Lay My Hat

We received the following enquiry this morning to which we have replied but we have our doubts whether it is a genuine email.

Reason being is that the enquiry came from our Dutch-language site and we never receive enquiries in English from there. Also, incorrect use of English, no dates requested, no number of guests, no last name and no phone number given.

It could be a very simple enquiry, but we will be surprised if we receive a response from Marisa (even though easyjet and Ryanair both fly into the NL from Manchester!)

Hi we live in Manchester England and would be interested in visiting the property.
Can you please advise how to get to the property by plane from Manchester,

Is car hire necessarily,

Regards marisa

Difficult to tell. Could just be a lazy person who doesn't want to get out a google map or google the transport.

Is it through your own website? It could be just phishing for email addresses and the next one is going to send you a link and say, "Is this your property on the right?", or something.

If it is through a screened address on a listing site, I would just be inclined to reply simply ( back through the site) something like " Yes, car hire is necessary to fully enjoy this property and the area." (Guessing that public transport is a hassle!).

Definitely a scam based on the lack of travel information; but. in saying that some people are really crap at geography and have no idea where they are in the world compared to everyone else.

FelicityA wrote:Difficult to tell. Could just be a lazy person who doesn't want to get out a google map or google the transport.

Is it through your own website? It could be just phishing for email addresses and the next one is going to send you a link and say, "Is this your property on the right?", or something.

If it is through a screened address on a listing site, I would just be inclined to reply simply ( back through the site) something like " Yes, car hire is necessary to fully enjoy this property and the area." (Guessing that public transport is a hassle!).

Yes, Felicity, it came through our PMP website, so they completed the fill-in form on our contact page. All our details (address, phone number and email address) are shown on the page anyway, so we're not too sure what they're after, if it is a scam email.
We're very careful with opening links, so it will be a waste of their time if they do send us a reply with a 'Locky' virus attachment, etc.
It would be nice to get some genuine enquiries for a change!

Essar wrote:Definitely a scam based on the lack of travel information; but. in saying that some people are really crap at geography and have no idea where they are in the world compared to everyone else.

That's the problem, Essar. You're 99% sure that it's a scam but there's just that 1% chance that it could be a Dutch expat in the UK who, although they're replying from a Dutch-language site, has decided to write in English because they've picked up that I'm a British expat over here...and who cannot locate the website of Manchester airport to see where the planes go!

AngloDutch wrote:

Essar wrote:Definitely a scam based on the lack of travel information; but. in saying that some people are really crap at geography and have no idea where they are in the world compared to everyone else.

That's the problem, Essar. You're 99% sure that it's a scam but there's just that 1% chance that it could be a Dutch expat in the UK who, although they're replying from a Dutch-language site, has decided to write in English because they've picked up that I'm a British expat over here...and who cannot locate the website of Manchester airport to see where the planes go!

I blame it on the sloe gin! Far too much of it in Manchester.