

THREE days into my search for a room in London, and I've already been scammed.
Searching on sites like Gumtree and Roombuddies, I was beginning to get used to the fact that my limited budget was not going to afford me any luxuries.
Then, I received a message from a member of spareroom.co.uk asking whether I would be interested in her flat located near Goodge Street, by Covent Garden in Central London, for £450 per month including all utility bills and council tax. Of course I was interested. But alarm bells should have been ringing.
When I registered my interest, an email arrived from someone purporting to be 27-year-old Arianna, an Italian hairdresser, and I could not believe my eyes.
The flat was luxuriously decorated with all ensuite rooms, and a quick look on Google street view told me the area was pretty nice too.
Arianna also sounded like the sort of person I would like to live with: in a long, detailed email, she said in broken English: "I'm a very laid back person and also, I am open minded and free with everyone.
I am looking for someone that is especially a trustworthy person, a clean and tidy and person that I could confide in as a friend and family and that could confide in me as well and I believed you would be the kind of person."
She had snared me.
My suspicions were only aroused when Arianna would only communicate via email or Windows Live Messenger - which I had to download in a desperate attempt not to lose the flat.
When speaking to Arianna, she informed me that I would have to pay a £500 security deposit before even viewing the flat, as she had been "let down before". When I refused, she said that she just needed proof that I would be able to pay the rent, but would not accept a payslip or a bank statement. Again I refused, and wished her luck in finding the right person.
On the same day, I received a generic mass email from the owners of the spareroom site, which listed the common features of a scam. She ticked all the boxes.
I'm now remembering how limited my budget is, and off to look at flats which probably actually do exist, mould and all.