Suspicious - any comments please?

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.
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oasiscouple
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Suspicious - any comments please?

Post by oasiscouple »

We have an advert for our naturist beach apartment in Port Leucate on Amivac among other sites and for the first time have received an enquiry, ostensibly from the USA except that the IP address has been hidden and the enquiry is for March (hardly naturist weather) so I am a bit suspicious.

The first message via the website was:

": Mail : rosenbergmary23@yahoo.com
Nom / Name : Mary Rosenberg
Pays / Country : USA
Telephone / Phone : 1-845-213-1254
I am interested in coming on short vacation 5th-19th March 2016.
We are a small family of 4 and we are flexible with our dates.
Kindly get back to me if these dates are availability.
Thank you."

(Note "availability" instead of "available"
To stall and draw them out a bit, I replied saying we have two properties, which one are they interested in. I didn't say to them, but the other one is a country holiday house.

The reply was simply:

"PORT LEUCATE | Village Naturiste Oasis"
with no other text, so probably taken straight from the heading of our advert.

I replied saying:

"Hello, thank you for the confirmation. This property is not actually available in March as the weather is too cold. Our changeover days are Sunday and the first available period is Sunday 3 April to Sunday 17 April 2016."

I have received a reply today saying:
"Thanks for your response.
I spoke to my wife regarding the weather and we have decided to pick 3th-17th April 2016.
We are happy to go ahead with the booking.
Thanks for your cooperation."

I haven't yet replied, but would normally at this stage send a booking form and on receipt of the completed booking form, send them my bank details for paying the booking deposit.

Am I being paranoid? Has anyone any comments or advice? My feeling is that it may turn into a classic overpayment scam.
Honi soit qui peu y boit
jenboyle1959
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Post by jenboyle1959 »

The first email stinks like a kipper that's been left down the back of a couch. But the second one would appear a little more plausible. Can you proceed with caution? eg, ask for their details ,ask which payment method they would find most convenient? Ask for their address, full names- then Facebook to see if they have any online presence?
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

I think the follow up is equally fishy - never mind early March we'll go with April instead........

I'm getting a whiff of an overpayment scam, although if you're wised up to it I suppose the worst that can happen if you go to the next stage is that you prove that it is a scam when the overpayment and the threatening follow-ups arrive.

However, it's registering a 9.3 on my recently calibrated Wallace and Gromit Scam-O-Meter MkIV.
tavi
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Post by tavi »

I agree with Jen, proceed with caution.

After all, you don't need to send your booking form (they don't know that's what you normally do) and even if you did - you're presumably not giving away any info.

What's most likely to happen is that they'll come up with the "my wife's company is paying for our travel costs so we will send you a Euro Cheque over-payment and you will reimburse us the difference....bla bla"

Also, remember not to click on any linked "document" contained in their next email.

:)
Bunny
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Post by Bunny »

greenbarn wrote:However, it's registering a 9.3 on my recently calibrated Wallace and Gromit Scam-O-Meter MkIV.
Keep up GB - the MkV has been out for some time now and registers 9.5!

I'd just send the booking form asking how they wish to pay(without your payment details) and see what comes back. I agree with others that it will probably come back as an overpayment scam.
FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

Did you notice also that "he" spoke to his wife and the original enquiry was supposedly from the wife, Mary so there was no change of user apparent, as in telling you that someone else has taken over the correspondence?
tavi
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Post by tavi »

FelicityA wrote:Did you notice also that "he" spoke to his wife and the original enquiry was supposedly from the wife, Mary so there was no change of user apparent, as in telling you that someone else has taken over the correspondence?
There's also that, but it's not in itself suspicious I think. I often have guests where a couple share an email address...probably the retired ones.

Let us know how you get on Oasis.

8)
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

"thanks for your cooperation???

This is a very strange sentence in a booking enquiry.
Sorry I think the second email is as dodgy as the first.

Probably no harm in a careful reply but I possibly wouldn't bother.
rammy100
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Post by rammy100 »

They want to stay from "3th to 17th April"...3th?

The are interested in "coming on short vacation" so there's a missing "a".

Two weeks is hardly a short vacation either, especially for Americans - don't they usually only have 2 weeks holiday a year?

A family of four isn't really small and I doubt you would use "small" in this instance.

When added to the "availability", use of cooperation and change of contact from Mary to Mary's husband then it's definitely very fishy.
Here we go again........
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kevsboredagain
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Post by kevsboredagain »

Just proceed carefully instead of trying to second guess whether it's genuine or not or analysing the emails to determine the probability of a scam If it turns out to be a scam then it ends. Simple as that.
FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

kevsboredagain wrote:Just proceed carefully instead of trying to second guess whether it's genuine or not or analysing the emails to determine the probability of a scam If it turns out to be a scam then it ends. Simple as that.
On the balance of probabilities I disagree, Kev, - I think it is sometimes worth second guessing in order to potentially save an inordinate amount of precious time (which could be better spent as family time or whatever...) dealing with a scam. I just don't pursue these sorts of queries. I have learnt that they so often turn out to be a waste of energy, better spent on the next legitimate enquiry that comes along to fill that space.
Bunny
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Post by Bunny »

I wouldn't consider it second guessing. I see it more as recognising patterns and markers.
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oasiscouple
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Post by oasiscouple »

Thanks for your input and suggestions. I don't mind pursuing this sort of enquiry a bit, just in case. It's almost a bit of fun.

I have replied: "Hello Mr & Mrs Rosenberg,
Thank you for confirming that you would like to book. I am attaching a booking form and conditions, both documents to be filled in, signed and returned to me, either by post or attached to an email. Please confirm how you would like to pay the depost of 300€.
Regards, Simon"

Will keep you LMHers informed.
Honi soit qui peu y boit
Bunny
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Post by Bunny »

I await the ending with bated breath! :D
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kevsboredagain
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Post by kevsboredagain »

FelicityA wrote:
On the balance of probabilities I disagree, Kev, - I think it is sometimes worth second guessing in order to potentially save an inordinate amount of precious time (which could be better spent as family time or whatever...) dealing with a scam. I just don't pursue these sorts of queries. I have learnt that they so often turn out to be a waste of energy, better spent on the next legitimate enquiry that comes along to fill that space.
Which takes more energy and time? A quick answer, which takes a matter of seconds and see what comes next or a long winded discussion on LMH trying to determine if it's a scam or not?

I think however in this case oasiscouple is happy to do both and see what develops. Every now and then, some of these weird enquiries, can actually turn into bookings so I always ensure I know 100% if it's a scam before closing the door.
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