Enquiry from OD

[James3214]

Anyone else received this one on Owners Direct?

The full payment is been remitted since it is a sponsored trip and our sponsors will pay the xxx€. Also may i inform you that the whole trip package is for 1,500€ from our sponsors, and i must be assured by you that our funds will be safe with you pending our arrival, since they intend to make only 1 payment
I await your email soon
FATIMA ABUBAKAR
GOLDEN SANDS
AL MINA ROAD
BUR DUBAI, DUBAI
UAE
TEL: 00971 5590 14575

[Paul Carmel]

This is one of my big gripes with OD, they delay enquiries to vet them for spam and scams. I have asked that they let me decide and send the enquiry as soon as it comes in..........they said no, not possible. If this gets through their radar I dread to think how many genuine bookings have been lost!

[James3214]

The initial enquiry probably looks genuine to OD but it did raise my suspicions immediately though.

> Please confirm the vacation home in west flanders, belgium is available for the period stipulated and also confirm all the costs.
> My family and i will be coming in from Dubai, UAE for a 2 weeks vacation

Not really impressed with OD so far. One enquiry from someone asking where it is in relation to Kent and this one scam.

[pepsipuss]

The initial enquiry probably looks genuine to OD but it did raise my suspicions immediately though.

> Please confirm the vacation home in west flanders, belgium is available for the period stipulated and also confirm all the costs.
> My family and i will be coming in from Dubai, UAE for a 2 weeks vacation

How could OD's filters possibly have missed all the clues especially lack of specifics on house 'the vacation home in west flanders, belgium' is a dead give-away for starters.

[James3214]

Using Paul's guide on this thread to trace the IP of an email address I have traced it back to Nigeria!

Worth bearing in mind if you need to validate an enquiry.

41.219.201.109 NIGERIA LAGOS LAGOS 6.453
3.396 - +01:00
Net Speed ISP Domain
DIAL ASSIGNED TO LAGOS DIAL-POOL CUSTOMERS

[Paul Carmel]

I have traced it back to Nigeria

Are you listening OD?

[James3214]

I have traced it back to Nigeria

Are you listening OD?

Well. They were to me. Shame they aren't able to recognise how it is addressed though.

Thank you for your email.
This e-mail is a scam (Good afternoon Sir / Ma is an opening to be wary of). We will add the e-mail to our list of blocked addresses. Many thanks for sending this on to us - we do screen e-mail enquiries for scams before they go out but the odd one does get through, as in this case. Unfortunately hundreds of these can come through every week, sometimes hundreds in a day. We are aware of what to look for and delete them before they are sent out - for the odd ones that do get through, it can be difficult for owners to recognise a scam in isolation. Therefore if you are ever unsure of an enquiry, please do send it on to us for our opinion.

[Paul Carmel]

I for one would like to lessen the load on the poor overworked folk at OD, in return all I ask is to get our enquiries or scams in real time and decide for myself.