maybe i should send a moneygram to the prince of nigeria, too

my life seems to be continuing in its ongoing saga of being stressful, hectic, and annoying. i woke up to find a nasty, anonymously written comment on my blog entry about stellenbosch (which i promptly deleted.... but don't think i don't know who did it), and during my urban politics tutorial, the tutor got pissed off because none of us had completed the assignment, so she dismissed us rather abruptly (to be fair, we've all been working on our group projects) at that point. given that i'm still trying to settle the bill with budget as well as get all of my electronics back in working shape, school stresses are totally bringing me down (not to mention the fact i'm way homesick). so, when shit like this happens, it doesn't bode well for my mood.

to add insult to injury, i've been surfing craigslist for housing in dc in november, and i thought i was on a lead with a very promising place at 1077 30th street when i came to the unfortunate realisation that the leaser i'd been conversing with is naught but a scam artist. quel dommage.

don't believe me? judge for yourself. (from our google chat conversation today)

me: hi
scam artist: hello
scam artist: i am hoping you could at least send me the signed copy of the lease and maybe a part payment of the rent
scam artist: as agreed
me: well, you need to send me the lease first
scam artist: i mean the informations i requested from you
scam artist: sorry it was a typing error
me: what information do you need from me?
scam artist: if you want me to send the lease agreement to you, i would need these details
scam artist: full name
scam artist: date of birth
scam artist: current address
scam artist: expected move-in date
scam artist: date of departure
scam artist: a scan of an id (if you have one)
me: could you e-mail that list of things to me? and i'll get them to you as soon as i can
scam artist: i will do that right away
scam artist: also can you tell me how you intend paying for the reservation?
me: partly my own income and partly financial aid
scam artist: i see
scam artist: as soon as i can get the lease to you and you are able to sign it, i would prefer if you can send the payment to my lawyer so that he can hold in a kind of escrow till you arrive
me: as in, a deposit?
scam artist: i think i already told you i am away in utah at the moment
me: yeah, you did.
scam artist: i just sent you an email
me: well, i'd prefer to send one of my friends over to the apartment to take a look at it on my behalf before i sign anything or send you any money. and that, i'd presume, would involve you being back from utah (unless your attorney can show my friend the place)
scam artist: yeah well i can fly in from utah
scam artist: but i have to see a kind of proof that you would be willinf to pay eventually
me: hmm how long had you planned on staying in utah for?
scam artist: well at least for the next couple of weeks
scam artist: but i am hoping i could wrap up housing issus soon
me: as am i. well, could your attorney show my friend the place?
scam artist: yeah he can but he stays in ca
scam artist: and i would have to see a proof from you before i can agree to him flying down to show your friend, because there are so much time wasters there
me: what do you mean by that
scam artist: don't be offended
scam artist: there are so many people out there that are just gonna waste time
scam artist: so i need a kinda proof
me: like what
scam artist: do you want your friend sign the lease on your behalf?
scam artist: like making a deposit of the rent payment in a monwygram account and retrieve when you arrive in dc at least that shows you are serious about it
me: no, i don't want my friend to sign the lease on my behalf. and i'm not comfortable with giving you any money before i'm sure i want the place. and the only way i'd know for sure is if my friends tell me it looks like a legit place i'd like to live at
scam artist: you can start looking when you reach dc
me: i beg your pardon? i can start looking for what?
scam artist: when you reach dc you look for your flat
me: no, i want to secure a place before i arrive back in dc... that's the point of you and i conversing. lol
me: and that's funny you should say "flat", i hear it called that all the time here in sa but not back in the us
scam artist: well i just used that because i know you are in sa
scam artist: lol
scam artist: what do you think we should do now?
scam artist: okay i have a suggestion
me: okay, shoot.
scam artist: please this might sound crazy but that is what i want you to do.
scam artist: do you know moneygram service? www.moneygram.com
me: yes.
scam artist: i would want you to send the first rent and deposit through the transfer to your own name as a receiver in dc using the moneygram method, then you can scan and send the receipt to me for confirmation.as soon as i have confirmed it,i would schedule a flight down to dc and meet with your friend
scam artist: then when you get to dc and meet with me, you can retrieve at the nearest outlet
scam artist: and pay cash
scam artist: what do you think?
me: i think there might be a better way of doing this. like, i could just show you a copy of my bank statement.
scam artist: but that only tells me you have the fund but not that you would be willing to pay
scam artist: i think what i suggest might be the best way
scam artist: someone suggested it to me last year
scam artist: she was actually in this type of situation also and was not comfortable paying without seeing or meeting me in person, but that works quite fine
scam artist: she later arrived in dc and we went to connecuite av. to retrieve the payment in exchange for the keys
me: well, when do you anticipate being back in dc?
me: we can just hold off on doing this until you get back from utah. then, my bud can come by, whenever you are free
scam artist: than i might have to sublet to another person
scam artist: am sorry
me: i'm sorry too, but i have got to tell ya, the way you're suggesting makes it sound like a scam money wiring is fishy, anyway. besides, if i wire money to myself, why is that more of a guarantee that i'd pay than if i just showed you a bank statement?
scam artist: that seems to be an insult
me: it's not, and i'm sorry if you take things that way. i'm just going by craigslist guidelines, which speak against money wiring
scam artist: i undestand that is why i suggest to send it to your name
scam artist: not me
me: i still don't understand what good that would do. again, that shows that i only have the money, not that i'd be willing to pay.
me: don't you have a friend or someone, local to dc who could show my bud the apt.?
scam artist: at least that way you can be sure you would retrieve only with your govt. issued id
me: like a dl?
scam artist: yeah
me: i still don't understand what good that would do.
scam artist: i don't
me: why would i wire money to myself?
me: you don't what?
me: also, in regard to your e-mail, i believe i already told you my expected move-in date and "date of departure"
me: and why wouldn't i have an id? you know i'm abroad, i obviously have a passport
scam artist: okay
me: okay what?
me: i don't even know your surname. i don't feel comfortable doing all of these tasks for a stranger.
me: are you still there? i've begun to become rather suspicious of this entire deal.
scam artist: lol
scam artist: i am here
scam artist: just don't know what else i can tell you
scam artist: if you want a scan of my dl or passport i can send to you
scam artist: i am serious about this as you are
me: no, what good would that do me?
scam artist: but honestly i have dealt with so many time wasters in the past
scam artist: well i don't know
scam artist: maybe just some security
me: what is on the same block as the apartment building?
me: hello?
scam artist: am here
me: what is on the same block as the apartment building?
me: well?
me: i'm just becoming highly worried that this entire thing is a scam. in which case, i'd have to report this incident to craigslist.

that was pretty much it, i told her to shove off at that point, she got defensive, blah blah blah. i can't even deal. how disappointing, especially considering the price was right and it'd have been walking distance to gwu. :(

well, it looks like i'm back at square one. maybe i should take a personal day.