Saturday 13 December 2014

Perhaps a not so obvious scam

Hello,
 Kindly let me know if there are availability for 4 double rooms for 8 guests including breakfast from  4th Jan 2015 to 24th  Jan 2015 and the total bill.If not Kindly advice the Dates available as our travel is flexible.
 Waiting to read from you soon.
Thank You
Henry Iduale
Val says if you are a gite or b&b owner you are waiting for those bookings, this is one that immediately alarm bells are ringing - delete with out reply

Val says again A reader asks how do you know it is a scam?   In the time we have run gites we periodically get these and at first you think wow! that would be good especially in January. You think it is a bit odd but you reply to say the property is available. Then they email you back offering to pay actually much  more than the amount  and ask you to  return the difference to them.   They have various reasons for this,  none which are plausible  and of course any money from them / cheque would bounce. After the first one experience tells you if it is too good to be true, it is. We have often  been asked by other gite owners about this scam and I believe websites where properties are advertised tell you about it. Must be difficult though if for example you are a hotel at Cordes. Spelling errors are often an indicator and if they had looked at our ad instead of mass posting they would see we have not got 4 double rooms. They are always polite which does throw you.
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