tenants can be scammed with moneygram

When renting, particularly where the Internet is involved where there is no initial face contact, its important to beware of fraudsters using theb moneygram scam to to steal your cash. Fraudsters target potential tenants, just like they target landlords.
This is where adverts are placed on popular community websites such as the gumtree, craigslist, or spare room for what looks like a legitimate accommodation for rental.
The ads are well written just like most genuine adverts. However, the accommodation on offer tends to be going for what looks like a lower amount then market value. To get people to think they have a bargain so more people would show an interest.
Pictures of the adverts tend to be glossy giving an impression of a plush place of rent. Also these adverts tend not to have a contact telephone number. The user is required to contact the advertiser through email link shown on the website. This is part of the moneygram scam.
When contact is made with the criminal, an email is sent to the victim providing more descriptions of the residence. The house is put in a very positive light, what is available tends to seems quite grand. The victim is told the landlord is not around in the area. For whatever reason, work, family or whatever excuse the landlord is in another part of the country or indeed overseas, would have to arrive at an agreed time to show the property.
The victim is asked if he is able to look after the place well, if he is able to keep the property tidy as perhaps bad encounters were experienced previously. Thinking this is all a good deal the potential tenant replies back to the landlord with satisfactory answers. The scammer then tells him he has had bad experiences with tenants previously with people unable to pay rent so he needs to ensure this potential tenant has the means to do so. Again this all part of the moneygram scam.
After all he does want to come all the way from Newcastle or Denmark to deal with an unsuitable tenant. To prove he has the funds a Moneygram transfer is requested. He states the transfer does not need to paid to him directly, after all its not advisable to transfer funds to unknown people but a movement of funds to a relative or friend of the tennent. After this is done the receipt is required to be sent to the scammer providing proof that funds are available, and so it will not be a long and wasted journey from far flung areas.
If the victim does agree to this course of action, their receipt is asked to be faxed or scanned and sent. With the receipt in the hands of the fraudster he is able to withdraw the money. To withdraw funds from Moneygram, a tracking number on the receipt together with the senders name is all thats required.
This is a common scam seen on websites. If someone asks for a transfer of some sorts through Moneygram, its a criminal weaving his spell. And if something looks too good to be true then it probably is.
If a house is advertised at what appears to be a lower value, there is likelihood something is not right. Leave it well alone. If you do come across this type of moneygram scam best to report it to the website so the ad can be withdrawn.
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