[robpal]

A similar, though less sophisticated, scam has been around in France for over a decade. They put ads with professional photos on websites with rental offers (the price is good, almost too good to be true but you're desperate for a place to live and think that maybe, just maybe, you got very lucky), talk to you in polite and agreeable manner, offer a visit and then demand a downpayment before the actual visit occurs. The red flag was that they demanded a scan of ID before the meeting (the landlord cannot ask for it beforehand) and of course the downpayment request. I searched online after that and found out it's been around for a looong time. Be careful who you're paying!