Please do not fall for any of the rental scam listings that are filling internet sites for Real-estate and Property Rentals. If you respond to an add and receive a reply that looks anything like this, it is a SCAM...
"Subject: Re: $800 / 2br - Prime location, Richmond Centre walk to Kwantlen and Landsdowne Mall (RICHMOND)
I'm a Medical doctor and I work for the Red Cross society. I and my family arrive West Africa a week Ago in supporting long term needs for clean water in Kenya, Sudan, Mali, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Benin, Republic, Nigeria and Ethiopia - providing the everyday needs of more than 389, 500 people. Also committed to mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS, which kills more than 6, 000 Africans everyday, we are supporting community garden programs for AIDS sufferers and their families.
We are renting our home because we will be spending a long time (1-3yrs) traveling around Africa and we need a clean responsible person that we can trust to take a proper care of the home at all time. I cherish my home so much because it a gift from my parent so I took the keys /documents with me and am only willing to rent it out to someone who I can trust because I don’t want my property to be misused in my absence. I would like to have your word because i am doing this base on trust and putting everything in God hands. The rent includes all utilities and it available for short and long term rental. Feel free to get back to me if interested so I can forward you the Rental application and please note this that you cant go inside of our home because the property is locked and the keys are right here with us but feel free to go view the exterior and upon approval the keys/papers work will be FedEx to you.
Thanks and God Bless.
Dr Greg Jonathan.
Red Cross Society." This sucker is even using the Red Cross for his rental scam, disgusting!!
Then you will receive another email looking something like this...
"Thanks for your response and interest in renting our home, below is the Rental Application.
RENTAL APPLICATION
Tenant Name:
Desired date of occupancy:
Desired length of occupancy:
Smoker:
Pets:
PRESENT ADDRESS:
How long:
Home Phone No.
Cell Phone No:
Current rent payment:
Reason for moving:
Employer:
Address:
City:
State:
Position:
If a student:
Name of the School:
Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that I can have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you. Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document/keys to you. We are giving you this base on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words, you know that we do not see yet and only putting everything into God's hand, so please do not let us down with our property and God bless you more as you do this.
Thanks and God Bless"
And then if you were like me and didn't know about these scams in the beginning, you will receive another email similar to this one...
"Thanks for your response regarding my home and also for all the info you provided about yourself. I would like to know the reference to contact in case of emergency and also before you can been fully approved to be the rental of my home I would like to verify your information and I would also like you to answer the few question and note this following.

1. Are you moving into the house alone or with people?
I.e. with people what their name?
2. Who would be taking responsibility for the rent?
3. Would you be bringing in any furniture?
4. How many month payment do you intend paying as first rent?

Kindly get back to us ASAP.
Thanks and God Bless."

These people are using fake telephone numbers, random formations of the same name or a mixture of names. I called a couple of phone numbers that were listed and the phone numbers turned out to be unassigned numbers.