Kimberly Thompson Working Through Supposedly Www.rent.com Internet Rental Scam found on Craigslist.com Santa Monica California

Hello! I was doing some research via Google after my friends tipped me off that my 'too good to be true', "2bd 2ba 'modern view' in Santa Monica" find on craigslist.com sounded fishy. Thank God I found this report in Rippoffreport.com and did not go through with the "deal".
Here's my scam, funny how it's almost word for word. Hope it helps:

Hello, my name is Kimberly Thompson and the address is 901 10th St.407, Santa Monica, CA 90403.
Thanks for taking the time to look at my property. The apartment is available ( Great location--one block from Montana Ave. shops and dining, ten minute walk to the beach. Large terrace, unobstructed views south and west. Cable tv, wireless internet included. Indoor parking and secure building entrance. Access to gym, jacuzzi and sauna in building. 24 hour supermarket around the corner, cats and dogs allowed).I've moved to United Kingdom with my job (i am a construction engineer) and decided to rent it because the rent is 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 apt for max. 5 years .I really want to find a good and responsible tenant for it, and I hope that you can send me some personal and financial information about yourself.
I'm the owner and it's exactly like in the Pics.The rent of the apt for 1 month is $1100 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 apt in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I'm the only person who have the keys and I have no one in United States that could show you the apt.

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 a company called Rent (www.rent.com) which 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 apt or not( I will receive the payment after you'll check the apt).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 because I really need to take care of this matter by the end of the next week.
Regards

Hello ,
Thank you again for your reply . If you are ready to proceed with this transaction I must tell you how this service work and what we need to do.

You have to deposit to RENT Service the first month of rent-$1100 and a security deposit of $1100, so they can proceed with the shipping of the keys and the contract. Like I said, I will pay for 2 days delivery so you'll receive the Keys and the contract signed by me right away. I will explain you step by step how this service work.

1 - To start this transaction i need to know your full shipping information (full name and shipping address)
2 - I'll go to a RENT Office and leave the Keys and the contract on your name as the intended receiver.
3 - RENT will check the envelope to see if everything is OK with it and also the legal documents that come along with the Keys.

4 - After they will check the documents , RENT will send you a delivery notification to let you know that they have the Keys and the documents in their custody.
5 - At this point you'll have to go to a Western Union Office and make a money deposit on the RENT agent name for the amount we agreed (the total amount you shall deposit is for the first month of rent and for the security deposit).


6 - After you'll make the deposit you'll have to send the info about the money deposit to RENT .

7 - RENT will verify the deposit information's and if everything is in order they will deliver the Keys and the contract to you.

8 - After you receive the keys and the contract, you must check the apt, decide if you keep the apt or not. If all is in order you'll instruct RENT to release the money to me. If you don't like the apt they will return your money, and they will ship back to me the keys (you'll have 2 days to decide if you keep the apt or not).

I will pay RENT Service for the shipping and you'll pay Western Union for the Money Transfer fee.

So if you have $2,200 cash (the rent for 1 month-$1100 and the security deposit-$1100) and if you're ready for this transaction tell me your full name and your shipping address and I'll start the official procedure, and RENT will notify you about this matter. You'll also receive important guidelines plus instructions from them (please go through them exactly)
So:

1. As soon as I get your info I will ship the keys and the contract.

2. RENT will check the contract and the keys and they will notify you about this matter(they will send you all the instructions in order to complete the deal in a safe way for both)

3. You must send the money in the next 24 hours to the RENT agent.

4. After you'll confirm the payment they will start delivery at your address (the shipping will not take more then 2 days).

5. After you'll receive the keys, you'll have 2 days to decide if you keep the apt or not.
So if you're a serious person tell me your info and I'll start the process.

PS: When I start the process I must pay RENT fees and if you can't send the money in the next 24 hours,they will cancel the shipping and I will lose the money paid for the transaction.
Best Regards

I believe that these people get suckers like me with their 'hurry hurry' attitude. Good luck!

Sassy
torrance, California
U.S.A.