More like a Virus than a Scam

[annafern]

Well this is a new one and just want to warn you all.

I got an email last night with reference to 'booking'.

A badly worded email saying they had filled in the booking form with party names and dates and asks how would i like him to pay.

This is exactly what we would require when taking a booking and guests fill out form and then arrange payment.

I suspected it wasn't genuine as i didn't recognise the email or name and in my Iphone the document was in fact a link!! It maybe a virus but be warned especially if your on conventional windows,

DON'T OPEN THE ATTACHMENT

[newtimber]

This is less sophisticated than the one that was circulating on OD whereby they first sent an enquiry and then when you replied saying you were available etc, sent back an email with "attached booking form".
If you send booking forms to the guest to fill in and expect to have them sent back by email, then you have to be very careful...

[AndrewH]

Thanks for the warning. It's a neat scam and I am sure it is one.
Links from individuals whom you simply don't know, and therefore can't automatically trust, shouldn't be clicked in my book.

[annafern]

Newtimber. We don't send booking forms out to people until they have confirmed a booking by email with their full postal address. I have nothing outstanding that matches that name or email address, infact i having nothing outstanding that hasn't already filled in a booking form.

Ok, they could have sent an enquiry but again i have checked email and names for the last 10 days and nothing matches.

Our initial email does say that part of the booking procedure will be to fill out a booking form, so maybe they have just worked it out.

[Joanna]

They probably sent the same email to hundreds of owners on the chance that it will match up with someone's booking procedure - they only need 1 or 2 'hits' to make it work for them. It's like the people who phone about the no-fault accident you had recently - if they call enough people sooner or later they come across someone who has actually had one and makes it all worthwhile.

We had one of those enquiries that I replied to and got back an attached PDF which wasn't a PDF but a link to who knows what (I didn't click it). These scammers are getting more sophisticated all the time.

[kevsboredagain]

A PDF can also contain malicious content. They enquire, you send out your form and they return it. How would you know it was safe to open?

Well that is what I would do if trying to trick people into opening a dodgy PDF