Deron Brando

Post scam emails to warn other rental owners, or if you are not sure if an enquiry is genuine, put it up here and see what others think.
Zingara
Posts: 618
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2013 8:36 am
Location: Antibes, PACA

Deron Brando

Post by Zingara »

It didn't take long: having only opened up April at the weekend...Our villa had been 'unavailable' since November, when we decided to try to sell this year. We are only opening a month at a time up, six weeks in advance....and not a fishy e-mail in that time. Lo and behold, from Abritel, via OD upgrade :

Bonjour, Je viens à votre région pour des vacances et que vous souhaitez louer votre propriété pour 3 semaines du 7 au 28 Mars. Je suis également flexible avec ma réservation encas si ces dates ont été réservés déjà ok. Alors donnez-moi une semaines gratuit disponible à la location et quel est votre prix de location pour 3semaines? Réponse à mon email aujourd'hui pour que je puisse réservé vers le bas de mes dates de location dès que possible. Merci, Deron Brando.

Do they want a 'free-of-charge' week, or asking which weeks are free/available? Not point trying to ring them, as no 'phone number etc etc.
Dusty
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Post by Dusty »

mmm, gratuit means free, as in no charge, so I would suggest they are looking for 3 for the price of 2. If the only reason to suspect a scam is because of the flexibility in dates, but then again they may be being flexible hoping for a deal!
Bunny
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Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:48 pm
Location: South of England

Post by Bunny »

Dusty wrote:mmm, gratuit means free, as in no charge, so I would suggest they are looking for 3 for the price of 2. If the only reason to suspect a scam is because of the flexibility in dates, but then again they may be being flexible hoping for a deal!
Coupled with the expression - Je viens à votre région pour des vacances, this is another typical scam opening, so I would be suspicious too.
Zingara
Posts: 618
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2013 8:36 am
Location: Antibes, PACA

Post by Zingara »

It's basically a poor translation of the usual scam starter...if you plug the sentence into google translate it essentially comes up saying...'if those dates are already booked, then give me (a) free weeks available for rent'...and the preceding sentence is goobledegook, irrespective of the language!
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Brockles
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Location: French Riviera
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Post by Brockles »

Zingara - I have had Deron Brando requesting a booking in March, which I rejected as we don't 'open' until May. He has now responded with '3 weeks in May' instead. I have asked him to supply his full address and names of guests before proceeding. Then I googled him, as I do with every enquiry, and found your post! Something doesn't seem quite right here...
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Brockles
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Post by Brockles »

Zingara - I have just received this:

Hello,
Thank you come back to me since am flexible with your travel dates and I will further weeks. Keep on June 13th to July 4th for 21days and booked this weeks for my family vacation to come stay in your home. What is the rental price for three weeks? Please get back to me today because he is working on board and want to make a quick reservation with you right now. I await your prompt reply back today.
Thanks,

Deron Brando.

Zingara - Before replying, I am keen to know if you have heard anymore from him?
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Brockles
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Location: French Riviera
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Post by Brockles »

I agree that we are so well trained on LMH in sniffing these things out.

Of course I have no intention of allowing Mr B anywhere near my villa, but am intrigued to follow how these scams progress and therefore wanted to know if you and I were running 'in tandem' on this one. I think your referral to the HA spoof police and zero reply has stopped him in his tracks at your end.

I think I will just ignore him now - but none-the-less still intrigued to know what the ultimate sting was intended to be!
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

My money's on an overpayment scam :mrgreen:
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