Why do agencies lose clients, what are the reasons?

Does this ad for a roommate sound legit or like a scam?

• Thanks for the opinons. See below: My name is ANDREW *****,I am 40 years old and i am an european.I come to the states often mostly for business purposes cos i deal mostly in jewellry.I supply watches,bracelets,wedding rings and jewellry to stores in the states and europe.Infact that is my family business cos we are from UK.I bought a house last year in ARIZONA cos i love it there. It is peaceful and with a loving neighbourhood. Unfortunately my father passed away on the 30th of JULY 2008 and as the only son in my family i have to go and take care of the family business back in the UK and i realised that it will be very difficult to supply goods to my clients again in the United states while am away and it will definitely cost me a lot to come over to receive payments cos they pay mostly in checks and money orders .So to run the business from there it will be difficult and will be impossible especially the aspect of payment and i dont also want to lose my clients or customers there . So what i intend doing is that i am looking for some one to stay at my house free of charge . I dont want to sell the house cos i just bought it.I am simply looking for someone that is honest and trustworthy and clean for two reasons 1. to maintain the house when i am away and 2.To help me receive payments from my clients within the USA on my behalf in his/her name and have it cashed cos they pay mostly checks and money orders and have the funds wired to me here in the UK thru money gram transfer/western union transfer . you dont have to pay me a dimme for the accommodation. its just for the purpose of keeping my business going on in the United state.and if you wanna keep this assignment as a job let me know so i can allocate 10% on each payment that you receive that is if at all, you dont wanna live in the house or if you are far from the house.......... The house is a great one with clean bathrooms,walk in closet,A gym,All rooms and living room furnished with electronics and very close to any means of transportation .If you are interested in handling my business in the state and keeping the house neat,send me an email to my email address on :**************@yahoo.com Ensure that you mail back to my email address as i might not be able to view the roommates. {**************@yahoo.com} please send me your: Full name: Contact Address: Phone number: Thanks, ANDREW ****

• Answer:

  Your scammer is doing a two-fer. He's offering a "free house" (which will need a security deposit "before" you can move in AND he's asking you to be his money launderer. (There is no house. There is no "job.") These are common scams. He is trying to get you to send him YOUR money and when his scam unravels, YOU are the one who will be poorer. The deal with the house is that he'll need "a security deposit" before you can move in. He'll ask for $1000+ (and then lower it if you don't bite immediately) and ask you to wire it to him via Moneygram/Western Union. He'll say that he just needs to see the money, so he'll claim if you put it under your mother's maiden name he can't touch it (all lies). The deal with the "commission" is that the checks he asks you to cash will either be stolen or fake. You deposit the checks into your bank account, they APPEAR to clear, you send him 90% of the amount and then when they bounce, the bank asks you to pay them back for 100% of the money. There is an even more complex version where the scammer lists items for sale on eBay/Craigslist, lists your name and address as the seller, uses stolen credit cards to order the goods as "gifts" on Amazon.com. These take longer to unravel so the scammer steals more money from you over a longer period of time. If you can't pay restitution to your bank (or the credit card companies), YOU can be arrested. Money Laundering is a crime. The letter you post has all the common elements: #1, why there is a deal. He claims his dad died and he suddenly can't use the asset. Other versions involve suddenly moving for a job or having a deal fall through. "I come to the states often mostly for business... bought a house last year in ARIZONA cos i love it there....Unfortunately my father passed away" #2. The pitch. Your scammer is aiming high, he's offering the house for "free." In reality he's either stealing security deposits *or* he's trying to use a hook to get you into the money laundering deal. "So what i intend doing is that i am looking for some one to stay at my house free of charge." #3, He claims he is looking for an honest person. Why the scammers think that asking if you are honest will deflect you from asking if they are honest, I don't know. Ditto any claim they are a god fearing Christian. Okay, "clean" is a new one on me.... "I am simply looking for someone that is honest and trustworthy and clean" #4. Money Laundering. "and 2.To help me receive payments from my clients within the USA on my behalf in his/her name and have it cashed cos they pay mostly checks and money orders and have the funds wired to me here in the UK thru money gram transfer/western union transfer." #5, Any mention of money gram, western union or bank transfers. #6. The free email account. Scammers opearate freely on yahoo.com. Even if yahoo deletes their accounts, they just sign up again often within hours with the same name.