Has anyone used moneybookers and if so is it trustworthy?

karinka-10: Has anyone used moneybookers.com before and if so is it trustworthy?
I’m thinking of renting a flat, but the owner lives far and suggested we use moneybookers. They want me to pay a security deposit in order to get the keys to view the place. I am worried that it’s a scam to get my money.

Answers and Views:

Answer by epicicity2012
It appears to be a scam to me. There are numerous comments about it when I did a search for ‘moneybookers scam’. Perhaps this comment is the most telling :

” Here is how the scam works:
You can open Moneybookers a.k.a. Skrill in matter of seconds.

You can deposit money to Moneybookers a.k.a. Skrill from any source/broker with no problem. (so you think GOOD)

However, you can’t withdraw your funds.

They will pretend that they are complying with an anti-laundering rules so they have legitimate excuse to keep asking for redundant documents over and over and over so you will never get your money.

Interestingly they do not care about any documents when you are depositing the money which is clear indication that they are SCAMMERS.

MONEY IN – NO MONEY OUT.

You should avoid any broker which is using Moneybookers a.k.a. Skrill because it is clear indication that the broker is SCAMMER too. “

Answer by Mary
Moneybookers is absolutly trustworthy, but there are SCAMMERS that try to con you:

https://www.moneybookers.com/ads/moneybookers-scam-information/typical-scams
https://www.moneybookers.com/app/?rid=19240118&l=EN

The Apartment/Flat Scam
One of the most recent scams to appear online involves offering exclusive properties at low rents on housing websites, then taking fraudulent payments from potential tenants via reputable money-transfer agencies, such as Skrill (Moneybookers) and Western Union.

The perfect flat will appear in an advert and invariably the owner will claim they live overseas and have had problems with former tenants being financially unable to prove they could afford the rent and deposit. Because of this previous problem, you are then asked to send the deposit amount to a trusted friend or family member via an online payment transfer, to prove you are serious about becoming a tenant.

This part of the scam is where many people are defrauded. Because it appears that there is little risk in simply depositing an amount to a trusted friend or relative of choice via either Western Union or Skrill (Moneybookers), then sending a scanned copy of the payment transfer receipt as verification.

However, the scammer will use a fake office address for Skrill (Moneybookers) or Western Union where you are asked to send the scanned details, which the fraudster then uses to obtain the funds before disappearing, leaving you out of pocket, and ineligible for a refund.