I'm looking in Rochester, NY. I don't know if it's happening elsewhere, please respond in the comments if it has. Please also include the email address and name that you got in the email.
UPDATE 9/10: Yowzas, I can't believe this scam is still going on. I've gotten comments from all over the country. If you've found this post you've probably Googled the text or email in a Craigslist post. I've found that the email wording changes slightly and the name it comes from does to. I can't keep up with all of them in the main post but if you comment with the name, email and test of the Craigslist posting and/or the text of the text of the email you received.
It seems in late August/September most people are getting a scam response from MARY VANG, maryvang8483@live.com. IF YOU GET AN EMAIL BACK FROM HER AFTER RESPONDING TO A CRAIGSLIST POST DO NOT RESPOND. IT IS A SCAM!!!!
PREVIOUS UPDATE: A colleague tells me she's also gotten similar emails for properties in the Jersey Shore area.
PREVIOUS UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who has commented in the past few days! This scam has been reported in Charlotte, N.C.; Des Moines, Iowa; Utah; Atlanta, Georgia; Portland, Ore.; Boston, Mass.; and San Diego, Calif.
ORIGINAL POST: I've gotten this email back from at least 10 properties I've inquired about on Craigslist. It's the same email from a number of different email addresses, so I'm convinced it's a scam. The property owners will not give out the address, and the ones I emailed at least initially did not respond when I asked for a general location. The email directs you to a website that asks for a bunch of personal information.
It's a clever scam. The apartments are cheaper than the neighborhood advertised but not by so much that it's a red flag. They include a detailed description and sometimes photos. There is no phone number.
If you get one of the following emails back do not respond, it is a scam! They've had slightly different wording so I'll paste all in hopes that they'll come up if people Google the text. They have come from the following names and email addresses:
Karen Simons an.rentals@live.com
Andres Biggs duhaqygemu@hotmail.com
Lisa Scott lisascott@att.blackberry.com
Heather Pagano heatherpaganox@hotmail.com
Marlys Major <iqitykypix@hotmail.com>
UPDATE from the comments: Most people have reported the scam coming from Karen Simons (an.rentals@live.com) but similar emails are also coming from:
Sammy Goldman zyvopefagazubim@hotmail.com
Karen Richardson
UPDATE from the comments: Most people have reported the scam coming from Karen Simons (an.rentals@live.com) but similar emails are also coming from:
Sammy Goldman zyvopefagazubim@hotmail.com
Karen Richardson
Various texts of the emails:
This rental is still available, We had an offer from a person we first showed it to, but they decided to move out of town, so its still up for rent. You were the second one to email me about it.
If you would like to set up an appointment, go to the link below and request a copy of your rental/credit report. We use this company for all the properties we manage. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the free report. The actual scores on the report aren't important to us; we only want to make sure you don't have more then two evictions in the last six months.
Get your report here. http://localccs.com/5report
Remember, we only need to see the page about the rental history. That will be all you will need to bring with you to the showing. So get that done and email be back so we can set up a showing.
Thank you once again for your interest!
Hello,
I apologize for not responding to you earlier, I have been extremely busy the last few days. The good news is that the rental is still available! We thought we had the place rented to a couple we showed it to last week, but now it seems that they changed their mind, so we need to lease it as soon as possible. You were the second one to email me about it.
I am sure you will want to do a walk through of the property, but my husband doesn't want me to advertise the address as a measure of safety. Last time we did that without verifying people, the empty property was broken into and vandalized. We don't want that to happen again! You will be responsible for cable, internet, and phone, if you decide to have these services. Just to confirm, we DO allow pets at this property. The rental term is 12-month lease, but can be switched into a 6-month lease if preferred. We just ask that you give us fair notice if you are moving out. If you would like to set up an appointment, go to the link below and request a copy of your credit score. We use this site for all the properties we manage. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the score. Whats in the report aren't important to us, it's more of a formality to have it on file, to make sure there are no previous property related issues. Get your report - CLICK HERE
Remember, we only need to see the page about the rental history. That will be all you will need to bring with you to the showing.
As far as getting together to see the property goes, I am available to show it any time from 10:00 am on, for the next few days. Let me know once you have it printed out, and we will set up a time to do your walk-through. Thank you once again for your interest!Hello Jessica,
Thank you for your rental inquiry!
The rental is still available. We thougth we had the place rented to a couple we showed it to last week, but now it seems that they changed their mind, so we need to lease it as soon as possible. You were the second one to email me about it.
I am sure you will want to do a walk through of the property, but my family doesn't want me to advertise the address as a measure of safety. Last time we did that without verifying people, the empty property was broken into and vandalized. We don't want that to happen again! You will be responsible for cable, internet, and phone, if you decide to have these services. Just to confirm, we DO allow pets at this property.
If you would like to set up an appointment, go to the link below and enter the Property ID in the search box.
Website Link: srrrentals.com/search/
(Copy and paste this link to your address bar if it is not clickable)
Your Property ID is: ZYopkBcMc
We use this site for all the properties we manage. Just fill out the online form and indicate that you want the free report. The actual scores aren't important to us, it's more of a formality to have it on file, to make sure there are no previous property related issues.
As far as getting together to see the property goes, I am available to show it any time from 10:00 am on, for the next week. Let me know once you have it printed out, and we will set up a time to do your walk-through.
Thank you once again for your interest!
UPDATE 7/3: Got another one, from Heather Yode. Body of the email below.
Email came from: heatheryode@live.com
Hello Alaimo,,Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent, sorry for the delay in getting back to you - it is available for July or August move in (possibly September for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.I look forward to hearing back from you,Heather
Thanks for posting this. I also received an email from Karen Simons@an.rentals@live.com this morning with the same message that you wrote in your post along with beautiful photos of a dreamy apartment. I tried to email her back because there was no address or information related to which property it is. I thought, it must be too good to be true so it must be a scam...i googled her email address and found your post so THANK YOU! I have been scammed by these free credit reporting services before where they take money out of your account every month after you get your "free credit report". I assume that is what would happen if one followed through with this.
ReplyDeleteI received the exact email, word for word, that this Heather person sent only it was sent by a Mary Vang from maryvang8483@live.com. I had a feeling that the offer on the condo was way too good to be true and I was very leery about the link she sent. Thanks for posting all of this so I could confirm my skepticism!
DeleteSpokane, Wa
Just got the same one from maryvang8483@live.com. The offer was on a condo in Billings, MT. It's really too bad that finding a rental has to be so complicated by scammers.
DeleteI just received the same exact email from Mary Vang maryvang8483@live.com. Thank you!
Deletesame from Alexandria and D.C.....FUCK Mary Vang [maryvang8483@live.com] DAMNIT!!
Deletethanks a lot for the info, i just got the same one from maryvang8483@ive com.....it make me curious cause i don't remember that i sent her email.
DeleteJust got the same email from Mary Vang (maryvang8483@live.com) for a condo rental in Pittsburgh, PA. I noticed the ad was similar to a few others I had seen (different pictures, same price, same sq footage and similar language) which tipped me off that something may be going on. Glad I researched her name before I provided any info! Thanks!
DeleteI just got the same thing in Charleston SC...Mary Vang...this blows
DeleteJust got Same email from Mary Vang in Greensboro, NC Thanks for the Info
DeleteAlso got a Mary Vang email in Cincinnati, OH
DeleteI got an email from Mary Vang as well for a rental in San Diego. Was hesitant about the credit reporting site, so I googled her email and saw your post. Thank you!
DeleteI've seen an ad too at Craigslist in San Diego for a condo and when I inquire about it, I received a long email from MaryVang8483@live.com asking for my credit reports, personal interest and hobbies? Good thing I didn't go to the website she enclosed in her email to check my credit reports and score. I believe she and whoever are her partner in crimes have access on that website. Thank you all for publishing all these responses.
DeleteMary Vang has made it to Madison, Wi as well.
DeleteAnd to Washington, DC.
DeleteMary Vang has been running rampant on Craigs List for New Haven, CT as well....SCUM BAG! It ALWAYS pays to research ANY name followed by the word SCAM on Google...you'd be very surprised at what you find! If it looks too good to be true, then it's NOT true.
DeleteMary Vang just showed up in Detroit, MI. Dang, this woman gets around!!
DeleteMary Vang, Minneapolis, MN.
DeleteGot the third email listed, from Mary Vang for a listing in Kansas City
Deletehere are the email addresses I've collected from my apartment hunting in Birmingham, Alabama:
DeleteKim Johnson at kj.rentals@live.com
Karen Schmidt at r.rentals@live.com
Gabrielle Taylor at ucekipivykenej@hotmail.com
and the infamous Mary Vang at maryvang8483@live.com.
I've also gotten a handful of responses from other scammers who have recently "moved out of the country" and somehow don't know a single person in the US and ask that I mail them the deposit so they can mail me the keys to their cheap house. and, of course, the deposit is completely refundable...sigh.
So glad you posted this and glad I googled the email address...got a Mary Vang message as well. Thanks!
DeleteMary Vang.... Buffalo NY
DeleteMary Vang, same story, Orlando FL
DeleteMary Vang is now in Portland, OR. I was in progress of filing out the info for free credit report, and decided to google her email. It turns out that it is a SCAM. No wonder why it is TOO good to be true. Thank you for your post.
DeleteWhoa. I guess the adage that if its too good to be true, its not true, is right on.
DeleteThis Mary Vang really gets around. I bet she drinks some super tea to get around all of your cities. Um... add Annapolis MD to the latest scam. She even included pictures of the condo with all stainless steel appliances and new cabinets for the unbelievable price of only $685 per month, including utilities. *sigh*
Mary Vang, Charlotte, NC. I received the same reply back, word for word. People can be so disgusting. Mine had pictures included too (stainless steal appliances, hardwood floors and all). Ugh. Glad I took the time to do some research. Thank you all and good luck in your search. Hopefully next time, scammer free.
DeleteMary Vang maryvang8483@live.com via smtp.com Funny Mary Vang also works in chicago. The ad listed an address of a real building, and the pics in the ad and the pics she emailed me were different so that raised a red flag. I didn't email her back. Most leasing agents will give you there # in the 1st email. But I figured it may be a scam a dwntwn 1 bedroom apartment for $790 with a parking space? Come on thats at least $1500 to $2,000 a month. I figured what the hell, maybe this person is desparate. I was right desparate to get you personal info and us it for Identity theft
DeleteI just received an email from Mary Vang regarding a condo in Tampa, FL.
DeleteI just got the samething email for Baltimore.. this is why I hate apartment hunting.. Stupid Mary Vang
DeleteMary Vang, Louisville, KY
DeleteIdentical email for Mary Vang in Austin, Tx. Does she ever get around
DeleteMary Vang, now taking Seattle, WA by storm!
DeleteMary Vang, Madison, WI
DeleteMary Vang, Ann Arbor, MI
DeleteA college town where there are ignorant students and older people he/she/it has made MANY posting for apartments for a 5th floor place in a neighborhood with 3 story homes or a 10th floor place where Meijer's is the tallest building near a business park and duplexes!
Something told me to check them out, and I was careful to consider a different credit report agency vs. the one they suggested. When I asked a question and got no response, I had a feeling. So I googled the website they recommend: http://localccs.com/5report and your review came up. Thanks so, so much!!
ReplyDeleteYes, this happened to me also in Charlotte, NC. I am actually stupid enough to fill out the personal info. that the link sent me to.. Does that mean that they have all of my personal info now including SSN?? It is the Karensimons email address that replied back to me.
ReplyDeleteI've had this happen to me as well, and I'm in Des Moines, Iowa. The email address was zyvopefagazubim@hotmail.com and the name attached to it was Sammy Goldman. Be careful everyone!
ReplyDeleteGot it in Utah!
ReplyDeleteKaren emailed me in Atlanta, GA.
ReplyDeleteKaren also emailed me in Portland, OR. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteBoston, Ma
ReplyDeleteI got the same exact thing in San Diego, CA- "You were the second one to email me about it" (blah blah blah) The photos of the rental were gorgeous. Only apparently Karen Simons is also using the name Karen Richardson....thanks for your post!
ReplyDeleteYou can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules whenever using craigslist:
ReplyDeleteDEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts.
NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is likely a scammer.
FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"
NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
DO NOT RENT HOUSING WITHOUT SEEING THE INTERIOR, OR PURCHASE EXPENSIVE ITEMS SIGHT-UNSEEN - in all likelihood that housing unit is not actually for rent and that cheap item does not exist.
DO NOT SUBMIT TO CREDIT CHECKS OR BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR A JOB OR FOR HOUSING UNTIL YOU HAVE MET THE INTERVIEWER OR LANDLORD/AGENT IN PERSON.
See above. I agree. REAL BROKERS DO NOT ASK FOR FINANCIAL INFO OVER THE COMPUTER. YOU MEET THEM AND GIVE THEM YOUR DOCUMENTATION OR YOU MEET THEM AND PAY A SMALL FEE FOR THEM TO RUN CREDIT REPORTS.
ReplyDeleteIt is also Karen Richardson . I was looking for apartments in NYC. When I looked up the website and came across this blog, the EXACT wording you show on your blog was used, word for word in the email they sent. "This rental is still available, We had an offer from a person we first showed it to, but they decided to move out of town..."
San diego california also, fricking scammers
ReplyDeleteCleveland Ohio, same person: Heather Yodes, same exact email providing pictures of a beautiful apartment available for cheaper than the building rates go for. Thank you for posting this, it is so easy for desperate apartment hunters to fall to such scams.
ReplyDeleteI've just got one from "Karen Richardson" (b.rentals@live.com). The email has some very nice photos but not anything I've seen from Craigslist. Basically, the email directs you to "localccs.com" which is from
ReplyDelete1700 jones st
sioux city, IA 51104
US
Registrar: Domain.com
Domain Name: LOCALCCS.COM
Created on: 16-DEC-11
Expires on: 17-DEC-12
Last Updated on: 03-JUL-12
Administrative, Technical Contact:
Smith, James alisonbremer@live.com
home
1700 jones st
sioux city, IA 51104
US
712-258-5000
Please kindly send your better worded regards to him!
Thank you for this blog!
ReplyDeleteI got the same email for an ad in craigslist Annapolis.
Scammer: Karen Richardson
Cheers!
Got the same in Ann Arbor (Heather Yode). Told her about my hobbies... Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteSame email (almost the same, word-for-word) as the one you first posted. The name used here was Karen Sanders, and it was for Central NJ. Thanks for this blog - I was wary of it seeing as how the pictures were beautiful and the poster seemed reluctant to give out the location; if it weren't for you, I probably would have lost sensitive information! Thanks again for helping out the community fight scammers :)
ReplyDeleteGot the Karen Richardson e-mail in Knoxville, TN. Although the ad was for a 1BR apartment, the photos in the e-mail seem to be from a house. And I've *never* seen anyone require a credit report just for a showing. Thanks for confirming my suspicions!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jessica for putting this up. I just got the email / credit check link myself. Knew it was too good to be true, which is why I did some Googling before filling anything out. Phew. Caught a break there. THANK YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteScammers not exactly making my life easy. Here is one for milwaukee, WI
ReplyDelete\
\Karen Schmidt r.rentals@live.com
2:27 PM (31 minutes ago)
to Karen
This rental is still available, We had an offer from a person we first showed it to, but they decided to move out of town, so its still up for rent. You were the second one to email me about it.
If you would like to set up an appointment, go to the link below and request a copy of your rental/credit report. We use this company for all the properties we manage. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the free report. The actual scores on the report aren't important to us; we only want to make sure you don't have more then three evictions in the last year.
Get your report here. http://localccs.com/27rental
Remember, we only need to see the page about the rental history. That will be all you will need to bring with you to the showing. So get that done and email be back so we can set up a showing.
Thank you once again for your interest!
4 attachments — Download all attachments View all images Share all images
Heather Pagano has hit San Diego, Ca. Her email includes a free credit report link---Remember this: DO NOT SUBMIT TO CREDIT CHECKS OR BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR A JOB OR FOR HOUSING UNTIL YOU HAVE MET THE INTERVIEWER OR LANDLORD/AGENT IN PERSON
ReplyDeleteGod Bless!!
Ol' heather's been poking around Knoxville, TN too!
ReplyDeleteHeather in orange county, ca
ReplyDeletehttp://orangecounty.craigslist.org/apa/3065574427.html
Received the exact same email from Heather Yode in Wichita KS. The craigslist add did inculde an address to an actual building, not sure what it is though.
ReplyDeleteThe listing on craigslist is below:
Great new one bedroom luxury apartment on the 11th Floor: the unit is approx 780 sq ft.
terms of lease:
- Lease for twelve months or longer
- 1 months rent & $225 Security deposit required
- Animals are no problem!
Included in the Condo -
- Pine Hardwood floors
- 1 underground parking spot
- All utilities included in rent
- Security available 24h
- Stove, Fridge, Dishwasher, Washer, All Existing Light Fixtures included, Dryer, All Window Coverings
- Premium Building Location
Please email to book a viewing apointment.
1401 W River Blvd
"Karen Comstock"
ReplyDeleteRochester, NY
Today (7/30/12)
I was surprised when received a response that was not a direct reply to any of the emails I sent and Googled her name to find out what company she was with and thus identify which ad she was talking about. I'm so glad I did! One of the results said it was a scam (http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=47400), so I Googled part of the text itself to verify (virtually identical to the first one you posted). I reported the email as phishing to my email provider. The only problem is now I don't know which post was hers (didn't want to risk emailing back).
alisonbremer@live.com is also involved in an employment scam as well as a apartment scam. It sends you to a link for http://localccs.com/card11 for a "payment card" where you supposed income is sent to for "DRCD Communications", a work at home business. Except that company does not exist according to google, and the alisonbremer@live.com resulted in this page! Thank you to whoever posted that! Always do your research before filling out any information online! I'm glad I did!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this information, I started to worrie because all i wanted was the address of the area and got the first email you posted by this email address so i google it .. and saw your blog. information that was sent to me: email r.rentals@live.com (name Karen Schmidt)
ReplyDeletelink they gave is http://localccs.com/rent16 i checked out the link as well as in google it and nothing came up for it ...
I received a similar email to everyone else. It told me to go to freeuscreditscores.com. She sent photos, but ignored my inquiry about the cross street location. I received the email from maryvang8483@live.com (Mary Vang) for a listing in Seattle, WA.
ReplyDeleteI also heard from Mary Vang re: a Seattle rental.
DeleteThere are also a couple of differently worded emails I see frequently, where the owner "actually lived there with my family" before being moved to (fill in the blank - London for work, Cameroon for Christianity conference, West Africa for missionary work).
The funniest part is that they reply to me even when the ad has me so suspicious that I email to them: Are you a Craigslist Scammer? Don't send me an email that says you are out of the country but will make arrangements to send me the keys when you get my refundable deposit.
I then get a reply stating just that!!!
It's to the point that if I am suspicious at all, I simply say that first I need to know if they are a scammer. If they're not out to steal my hard and honestly earned money, please reply. I can't bother with the kindly worded emails telling a little about myself any more...
I received the same email as one of those listed above from maryvang8483@live.com, asking for my credit score in order to view the property, and to get a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com (which is not really free and has its own bad reviews), regarding a luxury condo in the San Fernando Valley, California
ReplyDeleteI just got hit with this. The apartment location was Denver, the email was from Karen Richardson at b.rentals@live.com
ReplyDeleteThe website the link took me to was Profinity LLC which has 165 complaints with the Better Business Bureau of southeast Florida... All having to do with unauthorized charges on a "free 7 day trial" of the Profinity credit service.
Karen Schmidt at r.rentals@live.com. Responded to my inquiry about a property in Winston-Salem, NC with the link localccs.com/rent32. When the link did not take me to a site, I searched it and found your post.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter-in-law and I each have received multiple emails as described above for a property in Southern Maryland. Mine were from Karen Richardson at b.rentals@live.com also. I have forwarded the emails to the FBI's department of internet fraud. Hopefully these creeps will be caught and prosecuted!
ReplyDeleteI received one in Seattle, WA from a Karen Schmidt at r.rentals@live.com.
ReplyDeleteHello, This rental is still available, We had an offer from a person we first showed it to, but they decided to move out of town, so its still up for rent. You were the second one to email me about it.
If you would like to set up an appointment, go to the link below and request a copy of your rental/credit report. We use this company for all the properties we manage. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the free report. The actual scores on the report aren't important to us; we only want to make sure you don't have more then three evictions in the last year.
Get your report here. http://localccs.com/rent47
Remember, we only need to see the page about the rental history. That will be all you will need to bring with you to the showing. So get that done and email be back so we can set up a showing.
Thank you once again for your interest!
So my dumba** didn't do the researching before hand and after submitting my cc info and getting a report, i immediately realize how dumb i just was. Any suggestions on how I can fix this? I plan on calling them to cancel the "Free" trial asap tomorrow when they're opened. Any other suggestions on how to fix this?
ReplyDeleteGot frauded by Mary Vang on the San Diego CL
I am so sorry this happened to you!
DeleteYou should call your bank or CC company immediately and explain what has happened. Perhaps a new card number is in order. A pain - yes. But I'd not want these scammers spending my hard earned money on whatever THEY want.
Good luck to you, I hope it gets settled without any pain to you (but much to the scammers and thieves that perpetrate this fraud!)
I received the same email after responding to a Craigslist post for a condo in Downtown, Indianapolis at an address that does not exist (435 Virginia Ave.). "$635 / 1br - 785ft² - NEWLY RENOVATED 1 BEDROOM CONDO INCLUDES ALL UTILITIES (indianapolis )" The email was from maryvang8483@live.com. A google search of the email address brought me to your blog. Thanks for saving me some trouble!
ReplyDeleteMary Vang is emailing in Chicago as well. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeletemary vang is a whore...ditto for chi
ReplyDeleteI figured it was too good to be true. Same exact letter from Karen Richardson b.rentals@live.com. thank you for bringing this to my attention
ReplyDeleteMary is scamming on Craigslist in Chicago!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Karen in Los Angeles. Please see below. Thanks a bunch for this helpful space on your blog regarding this scam.
ReplyDelete---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Karen Johnson
Date: Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Subject: RE craigslist rentals
To: Karen Johnson
Hi, This rental is still available, We had an offer from a person we first showed it to, but they decided to move out of town, so its still up for rent. You were the second one to email me about it.
If you would like to set up an appointment, go to the link below and request a copy of your rental/credit report. We use this company for all the properties we manage. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the free report. The actual scores on the report aren't important to us; we only want to make sure you don't have more then three evictions in the last year.
Get your report here. http://localccs.com/rent73
Remember, we only need to see the page about the rental history. That will be all you will need to bring with you to the showing. So get that done and email be back so we can set up a showing.
Thank you once again for your interest!
Same thing in OHIO! Sent from Tammy Landers (tammy.landers@hotmail.com)
ReplyDeleteHere's the email...
Hello, This rental is still available, We had an offer from a person we first showed it to, but they decided to move out of town, so its still up for rent. You were the second one to email me about it.
This is a 3 bedroom property with 1.5 bath rooms. It has been fully remodeled and is furnished with a stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer. It rents for 400 per month, renter pays for electricity only the rest of the utilities are included. We do allow pets.
If you would like to set up an appointment, go to the link below and request a copy of your rental/credit report. We use this company for all the properties we manage. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the report we offer at no cost to you. The actual scores on the report aren't important to us; we only want to make sure you don't have more then three evictions in the last year.
Get your report here. http://localccs.com/rent79
Remember, we only need to see the page about the rental history. That will be all you will need to bring with you to the showing. So get that done and email be back so we can set up a showing.
Thank you once again for your interest!
Mary Vang is scamming in Charlotte as well
ReplyDeleteReceived email that matched the 1st posted here. Thank you for sharing information and preventing someone from getting information. Remember....if it sounds too good ... then it isn't true. This is the person I received email from, but when I checked my Sent folder; I had not sent any inquiries to this name. (tammy.landers@hotmail.com) Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteJust got one of these e-mails from Mary Vang about a condo in Lexington, Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteAlso received one from Mary Vang from maryvang8483@live.com. Houston Condo. Here's the link:http://houston.craigslist.org/apa/3204128124.html
ReplyDeleteYep I got the same email from
ReplyDeleteMary Vang
maryvang8483@live.com
____________________________________
Hello ,
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for September or October move in (possibly immediately for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary
Dammit, Mary Vang sent th same exact email. Pittsburgh, PA.
ReplyDeleteJust got an email from maryvang8483@live.com, I thought it was a scam. I emailed back, but she didn't reply. I told her I subscribed to a credit monitoring company and that I already knew my score and had a copy of my report, so I was ready to schedule a viewing. I really liked the apartment that was posted. Such a bummer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this,
San Diego, CA
Also done in youngstown ohio from karen...again at http://localccs.com/rent80
ReplyDeleteI live in Gresham OR. I been looking for homes for rent but the ppl that replied back aren't in the area they're eater in Africa or Haiti as missionaries the rents are really cheap basically they all reply the same thing go take a look at the house don't disturbed the neighbors etc etc to me is a scam beware ppl. Too good to be true not in this life anymore
ReplyDeleteWashington, D.C. craigslist ad. from maryvang8483@live.com
ReplyDeleteDescription was too good to be true and information didn't match area location.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI just got Kim Johnson in Nashville, TN. I immediately thought it sounding fishy, so I googled to see if it was a scam and I found your blog. Geez, these people are sick. Don't bother looking for a job or an apartment on CL. It's just a waste of time. Here is a bit of mine:
This rental is still available. We had an offer from someone but, they decided to move out of town instead. You were the 2nd to respond to us.
If you are still interested, we ask that all applicants fill out a credit report. We use this company for all our listings. The score on the report is not important to us. We only
check to see that you have not had ANY delinquent rental history in the last 6 months.
Here's the link: http://rentalgrp.com/rent1
Losers!
hi all! i got an email from mary vang at MaryVang8483@live.com in response to an ad i was inquiring about. when i received the email asking for my credit score and hobbies and interests, i really didn't think much of it since they weren't asking for the report itself. i didn't even know what my own credit score was. i totally fell for it and gave her what she had asked for. i never received a response, so i called the property management company that owns the apartment i was inquiring about to schedule a viewing with them. i told them that i had spoken to Mary Vang and they asked, who? i told them again and they said a mary vang doesn't work for their small management company. the woman i was speaking to said she felt really stange about it. so i went ahead and arranged a viewing. thankfully it was still available. afterwards, i did some research and saw this blog post. needless to say, i worried some and i went ahead reported the scam to the local fbi authority. thank you for all of your comments! now i know to question any response i get on craigslist. in fact, i once put an ad on craigslist and got a really bizarre response. i then took the ad down. people are crazy!
ReplyDeleteGot a reply from a kj.rentals@live.com and she wanted me to go to some site to fill out my credit info. For a split second I thought about doing it then as usual I got this gut feeling that something wasn't right here. Hmmm? Better think about this I thought to myself. After about another couple secs. I realized that this screamed "scam". Oh hell No I'm not going to some unknown website and inputting my personal and financial info! So then I googled that email addy and boom, I found this page. Once again my gut instinct was right. Now if I can just learn to listen to my gut Every Time! :)
ReplyDeleteMary Vang-Lexington, KY.
ReplyDeleteI did not use her link. ha! I thought it might be a scam and sadly I was correct. Mary has definitely shown up in Washington dc. Why don't these people get real jobs?
ReplyDeleteWhat should I do if I gave my info out, I already cancelled the profinity trial but will I get my money back? Should I order a new card?
ReplyDeleteI just emailed back to her for more details. It sent me to a free credit report and I did not fill it out thank goodness. This is terrible when you really need to find a home and people take advantage of you.
ReplyDeleteThank you SO much for posting this! Mary Vang is also making the rounds in Philadelphia. I followed the link to freeuscreditscores but something just didn't feel right. I got as far as giving my name, address, my mother's middle name, and choosing a password, but then got nervous and started researching. Thank god I did, because I had actually filled in my social security number and birth date, but just hadn't hit "submit" yet. Hopefully the information I did give them wasn't enough to do any damage.
ReplyDeleteMary vang, Chicago
ReplyDeleteMary Vang Bullshit in Cleveland, Ohio
ReplyDeleteMAry Vang, Atlanta GA
ReplyDeleteI too recieved an e-mail from maryvang8483@live.com in regard to a resume I submitted for an employment position posted on Craigslist. It scares the hell out of me to think that I sent my resume to her knowing my address, phone number and work history were included in my e-mail when I responded to a "scam" employement post. I would assume Craigslist has better technology and can screen posts made on their site! What is the purpose of these people is my question? Obviously bogus renatl properties give her the opportunity to meet with people and do harm to them. I will be contacting Craigslist, and complaining. Maybe my complaint will go unheard, but if everyone who have had expereinces with these type people will do something. I'd hate to hear on the news someone was hurt someway from a person who contacted me regarding a scam such as this, I would never be able to live with myself. Can you Anyway, be safe and good luck to all! :) (btw I responded to her e-mail and told her I am in hopes she encounters someone as dishonest as herself, it will be only then that she will understand the type person she really is!)
ReplyDeleteTLK
Got a response for apartments out in Torrance, CA from maryvang8483@live.com and greenkimberly@web.blackberry.com with the same exact email about 3 different properties! That was the red flag for me. Thanks for clarifying that it is a SCAM!
ReplyDeleteAlso got one from maryvang8483@live.com. This is on the Orange County Craigslist. Well written email, with picture attachments and no location information given. Cutting and pasting for future people who are googling about this:
ReplyDelete----
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for October or November move in (possibly immediately for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary
Now in San Diego, CA.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post, I've just received an email from Mary Vang exactly word to word back from her post in Craigslist like this:
All facilities available
Pets allowed
wi-fi net connection available
cable available
huge parking area
back yard
one month live free if u move in now
For more information Email now!!
Thanks God that I google it and saw your blogspot. Thank you again!
Same scam in Seattle. I emailed abuse@live.com asking them to shut down the account. Next I think I will find out who hosts the web site and get that shut down too.
ReplyDeleteMary Vang maryvang8483@live.com via smtp.com
Here is an e-mail I received from Mary Vang:
ReplyDeleteHello Madeha,
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for October or November move in (possibly immediately for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary
Sorry guys, I should have specified a few more details... this was for a extra bedroom in an apartment in Murray Hill, Manhattan. $600/month. Found the ad on Craigslist.
Deletewow I was sitting here responding to an email from maryvang8483@live.com and I had a wierd feeling about it, so glad I found this page!!
ReplyDeleteMe, too. Looking for an apt in Capitol Hill. Really seemed to good to be true and now I know it is. Email with sketchy language and request for a credit check came in from: maryvang8483@live.com.
ReplyDeleteI fell for it too.This month she was in Seattle. Luckily I never clicked the website. (Mary Vang) Googled the address and noticed it was New Construction, from google street view. Also another site came up that showed she had posted 3 other condos in Seattle all great deals. Checked those and they were new construction as well. Also the pics in the email had different colored hardwood floors. Thanks everybody for helping catch this!!!
ReplyDeleteMY EMAIL BACK TO MARY. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS...
ReplyDeleteMary,
I would like a move-in date of OCT 1st if at all possible. I can do a 2 year lease also I can pay 12 months upfront. You mentioned that the apt can be furnished? How much would the monthly rent be furnished? I can meet you at the apt anytime this week.
I can provide at the appt:
1) Paystub - $59K year to date
2) Resume
3) Credit Report - 794/785/797
I got the same e-mail for a Tampa Florida listing from maryvang8483@live.com
ReplyDeleteWhat a freaking waste of time with all these damn Scammers!!!!
Thanks for posting this tho!
Same in Buffalo, NY!!
ReplyDeleteFrom: maryvang8483@live.com
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for
October or November move in (possibly immediately for the right
tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested
in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of
the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished
depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you
confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more
about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified
tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from
http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes
and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received
your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are
looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the
numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains
sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it
with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests,
and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please
note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few
showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the
report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary
Just wanted to follow up and comment. I just fell for this (yah, I'm one of the idiots that did). Luckily, I realized it was a scam fast and was able to take all the precautions - put a flag on my credit and cancelled any credit cards I have.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to shed a little more light too on the situation. It seems (at least I hope) that this is a scam (not identity theft) to get you to sign up and provide your credit card information for freescore360/scoresense. You provide your info and they then make unauthorized charges. It looks like they've also done this in the disguise of "job" ads. Just google "freescore360 and scoresense" that and you'll see the complaints.
Man, I am really hoping that that is all it is and that my identity hasn't been truly compromised - but I guess now and forever I'm just going to have to be super careful and super aware of my credit and what is going on (which I should be anyways). Lesson learned - the hard way. But at least I can say I've done everything I can.
Stupid scammers. So sad that this happens. What happened to honesty and integrity in this world?
Mary Vang, Washington DC (pretty sure it's the same Capitol Hill listing as above). Luckily I used freecreditscore.com instead of her(?) suggested site http://www.freeuscreditscores.com (which redirected to https://credit.profinity.com).
ReplyDeleteThank God you posted this!
ReplyDeleteI got a Mary Vang reply to an ad on seattle.craigslist.org with the title of "$585 / 1br - 715ft² - LARGE DOWNTOWN ONE BEDROOM CONDO GREAT AREA (seattle)"
Here's a WalkScore page with the Craigslist history--it shows that this unit was listed on 9/4 for $765, on 9/6 for $630, and on 9/6 for $785. Frequent price changes that make no sense! (As you can see, I responded to yet another ad in which the rent was $585!):
http://www.walkscore.com/apartments/details/536-broadway-e-seattle-wa-98102?rid=24580230
I looked up the address in Google Street View and it showed a picture of a building under construction, which seemed strange. A further search revealed this was the Brix Condos, built in 2008:
http://www.urbancondospaces.com/brix-condos
The condos sell for between $400-500K each:
http://brixincapitolhill.com/listings-2/sold-history
There was an auction in 2009 in which all the units available were sold (so no chance the building owner has to resort to renting in desperation):
http://blog.redfin.com/seattle/2009/09/brix_and_gallery_condo_auction_results.html
I figured there was still a slim chance that some condo owner had to turn around and rent their unit at a lowball price due to dire financial straits, so I sent an e-mail reply to the ad.
From there I Googled for Mary Vang's e-mail address and got to this page. Again, thank you so much for your posting! So glad I don't have to waste any more time on this tantalyzing but untrue offer!
Full text of the e-mail I received:
From: Mary Vang (maryvang8483@live.com)
Sent: Thu 9/06/12 5:05 AM
To: [me]
Hello [my name],
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for October or November move in (possibly immediately for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary
Got the same one from Mary Vang in San Diego.
ReplyDeletesame MARY VANG scam in Chicago...
ReplyDeleteSame Mary Vang in Orlando, FL
DeleteMy intuition kicked in on this and I decided to google the email. I just received the following email from 'maryvang8483@live.com':
ReplyDelete"Hello Randall,
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for October or November move in (possibly immediately for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary"
The scam is being run on the Madison CL as well - looks like rhaas and I emailed the same too good to be true apartment in downtown Madison. Thanks for posting on this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. I received the same message from Mary about an hour ago.
ReplyDelete----------
From: "Mary Vang"
To:
Subject: $660 / 1br - 775ft² - Beautiful Luxury 1 bedroom condo, available July or August (washington, DC)
Date: Sun, Sep 9, 2012 6:40 pm
Hello ________,
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for October or November move in (possibly immediately for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary
-----Original Message-----
ReplyDeleteFrom: Mary Vang [mailto:maryvang8483@live.com]
Sent: Sun 9/9/2012 9:05 PM
To:
Subject: $585 / 1br - 760ft² - 1 BEDROOM CONDO AVAILABLE July O R August (washington, DC )
Hello,
Thank you inquiring about my apartment for rent - it is available for October or November move in (possibly immediately for the right tenant). I am scheduling viewings of the unit and would be interested in showing you around the building. I have attached a few pictures of the unit for you - the apartment is available furnished or unfurnished depending on your needs.
Due to poor renting experiences in the past I am requesting that you confirm you have a reasonable credit score and would like to hear more about your current employment to avoid dealing with under qualified tenants.
I would suggest getting a free report from http://www.freeuscreditscores.com which requires less than 3 minutes and has no cost. No viewings will be allowed until I have received your score, this will also be helpful for other properties you are looking at and is a standard in pre-rental screening procedures.
I am asking that you complete the report and provide me with the numerical score, please DO NOT send the report as it contains sensitive information, you can print it for your records and bring it with you to the viewing.
If you can also tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests, and hobbies I would be interested in hearing more about you. Please note that I have received quite a few emails already and have a few showings scheduled for later this week so the quicker you can get the report and drop by to view the unit the better.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Mary
ADD kansas city missouri to the list, thanks for the posting
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post i also got the exact same e-mail from Karen Comstock a2.rentals@live.com. This is what the email said:
ReplyDeleteHi, This property is still for rent. We had an offer from someone but they decided to move out of town. You were the second person to respond to us. We are eagar to rent this property so we are offering the first months rent waived.
If you are still interested, we ask that all applicants fill out a rental/score report. We use this company for all our listings. The score is not all to important to us we just need to make sure you do not have more then two evictions in the last six months.
Go here and indicate you would like the free report: http://rentalggp.com/rent25
Do not send it back to us. We can just pull it up in the system and look. Once we see that your rental history for the last six months is good we will call to set up a showing. So, please get that done and email us back your phone number and i will call to setup a showing. Thanks- Karen C.
Thank God i googled the first sentence and found your post.
This was for the townhouse in msp.MN
cnewmannycre@aol.com Chuck Newman 516 528 1018 - scam rental ads on Craiglist are fake apartments that have already been rented.
ReplyDeleteGet step by step explanation on Sign in trouble shooting and fix Login problems at the time of using various online services. Learn how to collect user information and new password after forget one. - Sign In
DeletePhiladelphia, PA - Within 12 hours of my posting an ad selling my art supplies I received two responses:
ReplyDeleteKackley Landerman - 10:06:38 AM write to me here - Vnjiqr@live.com
Barbara Tygart - 10:06:52 AM this is my real contact -> Hbbowo@live.com
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