Flat scam/money transfer

I'm currently looking for a new place to move into. Then I found this too-good-to-be-true flat..

the master bedroom


2nd bedroom


living room


dining room



toilet


kitchen



computer corner


All this for 450£ and it's located in Byres Road!?! Byres Road is like the most happening road for university students. The flats there are way overpriced! No way it can be 450£

This is too surreal so I discussed with my friend bout it. And we said we'll not pay anything until we get to see the flat and confirm that he's the real owner. So I emailed back to him stating that I'm definitely interested then his reply...

From: moss frank (mynewhome4u@live.com)

Hi,
Thanks for your reply and interest in my flat,I'd love to have you visit my apartment but due to recent inconveniences caused by wanna be tenants who I have invited for viewing and turned out to be time waster.I have decided to know your readiness and capability before inviting you for the viewing. I currently work in Manchester which is the the main reason I want to let my flat out. I'll need to take a day off from work in order to be able to come down Glasgow to show you the flat.Before coming down to show you the apartment.I will need to be sure of your readiness and capability i.e if you will be able to pay for month rent plus security deposit (£450+£600=£1050).Therefore, I will want you to make a transfer of a month rent plus security deposit (£450+£600=£1050) by going to the closest money gram or western union outlet to you with a friend or someone close to you and make the transfer as the sender and your friend as the receiver or any of your family members and you can also make them as the sender and you be the receiver so that when you arrive for the viewing and you are ok with the flat then we proceed by signing the contract/tenancy agreement form and handover the keys to you and we go to the closest money gram outlet closer to my flat to pick up the money and you pay me hand to hand as i will be ready to show you the flat and have your receipt and tenement agreement form ready as soon as i get the receipt of the transfer you made to yourself via Moneygram or western union from the post office that show that you really make the transfer and it is avaiIable to be pick up by you and have got the cash at hand to start the tenement renting of my flat . I do not want you to have the feeling that I'm asking for money before you see what you are renting because I know that payment is meant to be done after you have seen the Flat and okay with it but most tenants I have invited for the viewing, is either they cannot afford the rent or security deposit that's why I want to be sure before coming down to show you the flat. This is the reason you are not doing the transfer into my account and to let you have confidence that your money is safe and God forbide if anything happens to your money you can easily go to my bank to lodge complain in order to have your money back but I'm assuring you that everything is gonna be alright ok.. If you are ok with this arrangement you can let me know so that you can make the transfer with a family or close friend and once it's confirmed I will come down to show you the flat. You will need to scan the copy of the deposit slip to me as a prove.And to let you know.I will want you get back to me if you are ok with this arrangement so that we can proceed.I will be looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Moss.

Honestly I had a similar case with another guy Barry. But I was having exams back then and I didn't have time to do so and it sounded fishy. So I dismissed Mr Barry. Then I thought it's too weird that a same case would happen. So I tried googling "western union scam flat rent"

True enough..it's all SCAM! FRAUD! LIARS!!! You shall LIE NO MORE!!!

From BBC Watchdog

So how is the scam working?
It's thought scammers use the details on the receipt sent to them to create a fake ID in order to pick up the money. The scammers' email addresses were traced back to Nigeria so they may even be receiving the money from one of the 320,000 Western Union branches around the world and not even from the UK.

Tom Craig is a counter fraud expert. He's not surprised that the scammers have taken advantage of Western Union as the scammers can't be traced: "Basically it's moving cash. You can't really identify the end receiver. Although you should but you can't. It's just like giving cash away."

Western Union told Watchdog that it's important that customers "observe the clear guidance and don't share private information such as transaction numbers or copies of the documentation related to a person to person money transfer with any other party".

Western Union stresses that although it does, with police, investigate all reported cases of fraud, it can't refund any money that's been stolen. It's confident it has a "robust fraud prevention programme" in place, but points out that consumers "are and always will be the first and best line of defence against consumer fraud, especially when it comes to protecting and safeguarding their personal data and identity information".

Lesson of the day: Use your bRAINEea!!!