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How to Spot a Scam

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Chris Marcus & Miriam Sullivan

Chris Marcus is now using a new email address.

Name: Chris Marcus
Email: chrismarcus002@gmail.com, chrismarcus13@gmail.com


Miriam Sullivan is a facticious landlord who is trying to scam people out of money.

Name: Miriam Sullivan
Email: sullmim@hotmail.com

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now using the email: mmsull48@hotmail.com
still using the name Miriam Sullivan. Thanks for this blog. I sent him/her an email about my family and the apartment. Another tip off for a scam is an unusually long email response detailing the place/circumstances.

Breakup and the city said...

sulllmam@hotmail.com
Also using this email. The place she fake advertised seems awesome, but the description of her circumstances and the amazing deal it is for over 1000 square feet in downtown Toronto is obviously a scam!

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately I got this email today:

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. My name is Miriam Sullivan, I'm 48 years old, I'm a construction engineer and I'm the owner of this condo(2 bedrooms,2 bathrooms,1246 square footage). I lived in it for over 5 years,loved every day of it. It's located at 1039 Coast Boulevard South in La Jolla, just steps from the popular La Jolla Cove Park. It combines style, space, convenience, enjoy the wonderful restaurants and shopping on Prospect Street and Girard Avenue. The building has a roof top deck with panoramic views of the Cove, ocean and surrounding area. The master bedroom and the living room area open to a private ocean view balcony where you can enjoy the sound of the surf. This building boasts one of the nicest panoramic view decks in the Village of La Jolla, 360 degree views from rooftop deck of all of La Jolla, plus there are nice oceanviews from the living room, private balcony, master and second bedrooms. The condo is fully furnished with all necessary amenities(exactly like in the pics). The unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat, the condo come with two parking spot (underground),a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture (if you don't like it and you want use your furniture), there is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier. Pets are allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I can rent you the condo for min. 1 month max. 6 years. I really want to find a good and responsable tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal information about yourself. The rent of the condo for 1 month is $1200 including all utilities(water,electricity, internet, cable, parking, air conditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage) and I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. You can move in the condo in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo. In order to check it,see if you like it(I'm sure that you'll love it),you need to receive the keys and the contract. Obviously we need a way to complete this deal in a safe and fast way for both. The solution is provided by National Association of Realtors wich will handle the payment and delivery of the keys. A friend of mine moved here from California and used the company to resolve the same problem. This procedure allow you to pay the rent only after you will receive the keys, after you will see it, decide if you will stay in the condo or not(I will receive the payment after you'll check the condo). Please click on the link bellow to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) website to see how we can complete the deal in a safe way, directly from the website of the company where the procedure is explained: http://www.realtor.com/Basics/AllAbout/Bookshelf/Escrow.asp
If you want to know more about how this deal can work please get back to me ASAP and I will send you the details step by step.
Let me know if you are interested.

Regards,
Miriam

Anonymous said...

I got almost the same email as posted above except instead of the NAR website she used www.rents.com. I'm so glad I googled her. I knew it seemed too good to be true.

Anonymous said...

I received a similar email. Her latest email address is:
mamsull@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

There's now also glourry@hotmail.com from Frances Hedges - renters beware!

Anonymous said...

Now also goes by Frances Hedges rroughly@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Frances Hedges -franhed@hotmail.com

got same email today. i totally believed it! I'm glad i googled her name.

Anonymous said...

now going by
Frances Hedges
franhed@hotmail.com

:(

Anonymous said...

I got this email today:

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. My name is Frances Hedges, I'm 48 years old, I'm a construction engineer and I'm the owner of this condo(2 bedrooms,2 bathrooms,1246 square footage). I lived in it for over 5 years, loved every day of it. It's located at 531 Avenue A, steps to Redondo Beach, walk distance to beach, close to stores, main highway, residential street. The condo is fully furnished with all necessary amenities(exactly like in the pics), the unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat, it comes with two parking spots, a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture(if you don't like it and you want use your furniture), there is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier. Pets allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I can rent you the condo for min. 1 month max. 6 years(or more). I really want to find a good and responsible tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal information about yourself. The rent for the whole condo for 1 month is $1300 including all utilities(water,electricity, internet, cable, parking , airconditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage) and the security deposit is 1300$(you'll get the deposit back at your departure- or you can use it to pay your last month of rent) and I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. You can move in the condo in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo. In order to check it, see if you like it(I'm sure that you'll love it), you need to receive the keys and the contract.
If you want to rent the condo, please e-mail me back and I will explain you how the payment and shipping will take place!

Regards,
Frances

Now he goes by Frances Hedges franhed@hotmail.com

Mike said...

Hi, First let me Thank you for putting up this website as I might have fallen for this trap. I first started having doubts when I looked at the area on google maps and the area did not look like the one in the pctures. Since it sounded too good to be true, I decided to check it out...and lo and behold, I find this site. There is also a Frances Hedges on facebook living in London but when I digged in deeper, I found out that she is much younger and is not a construction Engineer and have never lived in the US.

Anyway, I really appreciate your website and Thanks a lot for saving me and others from losing money to these scam artists.

Here are the mails I received from Frances Hedges (franhed@hotmail.com)

first email ******************

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. My name is Frances Hedges, I'm 48 years old, I'm a construction engineer and I'm the owner of this condo(2 bedrooms,2 bathrooms,1246 square footage). I lived in it for over 5 years, loved every day of it. It's located at 531 Avenue A, steps to Redondo Beach, walk distance to beach, close to stores, main highway, residential street. The condo is fully furnished with all necessary amenities(exactly like in the pics), the unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat, it comes with two parking spots, a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture(if you don't like it and you want use your furniture), there is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier. Pets allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I can rent you the condo for min. 1 month max. 6 years(or more). I really want to find a good and responsible tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal information about yourself. The rent for the whole condo for 1 month is $1300 including all utilities(water,electricity, internet, cable, parking , airconditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage) and the security deposit is 1300$(you'll get the deposit back at your departure- or you can use it to pay your last month of rent) and I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. You can move in the condo in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo. In order to check it, see if you like it(I'm sure that you'll love it), you need to receive the keys and the contract.
If you want to rent the condo, please e-mail me back and I will explain you how the payment and shipping will take place!

Regards,
Frances

Mike said...

2nd email *****************


Before going further with anything I must tell you that for payments I will use the eBay
Company, they will secure the transaction of payments. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay
Company for this transaction and I will give them your full name, shipping info, phone#
and indicate you as my tenant. After that, they will contact you with the payment details,
and they will ask you to send them a refundable deposit, $1300 in 24 hours(the money will
be for the security deposit). After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately
to start the shipping of the keys and the contract. You will receive a tracking number in
max 12 hours after they receive your deposit. The keys will reach to you in 3-4 days.
After you'll receive the keys and the contract, the 14 days of inspection period will start
(you'll have 14 days to see the condo, read the contract, decide if you keep the condo or
not). After the inspection you will contact them and tell your decision:
TAKE THE CONDO or NOT TAKE THE CONDO !
In case you'll take it you'll have to send them a copy of the contract signed by you and
they will release the money to me, if not you'll have to send them the contract unsigned
and they will refund your money(1300$), the contract and the keys will be shipped back at
my expenses! I will pay the shipping and you'll have to pay the money transfer fee for the
refundable deposit. Once again:
1. If you have the money (1300$) and if you want to rent it send me your full name, your
shipping address and your phone #
2. I will open a CASE ID# at eBay Company for this transaction, I will give them your
info and indicate you as my tenant.
3. After that, they will contact you with the payment details(you'll have to send them
1300$ via money transfer in the next 24 hours-you'll need cash)
4. After they receive your deposit, they will notify me immediately to start the shipping,
and you will receive a tracking number in max 12 hours after they receive your deposit.
5.From the moment you receive the keys the 14 days inspection period will start.
I will make the transaction only in this way so if you have the money and if you want to
rent my condo send me your full name, your shipping address, your phone# and I'll start
the procedure.
Best regards.

************

Again, my sincere thanks and keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

me too!!
Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. My name is Sarah Arnett, I'm 49 years old, I'm a construction engineer and I'm the owner of this condo(2 bedrooms,2 bathrooms,1246 square footage). I lived in it for over 5 years, loved every day of it. It's located at 1039 Coast Boulevard South in La Jolla, just steps from the popular La Jolla Cove Park. It combines style, space, convenience, enjoy the wonderful restaurants and shopping on Prospect Street and Girard Avenue. The building has a roof top deck with panoramic views of the Cove, ocean and surrounding area. The master bedroom and the living room area open to a private ocean view balcony where you can enjoy the sound of the surf. This building boasts one of the nicest panoramic view decks in the Village of La Jolla, 360 degree views from rooftop deck of all of La Jolla, plus there are nice oceanviews from the living room, private balcony, master and second bedrooms. The condo is fully furnished with all necessary amenities(exactly like in the pics). The unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat, the condo come with two parking spots(underground), a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture (if you don't like it and you want use your furniture), there is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier. Pets allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I can rent you the condo for min. 1 month max. 6 years(or more). I really want to find a good and responsable tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal information about yourself. The rent for the whole condo for 1 month is $700 including all utilities(water,electricity, internet, cable, parking , airconditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage) and the security deposit is 700$(you'll get the deposit back at your departure- or you can use it to pay your last month of rent) and I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. You can move in the condo in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo. In order to check it, see if you like it(I'm sure that you'll love it), you need to receive the keys and the contract.
If you want to rent the condo, please e-mail me back and I will explain you how the payment and shipping will take
place!

Regards,
Sarah

from gluorry@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

My boyfriend recently received this email also >>


Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. My name is Amanda Marshall, 50 years old and I'm the owner of this condo(2 bedrooms,2 bathrooms,1246 square footage). I lived in it for over 5 years, loved every day of it. It's located at 1039 Coast Boulevard South in La Jolla, just steps from the popular La Jolla Cove Park. It combines style, space, convenience, enjoy the wonderful restaurants and shopping on Prospect Street and Girard Avenue. The building has a roof top deck with panoramic views of the Cove, ocean and surrounding area. The master bedroom and the living room area open to a private ocean view balcony where you can enjoy the sound of the surf. This building boasts one of the nicest panoramic view decks in the Village of La Jolla, 360 degree views from rooftop deck of all of La Jolla, plus there are nice oceanviews from the living room, private balcony, master and second bedrooms. The condo is fully furnished with all necessary amenities(exactly like in the pics). The unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat, the condo come with two parking spots(underground), a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture (if you don't like it and you want use your furniture), there is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier. Pets allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I can rent you the condo for min. 1 month max. 6 years(or more). I really want to find a good and responsable tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal information about yourself. The rent for the whole condo for 1 month is $800 including all utilities(water,electricity, internet, cable, parking , airconditioning, fireplace, dishwasher, garbage) and the security deposit is $800(you'll get the deposit back at your departure- or you can use it to pay your last month of rent) and I want to receive the money monthly in my bank account. You can move in the condo in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo. In order to check it, see if you like it(I'm sure that you'll love it), you need to receive the keys and the contract.
If you want to rent the condo, please e-mail me back and I will explain you how the payment and shipping will take place!