Christiana Baffones apartment in Basel, is a scam!

Hello Susanne,

Thanks for the reply and the interest in my flat.

I understand you would be playing the violin now and then and that's no problem

A little about myself: Am a 24yrs old professional Italian lady, I have been in Switzerland for over 2yrs now. Am cool, clean, caring, kind, honest, nice, easy going, down to earth with a good sense of humor and am seeking a flatmate with the same qualities. I love cooking, camping, swimming, outdoors, adventures, spending free times with friends and loved ones.

I would be willing to have the room securely reserved for you. Kindly get back to me telling me more about yourself so we can proceed with this.

Hope to read from you soon.

Regards,

Cristiana.




Hello Susanne,

Thanks for the reply and its really good getting to know lots more about you.

Am surprised you say my flat address does not exist. Maybe there is a problem with the website you used.

A lease contract would be involved in this which we both would have to sign. Kindly get back to me with your full name and address, name and address of next of kin, your exact move in and move out date and any means of your identification( a scanned copy of your passport or I.D card) as i would be needing these in preparing the contract asap.

After these you would then proceed with the payment of the refundable deposit and first month rental fee in advance to confirm reservation and a receipt would be issued for the payment.

Hope to read from you soon.

Regards,

Cristiana.


Moved to "Rental Scams" - CW

Welcome and thank you for posting this scammer.

As you already know, this scammer is attempting to collect money for a nonexistent apartment. Some of the details in the English tell me that the person who wrote those emails is really African, not Italian.

I signed up for information on renting a room in Geneva. Within half an hour I had received these emails from "Cristiana Baffone".. The pictures sent to my email didn't even correspond to the same "vacant" room!!


Email 1 -
Hello,

I saw your advert on wgzimmer.ch and would love to know if you still interested in renting a room in Geneva?

Kindly email back so I can send you pics and details of my flat.

Hope to read from you soon

Regards,

Cristiana.


Email 2-
Hello,

Thanks for the reply. I do have a 3 bedroom flat and would love to rent out a room in the flat. The second room is been used by a 23yrs old female Swiss student while the third room is been used by me.

My flat is located at Rue de la Rôtisserie 36, 1204 Geneva.

Its fully furnished with Internet service, Shower / Bathroom, sink and toilet, TV , Kettle, Cupboards / wardrobes, Fridge , Fresh and sterilized blanket / bed linen and pillowcase, Air conditioner, Double glazing. Kitchen Includes: Cooker with oven/grill. Washing machine, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle, Fridge. Storage area, Iron&Iron Board.

The room would be rented out for 500CHF per month(all bills inclusive) and a refundable deposit of 700CHF is also required.

*Please no time wasters kindly email back stating your interest and i do understand you not seeking an immediate accommodation, i would be willing to have it securely reserved for you from the period which you would be needing it.

Attached below are pics of my flat.

Hope to read form you soon.

Regards,

Cristiana.

I just found this exact Scam but with a Chinese girl called Yiren Tang ([email protected]):


"Hello Paco,

Thanks for the reply. I do have a 3 bedroom flat and would love to rent out a room in the flat. The second room is been used by a 23yrs old female Swiss student while the third room is been used by me.

My flat is located at Bahnhofstrasse 54, 8023 Zurich, Switzerland.

Its fully furnished with Internet service, Shower / Bathroom, sink and toilet, TV , Kettle, Cupboards / wardrobes, Fridge , Fresh and sterilized blanket / bed linen and pillowcase, Air conditioner, Double glazing. Kitchen Includes: Cooker with oven/grill. Washing machine, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle, Fridge. Storage area, Iron&Iron Board.

The room would be rented out for 500CHF per month(all bills inclusive) and a refundable deposit of 700CHF is also required.

*Please no time wasters kindly email back stating your interest and i do understand you not seeking an immediate accommodation, i would be willing to have it securely reserved for you from the period which you would be needing it.

Attached below are pics of my flat.

Hope to read form you soon.

Regards,

Yiren."

Hello Dries,

Thanks for the reply. I do have a 3 bedroom flat and would love to rent out a room in the flat. The second room is been used by a 23yrs old female German student while the third room is been used by me.

My flat is located at Leipziger Strasse 56, 10117 Berlin.

Its fully furnished with Internet service, Shower / Bathroom, sink and toilet, TV , Kettle, Cupboards / wardrobes, Fridge , Fresh and sterilized blanket / bed linen and pillowcase, Air conditioner, Double glazing. Kitchen Includes: Cooker with oven/grill. Washing machine, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle, Fridge. Storage area, Iron&Iron Board.

The room would be rented out for 300Euro per month(all bills inclusive) and a refundable deposit of 500Euro is also required.

*Please no time wasters kindly email back stating your interest and i do understand you not seeking an immediate accommodation, i would be willing to have it securely reserved for you from the period which you would be needing it.

Attached below are pics of my flat.

Hope to read form you soon.

Regards,

Yiren.




Mod edit: Watermarked image of passport No. G48392154

I've had EXACTLY the same email, for BERLIN, from "Xiaochen":

Hello Emilie,

Thanks for the reply. I do have a 3 bedroom flat and would love to rent out a room in the flat. The second room is been used by a 23yrs old female German student while the third room is been used by me.

My flat is located at Leipziger Strasse 56, 10117 Berlin

Its fully furnished with Internet service, Shower / Bathroom, sink and toilet, TV , Kettle, Cupboards / wardrobes, Fridge , Fresh and sterilized blanket / bed linen and pillowcase, Air conditioner, Double glazing. Kitchen Includes: Cooker with oven/grill. Washing machine, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle, Fridge. Storage area, Iron&Iron Board.

The room would be rented out for 300Euro per month(all bills inclusive) and a refundable deposit of 500Euro is also required.

*Please no time wasters kindly email back stating your interest and i do understand you not seeking an immediate accommodation, i would be willing to have it securely reserved for you from the period which you would be needing it.

Attached below are pics of my flat.

Hope to read form you soon.

Regards,

Xiaochen.



===> Be careful!

I also have the same email but from a Phoebe Kotlikoff:

Hello Erica,

Thanks for the reply. I do have a 3 bedroom flat and would love to rent out a room in the flat. The second room is been used by a 23yrs old female German student while the third room is been used by me.

My flat is located at Leipziger Strasse 56, 10117 Berlin.

Its fully furnished with Internet service, Shower / Bathroom, sink and toilet, TV , Kettle, Cupboards / wardrobes, Fridge , Fresh and sterilized blanket / bed linen and pillowcase, Air conditioner, Double glazing. Kitchen Includes: Cooker with oven/grill. Washing machine, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle, Fridge. Storage area, Iron&Iron Board.

The room would be rented out for 300Euro per month(all bills inclusive) and a refundable deposit of 500Euro is also required.

*Please no time wasters kindly email back stating your interest and i do understand you not seeking an immediate accommodation, i would be willing to have it securely reserved for you from the period which you would be needing it.

Attached below are pics of my flat.

Hope to read form you soon.

Regards,

Phoebe.

Welcome to Scamwarners e4768,

Thank you for updating. The original post is over a year ago. What is the email address this scammer is using now?

I also fell for this scam and my passport photo is now being used to scam others

The email I was scammed with was:

[email protected]

I totally got scammed by Phoebe Kotlikoff too. My email was:

Hello Georgia,

Thanks for the reply. I do have a 3 bedroom flat and would love to rent out a room in the flat. The second room is been used by a 23yrs old female German student while the third room is been used by me.

My flat is located at Leipziger Strasse 56, 10117 Berlin.

Its fully furnished with Internet service, Shower / Bathroom, sink and toilet, TV , Kettle, Cupboards / wardrobes, Fridge , Fresh and sterilized blanket / bed linen and pillowcase, Air conditioner, Double glazing. Kitchen Includes: Cooker with oven/grill. Washing machine, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle, Fridge. Storage area, Iron&Iron Board.

The room would be rented out for 300Euro per month(all bills inclusive) and a refundable deposit of 500Euro is also required.

*Please no time wasters kindly email back stating your interest and i do understand you not seeking an immediate accommodation, i would be willing to have it securely reserved for you from the period which you would be needing it.

Attached below are pics of my flat.

Hope to read form you soon.

Regards,

Phoebe.

Her email was: [email protected]

Such a bummer.