Read this first!: Problems with rooms, money gone

[kogotok]

   Hi all. I also found a flat in Stockholm and recieved a letter from Stefan Larsson, his email wonbiliki@gmail.com. I think, it`s a skam. Here is text of letter
   Hello,

Details about myself and family
I am a 25 yr professional who studies same time. I was born in the London, United kingdom where i lived with my parents before my father who was a lawyer was transferred to Sweden to work for DHL company as their company legal advisory and i have to come to Stockholm for my masters degree and lived with my father in his flat which he has permanently bought it from the owner in the house.
 
He died few months ago after he went on a business trip to Australia when he went to Vamed Engineering and came back with Influenza and so was inffected but was not home on time for treatment. His memories lingers in my heart daily and each time i look at his picture and ever since my mother has been in London, England managing my fathers firm and also handling some of our assets. What more do i tell about my family.....!!! I have siblings who are in school and living with my mother in London.

Apartment Amenities
The rooms is furnished, have cable jerk and also a sound system all for your entertainment purpose, a big twin bed that sleeps two people conveniently, private entrance and exit,  private toilet and bathroom, parking space, washer and drier, it is air-conditioned, the kitchen is fully equipped also coz i do a lot of cooking and so i have microwave oven, gas cooker and so many for your heating and cooking needs. There is connection to internet via wireless and LAN and also Broadband as well for your computing purpose, so you can come with your laptop or desktop if you have one.

Why am renting the apartment out is that am presently with a Company in United Kingdom, I will be here for about 1 to 2 Years. We just need the apartment to be occupied rather empty and abandoned by either Students, family, couple or Anybody what an open heart to take good care of the property and put all my worries off concerning the maintenance of the house. Since i am not residing there for now.

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 been accepted. Also i will like you to know that the rent charges is not really the issue, but your absolute maintenance of my apartment, because that is one of the valuable properties my late father left behind, and it also took him so much time and money to put all those facilities in place.

LOCATION OF THE APARTMENT
Vindragarvägen 2,
117 50 Stockholm,
Sweden.

Places near by: It is near to the popular park..banks, markets, resturants, schools, universities ..etc Nearest to metroline.

Property type : Single 2 bedroom apartment
Asking Price : 450 Euro
Security Deposit: 750 Euro, This is refundable after the end of your stay in my room at no damages....
Availablity: Now
Parking space available
 
There is no problem reserving a room for you provided you can comply with these procedures/terms of transaction and show some commitment by paying a deposit and first month rent which include utilities, so you don't need to pay any bills again.

So if you are interested in the House you get back to me by filling me with below details.
*Your Full Name:
*Your Full Address & Phone Number:
*How old are you?:
*Are you married?:
*Do you have a pet?:
*Do you have a car?:
*Occupation?:
*A copy of your International passport or Working identity as i will be sending you mine along with the contract documents.
*How many months contract will you Deposit?
*********** When will you Move in?
************ When will you Move Out?

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 stand to your words, you know that, we have not seen each other yet and only putting everything into God hands and trust, so please do not let me down on this property and God bless you more as you do this.

Thanks.
Stefan Larsson.

[Meinekleinewolke]

I got an almost same Mail from Elizabeth A. Sasse, she also tells me her father was transfered from manchester to stockholm and died... and I should send the family lawyer several personal infos about me! Adress was: Dobelnsgatan Stockholm 111 40

Then I got a Mail from Judith Elliot... first everything sounds great and she sends me pictures and so on, but now she also wants me to fill out a application form (for her family lawyer) and wants me to pay a deposit... this sounds also wired.

Is it a normal procedure to pay a deposit and have to fill out a very extensive application form for only 5 weeks rental?

[datri]

useful info guys, thanks u so much

[vernetto]

same Elizabeth A Sasse with email lw_m@ymail.com

and similar story.

When you get an email where the landlord boast about their father being a rich man and they live abroad etc you can be sure it's a scam. They will ask you to send money by Western Union and then disappear.

[sahel]

hi all
I have some of these wired ad from people one of them is still stina!
so we should not trust any landloard who contact us directly?
and there is not any safe way to reserve an apartment in advance?I mean before giving the keys? if any one has any advice I would be so appreciated.

[michele_ISM]

hey guys,

after I read your stuff I think I can add a new name....Johanna Sennevall (efutinalowo@gmail.com) she offered me a lovely room in Valhallavägen 62, 114 27, Stockholm the room cost 3000SEK and when it came to the contract she asked me to transfer her money via Western Union to ther mother who lived in London. Furthermore, the signature on the contract and on her passport was different.

Therefore I decided to don't transfer the money. If anyone has a room for me from the 1.09.2010 please contact me (michele@kolditz.de)

Best Regards, Michèle

[Dfang]

I've got a few other names to add to this list. I was looking around for housing in the Norrmalm area and posted an ad on Studentlya.nu, got a few good responses but after the first two sounded a bit dodgy...I've given up using that site altogether.

I'm so wary about trusting any of these ads on the internet now, it's rather awful. I hope we all manage to find housing without falling victim to these scams.

- Pierre Andersson, a middle aged, married man who claims he is working in London and needs to rent his apartment near the T-centralen out as instructed by his mother - who owns the flat but is away on holiday in the Caribbean at the moment...claims the title deed is in the flat but he can't send it to me right now. Has a VERY dodgy ID and email: svenskman17@yahoo.co.uk. DO NOT TRUST THIS GUY. He even sends you amazing pictures of his pad to try get you to wire money over beforehand.

- Robat Zimmer, who has a student room to rent at Åsögatan 194 11632. He claims that viewing won't be possible because he has returned to the UK to begin work and appears very anxious to get you to wire money to him ASAP in order to secure that student room. His email address is robat.zimmer@yahoo.com

If anybody wants to take a look at the pictures which the first dodgy dude sent me, feel free to email me at fangdebbie@gmail.com and I will be most glad to share his very suspicious emails with you.

Regards,
Debbie

-

[AnatolS]

Another trap from "Katharina" )

"Hi,

 Thanks for replying to my advert.I am Katharina.The available piece is
 actually a 2 bedroom apartment located in the beautiful street in
 Address Skeppargatan 114 59 Stockholm Sweden very close to KTH Main
 Campus.The apartment is located few minutes walk to Stockholm subway
 system (“T-banan”). The station is named “Tekniska Högskolan”, and is
 served by the Red Line ending at “Mörby Centrum”,and by several bus
 lines and a commuter train,that?s why so many students come
 running to this place to enjoy their drinks, especially at night. For lunch, they
 always serve some delicious and original meals, and their
 student-formula is really attractive.


 All the rooms in the apartment is furnished and equipped,in fact it
 has just been renovated with modern facility including high speed
 internet..Each room in the apartment has it own private toilet and
 bath with a shared kitchen and living room.I have just secured a new
 job in UK and i have been provided an accommodation too so that was
 why i want to rent it out...

 Each room is 3000SEK including all bills,with deposit of 4000SEK and
 the whole apartment cost 6000SEK,and a security deposit of 8000SEK.So
 to reserve the place,both rent and deposit will be paid to be sure of
 getting the apartment..But note that deposit will be refunded after
 your stay in the apartment if nothing is vandalized in the apartment..

 Viewing wont be possible for now as i have returned to UK where i
 resume my job on Monday.Pictures will be available upon request

My skype is katangora1 so add me for fast chatting.


 Regards,

 Katharina"

PS. when I told her in skype that her appartment pictures looks like 3-4* hotel, she stopped conversation (texting). She did ask to send her many.
I don't know maybe there are some real stories about that, but why don't these people leave  there keys to their local freind in Stockholm,so he can show the appartment from some time to time to potential candidates?

[aliciavaldes1501]

Hi!

I have just got the exact same mail from "Katharina". First I received this mail from ati zimmer (azlojede@gmail.com).

"Hej,

 I just saw your annouce on the internet now..So i will like to offer
you my rooms located near KTH..Do email me for more info if you are
interested"

I wrote him/her to know more about the room and then "Katharina" (so.kata@yahoo.com) answered me with this trap-mail. And obviously I won't answer her after reading your post here!

It is quite exasperating to be looking for a room, which is a very difficult thing in Stokcholm, and at the same time have to face with these people who try to steal your money... please be careful!

Good luck!

Alicia

[aliciavaldes1501]

mayashley94@ymail.com is the same as "Katharina"... all scammers!! Beware of them, please!

[MaryAnnDutch]

Hi, I received an e-mail from Linda Coker. Similar story as Elizabeth A Sasse, but different name and with the e-mail: Linda Coker [cdr_2003@ymail.com] and the adress she gave me was also Dobelnsgatan Stockholm 111 40.

I also received an e-mail from Roger Logan, Sr. [bulls23bears34@hotmail.com]. He wants to sent the key by DHL COURRIER SERVICE ON A NEXT DELIVERY TO YOUR HOUSE and a very strange story.

Best regards,

Marianne

[dd-wrt]

I received today mail what you all know as Katherina....
But to me he said he was Jan ...here is the text..:

Thanks for the interest in my flat in Stockholm.I would want to give you a trial. below is the detail for the available flat that you will be renting or probably sharing .Hope you like it?And hope you're serious as i have a lot of people interested to rent and some people have wasted my time before in the past.The flat is located in Skeppargatan 114 59 Stockholm Sweden very close to KTH Main Campus.The apartment is located few minutes walk to Stockholm subway system (“T-banan”). The station is named “Tekniska Högskolan”, and is served by the Red Line ending at “Mörby Centrum”,and by several buslines and a commuter train,that?s why so many students come running to this place to enjoy their drinks, especially at night. For lunch, they always serve some delicious and original meals, and their student-formula is really attractive

 Await your reply back so i can forward you agreement form to read
and sign back if its ok with you.

 The rent for one room is 3000SEK Per Calender Month) Deposit: 4000SEK.

 The whole apartment is 6000SEK Per Calender Month) Deposit: 8000SEK

Utilities include: electricity, gas, cable, phone.internet access
Available: 1/08/2008
Minimum stay:I month
Maximum:2 Years
Description

 Room and apartment description Features:Flat #,
Parking available,No parking cost, 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms
Home amenities: Al arm system, Cable ready,Washer/Dryer,

Dishwasher,Microwave, Kitchen access, Storage.House amenities: Furnished, Air conditioning, Private entrance,Private bath, Phone jack, TV, Cable jack, Closet.

Hope you like it?
 Payment terms;The payment of 2months rent and deposit will have to
be paid in advance before you can be assured of getting
the place reserved for you.Get back to me if you are interested

Regards
Jan K

He said that he is abroad and can send only pictures.....
BE CAREFUL ...PEOPLE.....!!!

Dusan

[mani09]

i also face same problem,,,

[Barzi]

Got emails from Katharina and from Stina Nilsson as well.

About Katharina I'm still having discussions.
I checked the address, but she didn't give me the number of the flat (she gave me only the zip code and there are like 20 buildings in that area). For such ZIP code the nearest station is Stadion. I advised her that Stadion is the nearest and not Tekniska, and she said me:"oh yes, you're right, sorry". After she send me the number of the flat I noticed that the ZIP code was wrong, and the nearest station to that number is Östermalmstorg!!!
BTW she sent me her passport, but she didn't want to have a video-call with me, cause she doesn't have a webcam. There are also other lot of contradictions, but I think it's enough to prove that she's a fake.

About Stina Nilsson (I'm very unlucky this period), she said me that she will not be in Sweden cuz she's on holiday, and she will not able to show me the flat. She's very lovely with her emails, and she said me to do her a bank transfer, but she wasn't clear for which bank. I'm waiting for her reply.

[mojtaba]

Thanks for the interest in my flat in Stockholm.I would want to give you a trial. below is the detail for the available flat that you will be renting or probably sharing .Hope you like it?And hope you're serious as i have a lot of people interested to rent and some people have wasted my time before in the past.The flat is located in Skeppargatan 114 59 Stockholm Sweden very close to KTH Main Campus.The apartment is located few minutes walk to Stockholm subway system (“T-banan”). The station is named “Tekniska Högskolan”, and is served by the Red Line ending at “Mörby Centrum”,and by several buslines and a commuter train,that?s why so many students come running to this place to enjoy their drinks, especially at night. For lunch, they always serve some delicious and original meals, and their student-formula is really attractive

 Await your reply back so i can forward you agreement form to read
and sign back if its ok with you.

 The rent for one room is 3000SEK Per Calender Month) Deposit: 4000SEK.

 The whole apartment is 6000SEK Per Calender Month) Deposit: 8000SEK

Utilities include: electricity, gas, cable, phone.internet access
Available: 1/08/2008
Minimum stay:I month
Maximum:2 Years
Description

 Room and apartment description Features:Flat #,
Parking available,No parking cost, 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms
Home amenities: Al arm system, Cable ready,Washer/Dryer,

Dishwasher,Microwave, Kitchen access, Storage.House amenities: Furnished, Air conditioning, Private entrance,Private bath, Phone jack, TV, Cable jack, Closet.

Hope you like it?
 Payment terms;The payment of 2months rent and deposit will have to
be paid in advance before you can be assured of getting
the place reserved for you.Get back to me if you are interested

Regards
Jan K