TRA Holdings scam!!

Today I almost got scammed. I posted to Craigslist that I was looking for a 3 bed, 2 bath in the DC area. I got an email a couple hours later from "Karen Williams" offering me a deal that sounded too good to be true. Here is what I received:


kelly williams (http://by122w.bay122.mail.live.com/mail/ApplicationMain_11.09.0000.0127.aspx?culture=en-US&hash=2972200423#)
To: AT@msn.com
Subject: I HAVE A LOVELY PLACE FOR YOU

Hello, My name is kelly williams I am 27 years old and i am an Australian hard working single lady.I come to the states once in a while mostly for business purposes cos i deal mostly in artwork since I was a small child.That gives me about few years of experience.I majored in art in high school and took a few college art courses.Most of my work is done in either pencil or airbrush mixed with color pencils.I have recently added designing and creating artwork on the computer.I have been selling my art for the last 3 years and have had my work featured on trading cards,prints and in magazines.I have sold in galleries and to private collectors from all around the world.I bought a house last year in USA here in washington,DC in Alexandria,VA cos i love it there .It is peaceful and with a oving neighbourhood.Unfortunately my father is very sick and i have to go back home to take care of him cux am the only child he has and i realised that it will be very difficult to supply artworks to my clients again in the United states while am away and it will definitely cost me a lot to come over if i want 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 without paying a dimme.I dont want to sell or lease the house cos i just bought it and i will have all the rest papers Very soon but i have ALL the keys to the house with me now.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 your own name and have it cashed cux they pay mostly checks and money orders and have the funds wired to me here inQueensberry North Melbourne thru money gram transfer/western union transfer.You dont have to pay me a dimme for the accommodation okay? 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 you shall be entitled to 10% of each payment you receive on my behalf or a fixed salary of $3000 a month if that is what you prefer and this shall be a continuous process let me know and if atall you dont wanna live in the house or if you are far from the house its okay i could still afford to pay for your rent anywhere you want it if only you will help me with the above task,well my house is a great one with clean bathrooms,walk in closet,A gym ,All rooms and living room furnished with electronics .I will send the keys to you via courier as soon as i can gain trust in you with the first payment that you received and send to my manager,So that you can go and see the house. It is a very lovely house and there is no way you wont like it.If you are interested in handling my business in the state and keeping the house neat,i will want you to get back to me pretty soon okay
Regards
Kelly Williams


I replied back asking for more information about the house, not fully realizing at this point that the email was a scam. This is what I got in return:


kelly williams (http://by122w.bay122.mail.live.com/mail/ApplicationMain_11.09.0000.0127.aspx?culture=en-US&hash=2972200423#)
To: (my email address)
Subject: GET BACK TO ME FAST

Hello,am happy you are interested in handling my business in the state and keeping the house neat okay.I will like you to tell me a little more about yourself,the kind of job you do and where you precently leave in okay.you will need to fill a form which is below and get it sent back to me asap cux i will have to forward this to my lawyer cux its a legal buisness am oppreating okay.The name of my company is TRA HOLDING if you care to know okay and my house is located a nice area okay if you really want to stay in there,that is all i could tell you about the discription now until i can gain trust in you with the first payment then we will continue from there.i would have love to attached pictures of the house to this but i dont really have any picture for now okay and i must tell you handling this for me will not take much of your time doing this for me cux its just like a part-time job okay and all you have to do is to be honest with me and take it as a part-time job offer cux you will have 10% of the total payment sent to you for yourself or if you preffer to collect $3000 every month its okay by me if am less busy i will call you but for now i need to vist the hospital everyday cux my dad really needs me around so pls fill the form below:Please, fill out the form accurately with correct information cux it will be legally keept by my lawyer for future reffrences okay

APPLICATION FORM
Refrence No:- LSLCA/2031/ 8161/07
Batch No:- R4/A313/2-60

First Name:.............................................
Middle Name:............................................
Last Name:.............................................
AddrressLine 1:.................................................................................................
AddressLine2:..........................................
City....................................................State.....................................Zip...........
Home Phone..............................................
Cell Phone..............................................
Gender.............
Marital Status.......................
Age.....................................................
Nation Of Origin........................................
Drivers Lincence #:.............................optional
State...................Expiration Date..................

ATTESTATION
I ___________________________________hereby accept the job as a representative of the above named person here in the United States,to receive payments on behalf of the above person named Kelly Williams.and all Payment received by me shall be processed,make deduction of 10% as agreed and forward the balance payment via to any of the managers name that will be given to me later.I shall also inform my employee a week ahead,if eventually l want to discontinue this job, so as to terminate all payments coming my way to avoid conflict.Signed by me__________________

Thanks
Kelly williams


By now things were really getting fishy. I did some searching on the web and found a very similar scam: http://jobscams.blogspot.com/2007_02_25_archive.html (search for TRA holdings).

Everyone beware! Apparently they're out searching for victims rather than mass emailing everyone!