Not obviously a scam but...

[Normandie]

...I just have an odd feeling about this one.

Prospective guest emailed me in Babelfish French asking for availability for a week (which is unusual as most people book 3 days max for this area) and requested that I respond in English as he didn't speak French. Given that my website is in English because I've yet to finish translating it to French...

This morning I've received an email saying that my weekly rate is ok and could he have my name, address and phone nr so he can send me a French bank cheque for the full euro amount. Arrival date will be a couple of weeks time so there is time for the cheque to be banked and cleared.

Precise text is:
Hello again,
I have read you message and I am OK with the rental price and arrangements.As for payment,I will send an French Bank Check which you will receive 3 working days from now.The amount will be for the total cost of my stay in your accommodation.If you are in agreement,I will need the following details to mail it to you.
1.Name:
2.Address:
3.Phone number of the recipient:

I hope to hear from you soon.

In my previous email to him, I explained the next step to booking is an emailed booking form and to enable me to prepare that I need his name, name of other guest, his address and phone nur. None of that was supplied in his response - but as we all know, guests can be... disorganised! It's a yahoo.com email address but that in itself isn't indicative of much - I use gmail. His name is Martyn Terry - or Terry Martyn.

I can't tell why it doesn't feel right but has anyone had anything similar that has either rung alarm bells or ended in tears? For those of you who don't bank in France, French banking rules are stringent and it is highly unlikely that a French cheque will be stopped and unlikely (though not impossible) that it will bounce.

I can view the source page of his email (right click etc) but I don't know what I'm looking for on the resulting page of code (the country code of Nigeria for eg!) in order to put my mind at rest. Or not.

[barbersdrove]

I agree it's not a clear cut one. However, I think I would stick to my way of taking a booking. You've told him what you need to accept his booking and he's not given it. I would e-mail him again and reiterate your requirements before the booking can be accepted. If he still doesn't send then I would think it is dodgy. However you have to bear in mind that i am in the UK and don't have the experience others have of booking in France.

[Zorro]

I certainly wouldn't give him any details about you, until he has at least completed a booking form and returned it to you.

[joddle]

IMHO if it feels wrong then you should trust your instincts. Its funny but you do get feelings abut some enquiries but often can't quite put your finger on why. I have had several enquirys whch somehow did not feel right but I usually go through my set routine with them unless obviously a scmm (you know 5 priests from Greece or Dr No from Florida wanting 6 momths and an american car - these cases I post up onthis forum). In most other cases I won't normally compromise or depart from my normal and stated procedures - many suspected scammers then simply drop out and I assume they have something to hide -a few however continue and adjust their specs to my set routine or provide the requested informaiton and have ended up as good bookings. My rules are no keys unless payment is received and properly cleared (and that means up to 6 working days at most UK banks and not three as is commonly assumed) but normally I ask for bank transfer. I always ask for a deposit at the time of booking and that often is enough to deter many scammers - they want your money not to give you theirs! If you show from the outset you won't be messed about and simpy stick to your stated rules that is enough to put many scammers off as that won't fit in with their plans.

[Normandie]

I would e-mail him again and reiterate your requirements before the booking can be accepted.

Yes, and I've already done that so I'll see what happens. This is a booking for a couple so it should all be straight forward... no priests have been mentioned at all!

As far as me giving him my details, Zorro - he's asking for no more than is displayed on the website except for confirmation as to how the cheque for the full amount should be made out.

There really is nothing obvious for me to be twitchy about but... <confused-gallic-shrug> !

[greenbarn]

It doesn't seem right to me either, and that's based on the email he sent before I'd read the bit about not supplying the details you'd requested.

The email strikes me as being written by someone whose first language is not English or American - is he claiming to be? The use of English shows some elements of scamspeak, which does set an alarm bell ringing, albeit not at full blast.

Fishy - proceed with caution! (As you already are!) Be interested to know how this one develops.

[apexblue]

I can view the source page of his email (right click etc) but I don't know what I'm looking for on the resulting page of code (the country code of Nigeria for eg!) in order to put my mind at rest. Or not.

Would like to know this also.

[joddle]

If they are going to pay by cheque make sure the bank declare it as cleared befoe you proceed - as I said earlier that will take at least 6 working days, not the normal 3. Many scammers rely on making a payment which at first appears OK then it dissapears again a few days later once your bank are notified the money is not going to be forthcomming. Some will say they have changed their minds (relative died - unforseen circumstances - always very touching) and so want their money back and if you do so before the 6 days you may end up losing a load of dosh. Remember - the best scams are always the most plausable.....

[Zorro]

If they are going to pay by cheque make sure the bank declare it as cleared befoe you proceed - as I said earlier that will take at least 6 working days, not the normal 3. Many scammers rely on making a payment which at first appears OK then it dissapears again a few days later once your bank are notified the money is not going to be forthcomming. Some will say they have changed their minds (relative died - unforseen circumstances - always very touching) and so want their money back and if you do so before the 6 days you may end up losing a load of dosh. Remember - the best scams are always the most plausable.....

I remember reading somewhere, on LMH I think, that even if a cheque does clear, if it is a fraudulent cheque in the first place, it can be clawed back many months later, and the recipient is the loser.

isn't this how the scams work?

[joddle]

This may be usefull but other banks may differ slighly so best to check with your own bank first.

Barclays Bankhttp://ask.barclays.co.uk/help/day2day_banking/chequeclearing

Lloyds
how long do cheques take to clear
Our answer is:
Cheques go through a clearing process so the amount you pay in may not be available to use straight away. We meet the process implemented by all UK banks and building societies. This is how the process works if you pay in a sterling cheque from another bank (Working days are Monday to Friday, except bank holidays):
•we will show the cheque in your account on the same day that we receive it;
•from the second working day after we receive it, we start paying interest on the cheque (or using it to reduce the interest you pay);
•from the fourth working day after we receive it, the funds are available for you to use; and
•from the end of the sixth working day after we receive it, we cannot take money from your account without your consent unless you have acted fraudulently.
If the funds from the cheque are not available to use we may refuse to make a payment if you do not have enough money in the account to cover it. A cheque can be returned unpaid up until the end of the sixth working day after we receive it. If this happens, we will take the money from your account even if it puts you into overdraft.

[pete]

Would it be this one ????

we have been offline for 5 days as a farmer took down the phone lines with a hay tractor ! came back to this enquiry. I have assumed it was spam and anyway we dont have room at all that week, and am now just reading my way through lmh,







from Terry Martyn <jythr4356@gmail.com>
reply-to martyn_terry@yahoo.com
to villamanonauriol@yahoo.fr
date 8 August 2010 18:47
subject Demandes de renseignements concernant votre location vacances ...... s'il vous plaît répondre en anglais
Signed by gmail.com
hide details 18:47 (19 hours ago)
Bonjour Madame / Monsieur,


Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui? Je veux faire des questions
concernant votre vacances rental.Is disponible pour 2 personnes pour
la semaine d'août 21-28.If il est, s'il vous plaît laissez-moi un
projet de loi du coût total pour la semaine et comment vous veux être
payed.If cette semaine n'est pas disponible s'il vous plaît me faire
connaître semaines disponibles (y compris les coûts) que mon horaire
est flexible.


S'il vous plaît réponse en anglais que je ne comprends pas le français.

J'attends votre réponse.

[paolo]

The above advice about how long a cheque takes to clear may apply to a cheque from a UK bank to a UK bank. It does not apply to cheques from another country and from what I have read of people's experiences on this forum I would wait a period of several months before reimbursing money deposited by cheque.

[joddle]

Very good point Paolo. I was forgetting this was from a foreign bank. Another good reason not to trust cheques I suppose - and who can wait several months for a refund? I never have liked or trusted it when people say they don't want to use a transfer - but sometimes it can be expensive for them - one client got charged 30 euros for a single transfer from his bank!

Maybe time to offer a paypal option I think - but then there are the fees!!!!! - its never simple

[pepsipuss]

I think the request to Pete gives it away - full of scammy language

[paolo]

If there is no scam involved a cheque payment is fine, only a scammer would need an urgent reimbursement. If it were a bona fide cancellation the renter would be happy to get their money back even if they have to wait.