Watch out for scam artists on Oodle and other SF bay area apartment listinsg

Disclaimer: The real Jeff Moroso is a perfectly good man. This story reflects someone impersonating Jeff Moroso.

I nearly got scammed by a Nigerian. It was phenomenally well executed and quite believable.

The deal involved a 2 bed apartment listed on oodle.com for rent at 2296 Vallejo St. The ad was listed as from Jeff Moroso.

The apartment looked great, and you could pay month by month or in multi-month blocks to get a discount.

Alarm bells started ringing as my email chains with 'Jeff' continued - poor english, not willing to speak by phone or meet in person, etc. Finally when he asked for the first month rent and deposit wired to a bank account, I got even more suspicious. I googled For Jeff Moroso and rang his construction company. I spoke to a very nice lady there who was very adamant that this had nothing to do with Jeff Moroso.

Then 'Jeff' emailed me again this time direct from a Yahoo account, where I could get an IP address from the sender. The IP address is located in Nigeria.

Received: from [82.128.81.45]

Using http://www.ip2location.com/free.asp:

82.128.81.45

NG

NIGERIA

LAGOS

LAGOS

CDMA EVDO POOL

Yeah. Go figure. Nigeria.

Full email transaction posted below to try and help anyone Googling on their suspicions of any future scams.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Al Cook

Date: Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 2:55 PM

Subject: Re: Lease Contract/Payment Instruction.

To: Jeff Moroso , "Jeff M." <2081334298s43210886@anon.oodle.com>

Cc: Sarah Cook <@gmail.com>

Hi Jeff,

I have called Jeff Moroso Construction Company as I wanted to verify that you were who you say you are before sending any money. The internet can enable people to easily mask their identity.

Sally at Moroso Construction didn't have any knowledge of you owning 2296 Vallejo, or of your property manager Clarice, and was confident that the person I am communicating with (i.e. you) is not Jeff Moroso. While I really like the look and sound of this apartment, I am not comfortable enough that this is legitimate for me to send money at this stage.

If I have mis-read the situation, I apologize and I would like still to rent the apartment. However I will need to meet you in person and view the apartment before I can hand over any money.

I'm sorry to be so suspicious if my suspicion is misplaced, but the internet is a dangerous place and several things about this transaction have set off warning bells to me.

Regards

Al Cook

On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 1:47 PM, Jeff Moroso wrote:

Hello Al Cook,

I have received your tenancy application form and I am comfortable with your move in. In regards to your questions, do see my response below.

- What is the fastest way we can get our deposit checks to you? I'd like to make sure we are not too slow here. Can I come to you and physically give you the signed contracts and checks?

*Please note that I do not accept check payment as first time payment from my tenannts, so you will be making the payment to reserve the apartment to my manager's account details so that the apartment can be reserved for you immediately your payment is confirmed.

- Do I understand correctly, that if we pay you $4000 for the first month and damage deposit and lock ourselves in, that if come August 18th we wanted to back out for any reason, we would get the $1500 deposit back but *not *the $2500 first month payment?

* If you make the payment to reserve the apartment now and come August 18th you change your mind for any reason both the first month rent and the refundable security deposit will be refunded back to you on the spot, but I am very certain you will fall in love with the apartment when you see it.

- Your earlier email indicated a Pool, sauna and tennis court were also

available. I am wondering if this information was about a different unit, as

I am not aware that 2296 Vallejo has such amenities?

*Please note that those amenities are not available as that three amenities is for one my propery in Hawaii, because I was actually responding to someone else who was also interested in renting my property in Hawaii.

- I am anticipating that we will pay you 1 month plus damage deposit to start off with, and then all being well we will move to paying you in 6 month installments of $12750 for the next ~ 2 years at least. Does that sound OK?

*No problem that is fine with me, so you can sign for a six months lease and with option to renew since the six months lease has the same discount with the one year and 2 Years. So you go ahead and sign for as long as you which to.

- I assume that once we are tenants in the unit, we can renew as many times as we want - i.e. you won't put it back on the open market if we want to remain tenants?

*Of course you can renew it as many times as you want, and I will not be putting it on the market.

You can have the apartment reserved for you until your move in, with the payment of the first month rent plus a refundable security deposit. You will also be filling out the lease contract form and the completed form should be emailed to me along with the receipt of payment to reserve the apartment now.

Do see the attached lease contract, and also see my manager's account details for you to make the payment into and as soon as I receive the filled lease contract and the receipt of your payment I shall reserve the apartment for you immediately.

Please you are advised to make payment to my manager's account as soon as you can, so that the apartment can be reserved for you immediately. Though someone else just

Submitted his own application form but I have not responded back to him so I will expect you to make the transfer as early as you can so that I can reserve the apartment for you. So do make payment to the account details below, and as soon as my manager confirms your payment the apartment will be yours. See my manager's account details below:

Bank Name: La Capitol Federal credit union Account

Account Number: 406412

Routing Number: 265473582

Account Name: Clarice Lewis Wallaker.

I await your earliest response to my email as soon as possible with the filled lease contract and the receipt of payment.

Warmest Regards,

Jeff Moroso.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Al Cook

Date: Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 11:30 AM

Subject: Re: Unit Update.

To: "Jeff M." <2081334298s43210886@anon.oodle.com>

Cc: Sarah Cook <@gmail.com>

Hi Jeff,

Please find attached our completed rental application form. I have also attached a list of our past tenancy references, and contact persons for verification of employment, should you need them. Finally I have also attached my Credit Score Report.

I have a couple of questions for you:

- What is the fastest way we can get our deposit checks to you? I'd like to make sure we are not too slow here. Can I come to you and physically give you the signed contracts and checks?

- Do I understand correctly, that if we pay you $4000 for the first month and damage deposit and lock ourselves in, that if come August 18th we wanted to back out for any reason, we would get the $1500 deposit back but not the $2500 first month payment?

- Your earlier email indicated a Pool, sauna and tennis court were also available. I am wondering if this information was about a different unit, as I am not aware that 2296 Vallejo has such amenities?

- I am anticipating that we will pay you 1 month plus damage deposit to start off with, and then all being well we will move to paying you in 6 month installments of $12750 for the next ~ 2 years at least. Does that sound OK?

- I assume that once we are tenants in the unit, we can renew as many times as we want - i.e. you won't put it back on the open market if we want to remain tenants?

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to move faster in confirming this tenancy with you. We really like the look of this place, and I can assure you we will be excellent tenants for you. Please call me if you have any questions or if it can speed the process in any way.

Regards

Al Cook

On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 8:31 AM, Jeff M. <2081334298s43210886@anon.oodle.com> wrote:

Hello Al,

I am in receipt of your email, and the content noted. In

regards to your question, do see my response below.

You can secure the apartment now for your proposed move-in date,

because if you secure it now you can move-in then. The discount for the twelve

months and twenty four months has the same 15% discount, you can sign for as

long as you wish to. Please note that to secure the apartment now you will need

to pay just the first month rent and the refundable security deposit.

Please note that the apartment will be available for move-in

or viewing from August 18th, as that is when the current occupants lease will

expire. The present occupants lease will expire 12:00noon and that is the

earliest viewing date (August 18th) so if you are really interested I will

advice you try and secure it now so that you do not loose it to other potential

tenants who are also in contact with me in regards to this apartment and like

you know who ever make is deposit first to secure it gets it.

Please if you will like to move ahead in securing the

apartment now with the payment of the first month rental fee and the refundable

security deposit, do let me know by filling the rental application form and

return it back to me so that I can forward the lease contract for you to go

through it and then reserve the apartment. I hope you understand what I am

saying here? Because if you secure it now, and come that viewing that you

change your mind for any reason I will simply refund your deposit back to you

in full value.

I will await your earliest response to my email, so that we

can proceed with you securing the apartment for your self as soon as possible.

Warmest Regards,

Jeff Moroso.

[ARC] ---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Al Cook

Date: Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 1:54 PM

Subject: Re: Unit Information's.

To: "Jeff M." <2081334298s43210886@anon.oodle.com>

Cc: Sarah Cook <@gmail.com>

Great thank you so much for your reply. We are probably looking to rent for two years, and would be very happy to pay up front in 6 month chunks at least.

We would ideally not want to start the lease until August 21. Would you consider letting us sign the lease now to start on that date, given the rental security of continued tenancy and 6 month rental payments? I would like to avoid paying double rent for this and our current place as much as possible.

If we paid you 12 months in advance, would you give a higher discount rate or still 15%?

Would I be able to view it today or tomorrow? I work from home on Fridays so can be flexible on timing, though would prefer evenings so my wife can join me.

Thanks

Al

On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 1:33 PM, Jeff M. <2081334298s43210886@anon.oodle.com> wrote:

Hello,

My name is Mr. Jeff, I’m the owner of the apartment. This apartment is a two bedroom/two bathroom apartment. The apartment is fully furnished and can also be rented as unfurnished and if you care about security this is the place to stay. The apartment is a pet friendly apartment. This apartment is available so book it now.

Lease term available are month to month, 3 months, 6 months , one year and two years lease term....... it can be renewed when it expires.

# 2296 Vallejo St.

San Francisco, CA 94123

State: CA.

1. ONE MONTH PLAN: Pay one month rental ($2500) and security deposit ($1500) and get... 0% discount. Total is $4000.

2. THREE MONTHS PLAN: Pay the three month rental ($7500) and a security deposit of $1500 and get a discount rate of 10% which will now amount to $6750.

3. SIX MONTHS PLAN: Pay for six month rental fee ($15000) and a security deposit of $1500 and a discount of 15% will be given to you so it will now amount to $12750 plus the refundable security deposit of $1500. This is the plans available to my tenants and I offer them the freedom of choice.

- The kitchen is equipped with refrigerator, dishwasher, stove and microwave.

The apartment is 1048 sqft.

Amenities included in the rent: Electricity, water, covered garage, gas, heat, AC, sewer, Cable/Satellite TV.

Other amenities available: Pool, furniture, Package Receiving, Sauna, Fitness Center, Elevator, High Speed Internet Available, Near Public Transit 24-Hour Availability, Courtyard, Blinds, disposal, floor tile, Recreation Area Security Guard, Tennis Court , Security Patrol, Washer/dryer in unit.

I will strongly advice you to book this apartment now because of the high demand and as well to ensure that all necessary arrangements are put in place in anticipation of your move in to avoid any hitches and delays when you come to the apartment.

To book the apartment, you will fill the booking form and make payment for the first month rent and security deposit...

Hope to hear back from you.

Jeff Moroso.