On March 6th 2017 our company was contacted by Renee Travis via LinkedIn Message. The message read: "I am a private lender.Are you in need of a loan for your business or you know someone who needs a loan? Then contact me now as I have funds available to lend.How much do you need and when do you want to pay back? Reply to my email [email protected]"
We asked if she provided loans where the interest was paid by income received from rental properties. She replied "Yes. Send an email to my email address now so I can send the terms of the loan to you over there. [email protected]".
10 days later (March 16th 2017) we wrote to her email: "Hi Renee. I am following up on a conversation we had on LinkedIN about possibly doing a loan through you. Can you please send me a term sheet. Thanks Renee. Rick"
Renee replied:
My offer is guaranteed in the sense that you will definitely get the loan as soon as you follow the loan procedures correctly.
1. Required Age: The borrower must be above 18 years of age and any age below 18 would be disallowed from this loan offer.
2.Loan Interest rate: All loans are charged with 3% interest rate..
3. Applicant will keep to our loan terms and condition and that this loan will not be use for mass destruction, drug traffics or any otherthing contrary to the law.
4. Applicant who is unable to meet with the repayment will be given 3 weeks more as a grace period before legal actions will be taken.
5. Failure to pay back the loan at this expected date/period, legal actions will be taken against the applicant by our attorney immediately.
6. The loan must be insured: The insuring of the loan will be done by the lender who is giving out the loan,which is 5% of the loan. Therefore the lender will be responsible for the insurance fee.
7. The loan agreement fee: The borrower must be responsible for the loan agreement fee of $2,000,which needs to sign before funds are transfered to his account he will provide on the signed agreement.
8. We don't deduct from the loan we are giving to our applicants, it is against our policy.
9. The borrower will start paying the monthly loan installment after 14 months of receiving the loan.
If you are okay with the above then reply now so I can send you the loan form to fill now for us to proceed.
She sent the loan form, which we completed and returned back to her. She send an email stating:
Details received.You can now proceed with the transfer of the loan contract fee ($2,000) for us to proceed.You are to send the copy of payment to me as evidence of payment and for documentation. Below is the account details.
#2Author of original report
Mon, April 24, 2017
To the real Renee Travis. I am so sorry this is happening to you. Hopefully the FBI will track down the fake Renee Travis and arrest her. Sometimes, the wrong people will teach us the right lessons.
Renee
Elmira,#3REBUTTAL Individual responds
Thu, April 20, 2017
I am the one that they are using in reference to this scam. The person's name is not Renee Travis nor is there a loan company. They scammed me and then began to use my name to scam others and they will do the same to you. Unfortunately I was stupid and also fell for the nonsense.
#4Author of original report
Mon, March 27, 2017
After Renees money lending scam was exposed she agreed to return the loan origination fees we paid her. She claimed the fees would be returned in 3 business days. We waited 3 business days only to find out she changed her email address and told her LinkedIN connections it was because her email was "hacked". This person is a professional con artist.