OD security checks?

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.
suse
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 10:03 am
Location: Brittany

OD security checks?

Post by suse »

I assume this is a scam as we no longer advertise with OD but have just received the following email:

Dear Owners Direct Customer,


This is a courtesy notice to let you know that your Owners Direct account has been limited.

Why is my account access limited?
Owners Direct may limit accounts for a variety of reasons to prevent unauthorised use and verify the identity of users.As part of our standard quality control procedures, your account has been selected for further review.This additional step is essential to ensure a quality experience for our travellers, thus benefiting you and all of our other members. We collect the proof of id & ownership in order to verify the legitimacy of the listing.

You can remove your limitation by following the steps below.


Complete our Verified ID process:

A copy of your passport or ID card.Please be aware that driving licenses are not being considered/or accepted

A copy of a proof of ownership (copy of purchase agreement) or copy of a telephone bill for the rental property.

A phone number in order that we will contact you to sync your phone number with your account

Please make sure that all information is clear and legible. Proof of ownership and/or authorisation to rent, along with photo ID, may be included as an attachment in reply to this email.


Fax all documents to our fax number (+44) 203 725 9919


How long will this review take?

Upon receipt of the requested documents, if they are in compliance with our request, it will take up to 48 business hours (2 working days) to make your listing live on our site. You will receive an email confirmation once your listing is online and available for travellers to see.


If I don’t provide these documents?

We understand you may have privacy concerns about sharing this information. However, it is important for you to know that Owners Direct collects the proof of ID and ownership as part of our security process. Our responsibility is to provide travellers with a safe and secure environment in which to search for holiday accommodation. The steps that we take are designed to enhance our travellers’ experiences, which in turn benefits all of our members.


If you choose to ignore our request, you leave us no choice but to suspend your account. If you received this notice and you are not the authorized account holder, please be aware that it is in violation of Owners Direct`s policy to represent oneself as another Owners Direct user.


How do you protect my personal information once you have it?

Please rest assured that this request is purely for administrative and security purposes and the information is not passed onto any third parties. The documents are used to verify owner legitimacy prior to publishing a listing, and are then removed from our system and stored on our highly secure servers. Our company takes data protection very seriously and we can certify that all the necessary measures are taken to preserve your privacy.



Sincerely,

Owners Direct

Customer Support

Owners Direct Trust and Security Team


HomeAway UK Limited

Address: Portland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5BH, UK
tavi
Posts: 2578
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 9:07 pm
Location: Algarve

Post by tavi »

viewtopic.php?t=25296

See this thread on here from yesterday.

A scam....obviously since you don't advertise with them, but I can see how people would fall for it...especially if English is not their native language.
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Re: OD security checks?

Post by greenbarn »

The giveaway is the very first line:
Dear Owners Direct Customer,
If you're not addressed by name, it's almost certainly a scam, whether it's OD, a bank, Paypal, the DVLA etc etc etc etc etc
suse
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 10:03 am
Location: Brittany

Post by suse »

missed the other thread tavi so thanks for pointing it out. As I assumed it was a scam I deleted it - just wanted to warn others
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