Attention, ceci est une arnaque:
En consultant un site d'annonces immobilières (www.immoscout24.ch), je suis tombée sur une offre de location assez surprenante: un appartement de rêve loué une bouchée de pain. Méfiante mais souhaitant en savoir plus (sait-on jamais, les bons plans existent), j'ai simplement demandé, par le biais du formulaire de contact du site (le soumissionnaire n'ayant pas indiqué ses coordonnées) à quelle date ce logement serait disponible, puisque ce n'était pas précisé. Voici l'échange de mails qui a suivi:
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:55:57 -0800
From: roger.miles75@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: ImmoScout24 - Formulaire de contact (N° de référence xxxxx)
To: xxx@yyy.com
Good afternoon ,
My name is Roger Miles and I am a lawyer! I inherited the apartment in Rte de Florissant 114, Geneve from my father in 2007. I never lived in that apartment because my mother and father were divorced and I was raised by my mother in Liverpool , United Kingdom. I tried to sell the apartment but I couldn't get a fair price for it so I decided together with my mother to rent it to some nice people.
The apartment is exactly like you see it in the pictures, fully furnished, but I have the option of sending all my furniture into storage if you want to bring your own (no extra costs). The rent for 1 month is 1350 CHF (for the entire apartment) including all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking etc)...
You can move in the apartment in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I am unable to leave the United Kingdom because my law firm has just won a very important contract to represent a large company .
You don't need to worry, I have made all arrangements to rent the apartment from here, an agency will take care of business for me (with no extra cost for you).
Thank you for your interest and I will look forward to hearing from you soon !
All the best from Liverpool,
Roger Miles
From: XY <xxx@yyy>
Subject: RE: ImmoScout24 - Formulaire de contact (N° de référence xxxxx)
To: roger.miles75@yahoo.com
Date: Sunday, February 15, 2009, 5:54 PM
Dear Mr Miles,
Thank you very much for your quick answer and the detailled information.
As I can see from the pictures, your apartment looks really nice and I would be very happy to rent it, all the more so since it is located near the place where I work.
I am a sales representative and I am looking for a place to settle in with my companion, who works as a teacher.
We have been looking for this kind of place for a while and I must say it perfectly suits our wishes, so we would be truly delighted to get to live in this apartment.
Concerning the furniture, I think we would rather bring our own but we have to discuss this point yet; anyway, it is very nice of you to give us both possibilities, be sure that we will keep you informed as soon as possible.
Please feel free to ask us any information or document you may think useful.
You can contact me by email or by phone at this number: 00xxxxxxxx, or I can contact your agency directly if you prefer.
Thank you again for your answer, I look forward to hearing from you!
Best regards,
XY
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:39:19 -0800
From: roger.miles75@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: ImmoScout24 - Formulaire de contact (N° de référence xxxxx)
To: xxx@yyy.com
Hello again,
The apartment is ready for you, you will need only to receive the keys and the contract to check it, and see if you like it.
Obviously we need a way to complete this deal, that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are after. In order of that I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast, and in this way you will receive the Keys in less than 2 days, if you move fast as well. The solution is provided by a company called TNT Global Express Rentals LTD. Since it is impossible for me to come in your country, at this point they will send an agent to show you the apartment.
I have to inform you the steps about how this service works and how we can make it happen:
1 - To start this transaction I will need to know your full shipping name and address to proceed with this deal.
2 - I will go to the my local TNT Office, I leave them the Keys and I make all the arrangements for the delivery.
3 - TNT will send you a delivery notification to let you know they have the Keys and the papers in their custody.
4 - At this point you will have to make a money transfer deposit to the TNT agent assigned to handle our transaction.
5 - You will have to send the informations about the money deposit to TNT. They will verify the payment informations and if everything is ok, the agent will come to show you the apartment.
6 - When the agent arrives there, he will call and you will go and visit the apartment with him.
* If you accept to rent the apartment, you sign all the papers with him and the transaction is finished.
* If you don't accept to rent my apartment, the agent will give your money back in the same day, you won't lose anything !
I will pay the shipping taxes to TNT. They are requesting a minimum payment of 2 months of rent as warranty to start the delivey. If you are interested in a discount, we can get to an agreement in wich you will pay less if you agree to pay in advance for more than 2 months. The reason for this discount is that I am in a bad financial situation. I am willing to cut the price by 100 Euro for each month paied in advance. If you agree to these terms, please provide me the following information:
Name:
Address:
Zip Code:
Phone number:
The rent period (minimum 2 months):
The advance payed to TNT (minimum 2 months):
I am waiting your quick answer !
Regards,
Roger Miles
P.S. You can use this translation website if you need to translate in german: www.freetranslation.com
En gros, il s'agissait de verser un montant élevé (au moins deux mois de loyer, voire plus pour obtenir une réduction de 100 euros pour chaque mois payé d'avance, hum) par virement à une agence, TNT Global Express Rentals LTD, censée me remettre ensuite les clés et le contrat. Je n'ai trouvé nulle trace de cette agence sur internet et de plus, il était anormal que je ne puisse visiter les lieux et signer le contrat qu'après avoir effectué ce versement. En outre, ce soi-disant avocat (qui n'utilisait même pas une adresse professionnelle mais une adresse gratuite yahoo), après m'avoir donné une profusion suspecte de détails sur sa vie privée, ne m'a demandé aucune information pour s'assurer de ma solvabilité, et sa réponse était tout à fait impersonnelle.
Je n'ai donc pas donné suite à son dernier message et j'ai signalé l'arnaque au site qui avait publié l'annonce.
J'espère que personne d'autre ne tombera dans le panneau!!