I have been a dedicated craigslist classified (apartments available) seeker for the past 2 months or so. If you are familiar with the website, you will know that there is an option for you to email the person that posted the ad (whether its for an apartment, to sell something, dating, etc.). I have been emailing many apartment owners in hopes of finding an apartment but to no avail. One thing that raised a red flag for me is the fact that out of maybe 8 emails, three of them (yes three) responded in a similar manner. All of which the owner claims that they're out on a so called "mission" in NIGERIA and how the money is not the object, it the cleanliness of the apartment. Please refer to the three DIFFERENT email response to my apartment inquiry:
ONE OF THE FIRST EMAILS WAS THIS ONE:
Hello thanks for your response am Dr. Moses Morgan I and my wife (Debbie Morgan) came over to West Africa for a missionary work, so i hope you will promise us to take very good care of the Apartment we are giving out for rent. Do get back to us on how you could take care of our Apartment or perhaps experience you have in renting an Apartment. Hope you are okay with the price of US$560 (3 months first payment) with hydro, heat laundry facilities, air condition and so on. I am looking forward to hear from you as soon as possible
THIS ONE IF FROM A DIFFERENT PERSON:
Hello,
Thanks for your response regarding your interest in having my apartment for rent. The apartment is much available for now. I want you to know that I am the owner of this 1br - one bedroom Cooperative apartment Highland Avenue, Jamaica Estates, Queens. But right now i am in africa on a Christain mission with my wife and we have the keys right here with us. I will like to inform you that it was due to my transfer that makes us to leave the house and also want to give it out for rent and looking for a resposible person that can take very good care of it as we are not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean at the time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were its own. So for now, We are here in West Africa, NIGERIA our new house and also with the keys of the house, we are trying to look for an agent that we can give this
document before we left but could not see and we are as well as dont want
our house to be used any how in our absent that is why we took it along
with us here. We are only willing to give the apartment out to a lovely and caring family only, so if you know you cannot give the apartment the neatness it deserves please don't contact me. But if you promise to always take good care of apartment, get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of $600 with hydro, heat laundry facilities, air-condition and so on. I look forward to hearing from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent, also are you ready to rent it now or when?
HERES ANOTHER EMAIL FROM YET ANOTHER SO CALLED OWNER:
Hello,
Thank you for your interest. I have available the apartment including (square ft. 840), because I move with my job in Miami/Florida and I need money to pay the rent here, that is the reason I want to rent at this price and to find a good person for my apartment. This is the reason that I want to rent it. I can rent you the apt for max. 5 years because I have a contract here for this period. I'm the owner of the apt and its like in the pics. The rent for 1 month is $ 750 including all utilities (water, electricity, Internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator). You can move in the apt in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I'm the only person who have the keys but I hope that we will find a compromise.
One more thing I will rent the apartment for 2 month in advance and let me know how much time you want to rent my apartment?
Thank you for your interest and wait news from you,
Best Regards,
This is the very last email i received today (dec 26):
Hello,
Thanks for your email response. The apartment is still available for $700 per month. I inherented the apartment from my late father. I lived in the apartment all alone, but presently now i am in West Africa Lagos Nigeria i will be residing here for some time due to my current assignment. I am a commitee member in an (SNA COMPANY: SAY NO TO AIDS) PROGRAM. And we are on a compaign program to Nigeria and some part of west african countries. I just need someone with an open heart, love and clean to occupy the apartment and put all my worries off concerning the maintenance of the apartment for, since i am not residing there for now. I left behind some Facilities and electonics like satellite TV which you have to pay for the subcription, and a sony DVD player, air conditioning, alarm system. The kitchen is fully equipped with all necessary cooking utensils, a refrigerator-freezer, four-hob and oven, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine. Also the keys to the apartment are right here with me, and the lease document. Which i can send to you after all necessary agreement has be accepted. Also i will like you to know that the rent charges is not really the issue, but your absolute maintenance of the apartment, because that is the only valuable property my late father left behind, and it also took him so much time and money to put all those facilities in place. My apartment is situated 76-66 Austin Street, Queens NY 11375
It is obvious that someone has something up their sleeve. Even though (thank god) I did not fall for the scam, I actually almost did and I am reporting them because this can easily catch someone else off guard. If you are searching on craigslist for an apartment and receive an email response similar to these, DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM. We need to put a stop to these crooks and stop them and stop them soon
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