristol.

Suspected something was off so looked at the information for the sender of the one drive photos and name is "Katarzyna Mizielska".

Avoid!!!!

[Helen3]

@Alexa86 if you want a long term rental in Bristol try something like SpareRoom.com or look at rentals on Rightmove. Or as it looks like you are a student, try the accommodation office at UWE.