# Question about rentals can you help??



## Guest (Feb 6, 2009)

My daughter has been looking for a house to rent in Colorado Springs. Most have been through an agency, but a handful have been private listings that she has found online or in the paper. Since her credit is not wonderful right now she has had difficulty qualifying with the agency. She has emailed a few of the private listings and received similar responses(below) from about 3 of those--and they are starting to sound a bit fishy-especially since they have all been people who have had to mysterriously move to Africa-I was wondering if any of you had any experience with anything like this--I am thinking that the next step may be "OK we accept your application and you should send your deposit and first months rent to:" I suggested checking with the better business bureau, but really don't know where else to check on something like this. Any info anyone here has would be great.

Hello Dear, House Information: Bedrooms: 3 Bedrooms Bathrooms: 2 Bathrooms Application fee:0.00 Utilities fee:0.00 Available:Now ADDRESS : xxxx Lake Ave, Colorado Springs, CO Thanks for your email and it is my gladness hearing from you.Mr. and Mrs. Krueger own the house you are making enquiry of.Actually I resided in the house with my family,such as my wife and my only daugther before and presently we had packed due to my transfer from my working place and now situated in (West Africa Nigeria) and presently my house is still available for rent for $800 which the deposit is 800 dollars including the utilities,it is furnished or if you which to move in with your own furnitures,no problem.. PROPERTY DISCRIPTION: Roomy three bedroom, two full bath home with a 15' x 12' great room, a five piece master bath for a total finished square footage of 1357. The home offers a 1344 square foot unfinished basement for storage or a play area for the kids. CONTACT ME ON +234-706-092-7169 Or 011-234-706-092-7169SO IF YOU ARE REALY INTRESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATIONS FORMS BELOW
RENTAL APPLICATION FORMAlso,Pls let me get this answer.FIRST NAME:__________________
MIDDLE NAME: _________________
LAST NAME: __________________
PROFESSION: ________________ 
PHONE (____) __________
(CELL)PHONE (____) __________
(WORK)PHONE (____) __________
(HOME)KIDS _____ (YES/NO), HOW MANY ________
PRESENT ADDRESS: _____________________
CITY: _______________
STATE: ______________ 
ZIPCODE: ____________ HOW LONG? ___________IF RENTING
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING? IF THIS APARTMENT IS BEING GIVEN TO YOU,HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING? ____________WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN?______________
IF YOU HAVE A PET,
NAME OF PET: _____________
KIND OF PETS: _____________
HABITS
DO YOU SMOKE? ______________
DO YOU DRINK? ______________
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT? ______________ Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you.Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the key to you,please we are giving you all this base on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words,you know that,we do not see yet and only putting everything into Gods hand,so please do not let us down in this our property and God bless you more as you do this. Thanks and you are welcome.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I'm no expert, but that form sure could be used for identity stealing.
It does sound just like those emails you get from the Nigerian whatever.

I'd run away from it.

Is she getting these from the newspaper or a local agency? This appears to be something like Craigslist.

Angie


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## rider (Feb 11, 2003)

i have a house in denver that a management co. takes care of they may be able to help her out with some one in the springs or maybe they even handle stuff down there name is real property management colorado they have done a wonder job in handling my property course i am on the owner end not the rentor end but they could be of some help the add you posted sounds very fishy to me i would stay far far away rider
www.realpropertymanagementcolorado.com


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

I believe this is just the latest scam being used. When we were looking for a rental the wife ran ads on Craig's List and received responses with phone numbers that were obviously out of the country. I saw something on TV about the very same thing. In this day and age it pays to be very cautious. I think it's better to assume something is a scam and be safe than take a chance on getting hurt. ANYTHING that says Nigeria is to be avoided like the plague. Scammers from there tried twice to get me when I was selling a truck on Ebay a few years ago. There are a lot of Property Management companies here in the U.S. that would be able to help I think. Best of luck to your daughter. 


Nomad


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## Guest (Feb 7, 2009)

rider said:


> i have a house in denver that a management co. takes care of they may be able to help her out with some one in the springs or maybe they even handle stuff down there name is real property management colorado they have done a wonder job in handling my property course i am on the owner end not the rentor end but they could be of some help the add you posted sounds very fishy to me i would stay far far away rider
> www.realpropertymanagementcolorado.com



Thanks so much for this info-I will pass it along to her.


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## Guest (Feb 7, 2009)

Thanks folks! The scam thing is what I was thinking--after having our house for sale, and listed any number of different places we have come across quite a few off sounding deals that we just pass right over. One person being transfered to Africa, maybe, but 3 or 4--something isn't right.


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## dustyrose (Oct 18, 2005)

yes i believe it was a scam, i live in the springs and recently began to look for a new place to live. i answered an ad on craigslist and received a bizarre letter back. i contacted the owner by phone, he was at the house so i went there, he had a laptop so i showed him the email, it had his real name but he was NOT in nigeria! so do be aware those darn scammers are everywhere. i give no personal info unless in person, even then i am uneasy. good luck and hope you find a place soon. troops (they estimate 40K troops and families) are coming in on monday so rentals and other homes will be tough to get.


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## lmnde (Sep 25, 2006)

Sounds like a new version of the Nigerian Scam Routine. Pass and move on to the next one...


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## suthin12 (Dec 12, 2008)

There has been a scam for years, it goes like this, someone rents a home, then puts it up for rent, cheap rent, hight security deposit, then collects several deposits and skips town.


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## Marie04 (Mar 3, 2008)

run away from that offer! sounds like a scam....


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## PezzoNovante (Jun 11, 2002)

Another scam making the rounds is a con artist renting a foreclosed home. Always pays to check that the person renting actually is entitled to rent the property. Checking the county tax rolls is an easy way to do that.


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2009)

Thanks again--we have decided to stay away from anything with out of country renters or anything else that sounds fishy.


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## Dave (May 10, 2002)

Even meeting the "landlord" in person isn't enough. It's getting to be a big scam where people advertise homes for rent that they don't even own. They use foreclosed or listed homes for the scam. 

Several here recently took in over 20k from victims in one weekend. They told each person they were approved and collected security deposit/1st month rent.

I would verify i.d. of the alleged owner and check ownership through the county assessors office. 

There's quite a few property management companies in Colorado Springs. That would be the safest way to go.


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2009)

Thanks again all-rental house has been found-through an agency so things should be OK. Moving day is March 1st.


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