ScamVictimsUnited.com

Roomates.com is just a HAVEN for scammers. I suggerst you remove your ad.

NHEngineer

I am realizing that... thanks!

obligatory bad joke,..... I posted a ad on roomates.com for an open room in my home in happy sunny florida and we got 2 responses that read very much like a few that have been posted.... same MO, they reply soon after we email them with little regard to questions that we have posed or any sign that they even read what we wrote...

Both from Roommates.com

From #1.....


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Return-Path: <razemboa@yahoo.com>
HTTP; Wed, 12 Oct 2005 08:17:53 PDT
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 08:17:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: mary margret <razemboa@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Florida Roomate

Hi jugglingkev,
Thanks so much for the mail. I really do appreciate the breakdown details of the house. I'll be so glad if you can reserve the room for me and remove the advert from roommates.com as i'll love to rent the place. Before u can chek ur mail there in roommate.com, u have to upgrade by paying.
ABOUT ME:Name: Mary Taylor Eyes: brown Age: 27yrs Height: 5' 6" (167cm)
Weight: 122 pounds (55.0 kg) Body Style: Athletic/Fit Activity Level: Active
Smoking: No Drinking: Socially
Marital Status: Single Children: I have no kids Zodiac Sign: Virgo
Languages I speak: English
Ethnicity: Caucasian/White Religion: Not Religious Grew up in: Australia
Education: MCSA/MCSE
Occupation:Consultant Annual Income: Over $90,000US
I'm a quiet and easy going person to live with. My families lives here in uk and i have no friends in US except you lol. I am currently working on contract for my company CleverLink Internet Technology Services here in uk and hope to end my current assignment in few weeks and will love to come down as soon as possible to explore my talent and hope to have a more profitable job. I do not have a pic presently on my system but will try to attach one to my next mail.
My favorites are;
My favorite cuisines: Barbecue, Chinese/Dim Sum, Deli, Eastern-European, Fast Food/Pizza, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese/Sushi, Mexican, Seafood, Soul Food, Thai, Vietnamese
My favorite music: Dance/Electronica, Disco, Easy Listening, Pop/Top 40, Rap/Hip Hop, Soul/R&B and Soundtracks.
My favorite physical activities: Basketball, Working Out, Dancing, Swiming and Hiking/Walking I will love to know themode of pay as i feel money order will be ok.
Hope to hear from u soon.
Mary

jugglingkev <jugglingkev> wrote:
Hi.
We are laid back mostly quiet people who are more often playing everquest but sometimes playing on the gulf of mexico

Does roomates.com require you to pay to get the email that I sent to you there?

Room size is small 11.5' x 11' with a 3.5 x 2 closet, we have another room that we keep as a guest room as well about
the same size in the room we have a bed dresser and hutch but we can happily store these elsewhere

We have been asking $ 450. per month and a $ 50. deposit and that covers utilities except long distance we have digital
cable for TV and Internet we expect that excessive use will be paid for without question.

There is a paved parking space but no garage

Advance payment is fine with us

There is a bus that stops 3 houses from us and would probably stop right here Groceries are 10 blocks away malls are
within 9 miles




>Quoted<
My name is mary taylor, a very simply and quiet person to live with. I love travelling, sporting and enjoy meeting
people. I dont smoke but do not mind people who do being around me. I am cool, pretty laid back and easy going person
and like to have a roommate who is very responsible and understanding roommate.
I saw your advert and i am sincerely interested in the room advertised as i will be moving to the states as soon as i
leave here (UK). Please contact me if you are still looking for a mate, preferably through my email
address......razemboa@yahoo.com, since my membership with roommate is not upgraded.
However, please i'll like to know the total move in cost of the room as well as the picture of the house as i'll not be
able to check out the place until my arrival, so that i can make arrangement for payment prior to my arrival since i'll
be coming down from London as soon as i'm able to secure a comfortable room. I'll also like to know abit about yourself.
Thanks as i anxiously await your mail. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Regards Love From Mary Taylor




---------------------------------
Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.
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Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit



Thanks XXXXX

I also got a mail from jugglingkev. I realy appreciate u guys, ihope itwill =
be
fun to live there withu as i promise u will so much enjoy living with me =
too
as i feel its going tobe fun . I can describe myself as neat and just =
trying
not to be dirty. I promise to make the best use of the house.Thanks for =
the
mail. I'm so glad to hear from you. However, i'll be out to get a =
shipper
who will be moving my properties in before my moving in date. In the =
mean
time, i'll be needing your full name, mailing address and your phone =
number
so as to prepare the payment as my client will be sending money orders =
of
pay ( about $6000 being money due to me) from which i'll like you to =
deduct
the fee for my room and help me keep the balance with you as i'll be=20
needing some money to pay the shipper that will move my things down. I =
will
keep you posted of when you are likely to receive the payment. Greetings =
to
jugglingkev over there .
Hope to hear from you soon. Have a good time.
Love from Mary Taylor


XXXXXXXXXXXX

and another

From Roomates.com.....
You have 2 new matches. Note: matches may include new and/or recently updated profiles.

MARCORDB30: Male | 30 | Professional | Non-smoker | NEW
View profile: http://www.roommates.com/profile_2661680

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Hello Potential Roomie,


YES, I am interested, Please I will like to have answers to the following
questions below:


1) I will like to have the description of the room, size, and the equipments
in there.
2) I will like to have the rent fee per month plus the utilities.
3) Also I will like to know if there is any garage or parking space cos I
will have my own car come over.
4) I will also be coming with some of my furniture, that is if it is
allowed, like bed, book shelf cos I read alot, shoe rank etc
5) I will also like to know if I can make an advance payment ahead my
arrival that will be stand as a kind of commitment that I am truely coming
over and for you to hold the room down for me.
6) If the #5 questions is YES, I will like to know the total cost for the my
initial move as in first month rent and if you accept deposit.
7) I will like to know the major intersection nearest your neighborhood.
like shopping mall, bus line e.t.c
Lastly, I will like to know more about you and also I will like to have
your pics as for me to know how my roommate to be looks like.



Here is all I can say about my self for now.


I am 30 years old and I work full time, Monday through Friday and have
weekends off except for once a month. I was born and raised in Costa Rica,
but present in France on a business trip for more than 5 years..


I am a professional, A Computer Consultant and I deal in various kind of
computer applications and softwares.
I graduated in Argosy University in Costa Rica 8 years ag0 and I have my
B.sc in Computer Science...
I am not really a sports person,, BUT I do love Hockey Games,I am a very out
going person and fun to be with. I do play the organ and piano,, and I do
have BOTH piano and organ here at my house.I am not a drinker and I don't
smoke and I don't do drugs. YES I would like to go out with you on weekends
and weeknights when I am free. I like going to movies,, concerts ,, plays,,I
like camping, hiking, bike ridding, swimming, and I love to travel.


I am a very dedicated individual who is totally committed to human
development, friendly, very trustworthy and value relationship above
anything.I am a laid back person,I love travelling,sporting and enjoy
meeting people around the world.I am an easy going person and like to have
an apartment/roommate who is very responsible and understanding, someone I
can really get along with. I will take my time to get you one of my pics in
two days time for you to know how I look like, I am sure you will like me.


I am presently in Paris, France and I will be moving to FLORIDA fully to
live for the rest of my life and start a new life and get my own business as
a Computer Consultant ( I have my resume). I will be staying in your
apartment for a A YEAR or More.


I should be arriving the state on before 25th - 30th Oct, 2005......


I need answers to my 8 questions above as soon as possible so as to arrange
for you to get the money prior for my arrival to retain and consider the
room mine.. I will be making this advance payment ahead my arrival so that
you can be rest assured that this is real since I am not in the state
presently.
If you think I will be a good roommate to you and you are interested in
roomie with me


NOTICE: Kindly Address all emails to me directly to my private email box at
MBANKSXXXXXX@HOTMAIL.COM This is very important B'cos I am not a fully paid
roommate member so any email sent to roommate mail center will not be read
as I will not have access to it.


Thanks and have a good time.


Warmest Regards,
MarCorD BanKs.............

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Hello ,


Thanks very much for the warm reply. From all what you wrote I am very glad
to tell you that I am pleased with them.
The price of the room , and other qualities of the room. I am very sure that
I will be a very good roomie b'cos I am a very humble, kind, quite and easy
going person.


I am also a Christian and I go to church on Sundays and Wednesdays. I play
piano for my church most time and also I was once a choir master.
I am very honest and open-minded person. I do not take life hard. I read and
also take my time to enjoy life though I neither drink nor smoke. I am about
5.7 feet tall.


I have a lot of programmes that is the reason why I am moving over to the
state to settle down. I have been making moves on investing and I have
though of selling and buying of Computer Softwares and Accessories as I have
an associate in China that will supply me with every needs. I am saying all
this so that you will know that I am a serious type. and I do have a job.
Though it will cost a very huge amount to invest over there.


Now for the payment arrangement.. As I said in my previous email that I
will be paying ahead my arrival for a month, which is very important and
that will secure the room for me, and as soon as I arrive others important
things will be taken care of before moving in the room.


I want you to know that the first month payment will be made in full via
Certified Bank Cashier's Check or Money Order and that will stand as
commitment ahead my arrival.
I have just concluded a contract with an American guy who is presently in
France and he wants to pay me in US $$$. And I have talked with my bank and
I was told it will take a long time for it to clear so I will be giving your
name and address to him so that he can forward the payment to you so that
you can have it cashes as soon as possible since it is in $$$ Certified
funds


So if this suites you please I want you to provide me with the following
informations for the payment to be made, the NAME that will be on the
payment and ADDRESS that the payment will be sent to and also I will need a
valid PHONE # both HOME and CELL and also Work Phone Number if any, for
urgent reasons.Also, I want you to know that a reference and agreement form
will be signed as soon as I arrive should that is necessary.


Remember I will be staying in your apartment for a year or more and my
arrival date is scheduled for 25th-30th Oct,2005.....


I will await your respond to know how to proceed.
Thanks very much.


XXXXXXXXXXXX

in my best sam Kinneson, OHHHHHHHHHHH. OOOHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!



I can not distinguish these 2 from the rest.


Thank you

Do you not think you were wrong?:X:X

Oh my God I just got the EXACT same email that JugglingKev got - I was a little leery and just thought I'd look up these scams on Google and found this site. I've had 2 people contact me in the past 2 days and this is one of them. The other is from some girl named Helen Carter and now that I've read all the other stories I'm thinking she's a scammer too! She mentioned the whole cashier's check thing to me and I told her I would only accept advance payment via Paypal - she hasn't replied yet so we'll see. Why do STUPID people have to screw up everything in the world!



From: iluvtx
Sent: 10/26/05 6:01 PM MST
Subject: Hello...


Hi,
I am by name Torre P. Woods. Born in Ft Worth,TX, and I grew up in London (Liverpool). I am currently in Liverpool and I am a marketer to be precised. I am 29 yrs old.
I attended University of Leeds. I studied Marketing and now work here in Liverpool as a marketer for a small grown up firm.,here in London. I work a lot, though I spend a lot of time at the sports like gym, golfing, playing poker - the fun stuffs. I'm an avid fan of Manchester United Football club and I also enjoy watching basketball. I'm sure we'll have plenty in common.

I will take my time to get you one of my pics in two days time for you to know how I look like, I am sure you will like me.I am a very dedicated individual who is totally committed to human development, friendly, very trustworthy and value relationship above anything.I love travelling,sporting and enjoy meeting people around the world.I am an easy going person and like to have an apartment/roommate who is very responsible and understanding, someone I can really get along with.

I will be coming over to the state to advertise and market some of our new products by next month, and the program is starting from your area. I will be arriving to the state by 20th of Nov; latest, and I will also be staying for at least 9months... Probably i will be moving in the room the same day or next day.The products are comestics, like soap, toothpaste, e.t.cThe name of the company that is sponsoring and owns this is Doudeas Stores and Cosmestics Company. Located in the Liverpool, Uk.

Fortunately, I saw your advert and I am sincerely interested in the room as advertised and I will like to move in a soon as possible.


Please I will like to know all these...
1) I will like to have the description of the room, size, and the equipments in there.
2) I will like to have the rent fee per month plus the utilities.
3) Also I will like to know if there is any garage or parking space cos I will have my own car come over.
4) I will also be coming with some of my furniture, that is if it is allowed, like bed, book shelf cos I read alot, shoe rank etc
5) I will also like to know if I can make an advance payment ahead my arrival that will be stand as a kind of commitment that I am truely coming over and for you to hold the room down for me.
6) If the #5 questions is YES, I will like to know the total cost for the my initial move as in first month rent and if you accept deposit.
7) I will like to know the major intersection nearest your neighborhood. like shopping mall, bus line e.t.c
Lastly, I will like to know more about you and also I will like to have your pics as for me to know how my roommate to be looks like.


I will be very glad to have all this questions answered with out leaving a stone unturned...
I need this info as soon as possible so as to arrange for you to get the money prior for my arrival. As I will like to make an advance payment ahead my arrival so that you can be rest assured that this is real since I am not in the state presently.
If you are interested in my proposer kindly email me directly to my private email box at tor_p_woods@hotmail.com This is very important cos I don't really upgrade my roommate account.

Thanks and have a good time.

Warmest Regards,
Torre P. Woods.

This scam has now hit craigslist.com. I didnt think much of it until the offer to send me two months rent then asking me to hold on to the balance. This is awfully trusting of a person in the UK to have a stranger "hold on" to her money. Be careful out there!

Thanks to this site! I nearly got taken by a supposed London cutie. She said she was coming to America for work in graphic design & that a "client" of hers is sending me $4300 to cover rent for 6 months. Seemed too good to be true, right? She was very attractive, would pay up front, what a great deal. But then she mentioned that her daughter would have to stay in London & her father wouldn't agree to house her so she had to pay for Bording School. So, when I get the $4300, she requested I send her a check for $2650 for her daughters school. I told her tough crap, get more money from her client. She even went as far as supplying me with flight information into Denver. I got a bit suspicious after I received ANOTHER beautiful model inquiring on my room & Googled "Roommates.com scam" & found this site. THANK YOU!!!!!! I emailed the London beauty back & told her I'm on to her & have supplied her email to the authorities.
THANK YOU!!!!!

Brad

I too received this e-mail from Ralph in England. After I received the money orders I further investigated. 2 money orders for 2800 apiece. I took them everywhere to find out what to do with them...alas the local Metro police dept in Las Vegas told me to they were real and to take them to a check cashing place to cash them. They Came from Arkansas. they were "real" washed checks. already cashed for like 8.55 and 22.38. i took them to wal mart..where they were from to make a fraud claim they didn't care. I still to this day have one of these checks in my car and the other i was trying to report with a check cashing place almost had me arrested for fraud but i took a photo copy of the check and left the one and all my contact info with them to prove i was just trying to report this they said they reported it. I still have one of these money orders in my car. i want to turn it into someone so no one else can cash it, but no one wants it. i still have all the guys info and contact info for the UK. Who do I give this too? Who do I report it to?

be wary of ANYONE asking for advance payment. I'm a cautious person anyway, so I personally wouldn't send anyone money without seeing where I'll be staying or seeing who I'll be staying with.

Some lady just asked me a number of questions, among them was if she could send advance payment (she kept stressing that it was to ensure that she'd be moving in). Although she was born in Houston and lived there for 15 years, her grammar sounded like that of a foreigner. I'll respond to her for the time being, but I am still keeping my eyes open. We'll see how this develops.

If you are offered an advance payment, make it clear that the payment is non-refundable if the room booking is cancelled.

Why? they are all scammers anyway, just ignore them. The check will be returned to you soon enough

If the person is a scammer, they'll soon move on and try somewhere else when they realise they are not going to get any money out of you. If this is a genuine person, they may not like the fact that any advance payment / deposit is non-refundable in the event of their cancellation of the booking, but they will probably understand why.

This sucks because I actually do want to rent out a room. Here's what the "Houston native" told me in a subsequent email:

HELLO,

THANKS FOR THE EMAIL AND RESPONSE.I AM PRESENTLY IN AFRICA AND I WONT BE ABLE TO SEE THE ROOM FIRST BUT I AM REALLY INTERESTED IN THE ROOM COS I HAVE SEEN MUCH ABOUT IT ON THE SITE AND I AM READY TO PAY THE COST OF THE FIRST MONTH WHICH WOULD BE COSTING A TOTAL SUM OF $650 FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.IF YOU SEE MY PREVIOUS EMAIL I TOLD YOU THAT MY CLIENT I WORKED FOR WANTS TO PAY ME PART OF MY MONEY{$5950} BUT HE WILL BE PAYING IN FORM OF USPS MONEY ORDERS SO I AM PRESENTLY RIGHT NOW IN AFRICA AND I AM HOOKED UP SO WHAT I HAVE IN MIND IS THAT I WILL TELL HIM TO DIRECT THE PAYMENT TO YOU IN WHICH THE MONEY ORDERS WILL BE ADDRESSED ON YOUR NAME SO IMMEDIATELY YOU GET THE MONEY ORDERS,YOU KINDLY GET THEM CASHED INSTANTLY AT YOUR BANK,DEDUCT OUT YOUR $650 FOR THE ROOM AND YOU KINDLY HELP ME PROCEED DIRECTLY TO ANY WESTERN UNION OUTLET IN YOUR AREA TO SEND THE EXCESS FUNDS OF $5300 TO ME VIA WESTERN UNION SO I CAN USE TO BUY TICKETS AND GET SOME OTHER THINGS NEEDED TO COME BACK TO THE STATES.I WOULD ALSO GET A CAR WITH THE SHIPPING CHARGES IN THE EXCESS MONEY YOU ARE SENDING.

YOU MUST MAKE SURE YOU HELP ME GET THE MONEY ORDERS ARE CASHED INSTANTLY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THEM AND ALSO MAKE SURE YOU SEND THE MONEY TO ME VIA WESTERN UNION SAME DAY YOU RECEIVE THEM.

SO I GUESS YOU ARE OK WITH THIS SO PLS KINDLY GET BACK TO ME ASAP WITH YOUR FULL DETAILS WHICH INCLUDE THE NAME AND ADDRESS TO SEND THE MONEY ORDERS TO WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND EXPECT THE MONEY ORDERS SOONEST.

I WOULD SEND YOU THE INFORMATION TO SEND THE $5300 VIA WESTERN UNION LATER.

SO PLS KINDLY GET BACK TO ME ASAP COS I LOOK FORWARD IN GETTING A RESPONSE FROM YOU.

THANKS FOR YOUR CO OPERATION, PATIENCE, AND KIND GESTURE.

HAVE A VERY LOVELY AND GREAT TIME.

REGARDS

LINDA

Is there any way to report roommates.com to the Better Business Bureau? The frequency with which these cases occur shows a measure of irresponsibility on the business' part. I paid $20 just to get a month's worth of scams delivered to me.

I am not sure that reporting them to the BBB will do anything . . . the people running the site are not running the scam, it is the people coming to the site that are the ones who are a problem.

I do think that Roommates.com and other sites like it should have a warning about this scam listed on their site and when someone posts an ad on the site they should send them an email telling them about the scam.