mais uma

...para a colecção.

após ter recebido a notícia da bolsa marie curie e respectivo aumento de salário, decidi mudar de casa. presentemente, moro num t1 (i.e. 1 quarto, cozinha e casa-de-banho) na rua mais barulhenta e suja de basiléia - é o problema de morar no "quartier latin" da zona e perto da fronteira. já tinha decidido mudar antes de partir de férias, mas agora sei que posso realmente fazê-lo e com um fundo de maneio mais confortável.
ora, a forma mais simples de encontrar novo alojamento é o site "comparis.ch" que reagrupa numa só página os anúncios de várias agências imobiliárias, e permite filtrá-los por códigos postais, áreas, valor da renda, etc.
no domingo de manhã, acordei com a sensação que seria o meu dia de sorte. entrei na página de internet (filtrei segundo as minhas exigências) e voilà! o milagre aconteceu. tinha encontrado o perfeito ninho: 77m2, 3 quartos, mobilado com muito bom gosto, perto da universidade e com vista para o rio reno. não era preciso mais. o preço? o preço era de sonho: chf999.
1. primeira suspeita - a) ninguém pede uma renda de chf999; b) naquela localização, com 77m2 de área e recentemente renovado, era um apartamento para valer chf3000.
preenchi o formulário de pedido de contacto e rezei. muito, muito.
no domingo à tarde, e após consultar todos os 5 minutos o meu email, recebo a tão ansiada resposta. um longo email a explicar-me que a pessoa não reside em basel, que os pais estavam divorciados, que ela vive em londres com a mãe e que o pai faleceu e ela herdou o apartamento. tudo vai ser tratado através de uma empresa chamada immoexpress e que esta trata de rendas/arrendamentos em toda a europa.
2. segunda suspeita - a) o email redigido em inglês continha inúmeros erros gramaticais, b) os britânicos por norma não são tão expansivos - não contam detalhes da vida privada a qualquer um.
respondi de imediato, confirmando o meu interesse e apresentando-me um pouco mais formalmente (nome, idade, ocupação, etc.).
segunda-feira, novo email a reinformar-me dos detalhes da "transacção", a pedir uma foto e a perguntar se podia pagar 3 meses em adiantado (sem caução). e o pagamento teria de ser feito directamente para a conta bancária dela.
3. terceira suspeita - a) se queria no mínimo 2 meses de renda, por que diabo não pediu uma caução que teria sido o procedimento normal - pelo menos cá - e mais o mês de renda?
ok, continuei a "acreditar" na história e a discutir o assunto com a minha mana p. a história começava a ter demasiadas falhas. os erros gramaticais nos emails continuavam. hum.
depois chegou a confirmação que tudo não passava de um esquema de extorsão:

"hello,
it is ok for me. now i will need to inform you the steps about how this service works and how we can make it happen :
1) to start this transaction i will need to know your shipping information (full name and address) to proceed with this deal.
2) i will go to agency office, i leave them the keys and i make all the arrangements to deliver the keys at your home address.
3) the agency will send you in your e-mail an official delivery notification to let you know they have the keys and the papers in their custody.
4) at this point you will have to deposit the prepayment for my apartment to the immoexpress agent assigned to handle our transaction.
* immoexpress is asking this from you because this is the policy of a real estate agency in abroad, they must have a warranty from the potential tenant before starting the delivery, they will only hold the money until you visit the apartment.
5) after the payment will be made, you have to email the agency with the payment details .
6) they will verify the payment and if everything is ok, the immoexpress agent will bring you the keys at your address(in maximum 2 days) and you visit the apartment with him.
- if you like the apartment and you agree to rent it, you sign all the papers with the agent and the transaction is finished.
- if you don't accept to rent my apartment, the immoexpress agent will give your money back in the same day, you won't lose anything. as i said, i will pay the immoexpress service.

please read carefully this e-mail and send me your shipping details only if you agree to these therms!
thank you,
alexaandra bellarosa"

aqui, todas as suspeitas foram confirmadas e fiz o que deveria ter feito logo no início: fui ver o "apartamento". ontem à hora do almoço e acompanhada da minha amiga a. s. dirigi-me à untere rheingasse, 13. o prédio existe. está lá. e tem vista para o reno. mas o apartamento era suposto ser no 1.° andar. e no n.°13, existe um restaurante no rés-de-chão, escritórios no 1° e 2° andar e no 3° andar existe um apartamento que - segundo me informou uma empregada do restaurante, custa chf4000/mês.
regressei à universidade com todas as suspeitas confirmadas. fiz mais uma pesquisa no google sobre "real estate scam" e encontrei o famoso "conto do vigário": apartamento atraente, o proprietário no estrangeiro que não pode tratar pessoalmente do arrendamento, a empresa fícticia que trata da entrega das chaves contra um depósito, etc."

dei continuação à novela:
"hi alexandra,
thanks for choosing me as your potential tenant. i just have some random questions:
1. how much is this prepayment deposit?
2. can you send me the details of the immoexpress agency (website, contacts...)?
you can understand that i am also in a delicate position, which is i don't want to send money to a company i don't know anything about, and never hear back from them. the same way you have to be cautious with who you choose, i have to be it too with the procedure of paying/getting the keys."

na madrugada de ontem recebo isto:
"hi e.,
the agency has the office in united kingdom (mare street, london e8 1hr, united kingdom) but they handle rentals all over europe, they have many years of experience in this line of work and they never had a bad deal. it is very simple ,they send an agent to show the apartment to the potential tenant.
let me make two things very clear:
1) by paying you are not commiting to anything, you are just respecting a policy of an abroad rental company. the money that you pay are 100% refundable (including transfer fees) at visitation time. the agent will have the money with him and he will give them to you if you don't like the apartment.
2) you are not paying to see the apartment, the money that you pay represent the rent for my apartment with utilities included.
i also have a question for you : do you think that i would go through all this trouble if the apartment was not like in the pictures ?! would i send an agent and pay 365 euro for a service if the apartment was not in a good condition ?! i am not an absurd woman, i just try to rent my apartment, what can be bad in this?!!?
also you must understand that the abroad rental process is not like the rental process in your country. there they would send the agent a few km to show you the apartment, when in my case they sent the agent a very long distance. this is why the rental comany requests the down payment in advance...
tomorrow morning i will go to the agency office and i will make all the arrangements for the delivery. as soon as i will finish, they will send you in your email an official payment invoice, here you will find all the shipping informations and all the payment instructions you need to start this transaction.
please follow them and everything will be ok !
thank you, keep in touch !
alexandra"

procurei a rua (mare street, london e8 1hr) no google map, e existe. procurei a empresa nas páginas amarelas da uk (yell.com) e nada. nenhuma empresa "immoexpress" listada. strange, strange, se pensarmos que esta é uma empresa que trata de rendas all over europe.
4. suspeita (que já não é suspeita, mas simples observação) - se realmente a "senhora" vive em londres e se realmente a "empresa" está sediada em londres, porquê pagar os serviços em euros?

hoje recebi isto da "royal immoexpress ltd":
"welcome to royal immoexpress ltd agency >> our company is the european market leader in rentals through mail services .

02.09.2009
third party service reduces risks associated with internet transactions by acting as a licensed neutral third party for online transactions. the seller delivers the package to one of nearest royal immoexpress ltd agents for the evaluation of contents. the package will remain in the company custody until the receiver will send the payment through a money order service. after verifying the funds, royal immoexpress ltd is ready to ship the parcel to the desired address.
note: we order to avoid the earlier pick up of the funds by the shipper based on fact
that he is aware of the sent payment - we are thanking you for choosing our third party service for your transactions - which will be revealed to the shipper along with all the transaction details after the delivery and your clearance. Consider this security measure if you haven't bought from the seller before and you believe that this is in your best interest.
ship to: [...]
shipper (apartment owner):
first name: alexandra
last name: bellarosa
address: 142 holborn lane
city/state: london
postalcode: w3 6pg
country: united kingdom
shipment information:
service: immoexpress rentals
delivered by: royal immoexpress ltd
duration: 2 days
description of goods: apartment keys and rental contract verified signed by the sender. all the papers are double checked.
declared value: chf 3000.00

western union fees refundable at receipt time.
website:www.immoscout24.ch
note: *you will receive the tracking number after the payment is confirmed to us.
*the amount including the transfer fees, will be 100% refunded in case the receiver refuse to rent the apartment after he will visit it. insured
value amount: 3000.00chf (3 months of rent)
payment information: locate the nearest western union office:(available here)
make the payment using money transfer to our agent name listed below and send the total amount of 3000.00chf

first name: christian bruno
last name: missud
address: 274 grinstead road
city/state: london
postalcode: se8 5bj
country: united kingdom

once you sent payment, you have to email us the following information:
- 10 digit #mtcn number :
- sender full name and address :
- receiver full name :
- the total amount you have sent (in gbp):

warning ! the payment must be made only using western union. we will not confirm any payments made online.
intellectual and other property rights to the information contained in this site are hold by royal immoexpress ltd b.v. with all rights reserved © 2005 -2009"

e agora, vou dirigir-me à polizei basel-stadt e informá-los do esquema.

uma coisa boa nesta estória toda é que a minha mana p. e a s. m. riram-se às gargalhadas. e nada melhor do que fazer rir os nossos amigos :)

um link útil sobre possíveis esquemas de fraude.