Scam email

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.
Purdey
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Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2017 4:37 pm

Scam email

Post by Purdey »

Hi, I would like to alert people to scam email enquiry I received from someone calling themselves Thad Nelson. It is along the same lines as other scams I have read on this forum. His initial email said he wanted to rent my charming house for 3 weeks for him and his wife and could I send him availability and price. His second email said he wanted to pay in full before his arrival and that his previous booking had been cancelled due to flooding and that he wanted to pay for the booking with the refund from the cancellation which would be sent to me by cheque from the French property owner's bank account. I was immediately suspicious and said I didn't accept cheques or deal with third parties. He then responded and said he would transfer the money directly into my account. I was going to send him my French bank account details but I received an email from Chez Nous saying they had reason to believe that it was a scam and referred me to this site. Thank you.
aussiefrog
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Location: Languedoc, France

Post by aussiefrog »

Thanks for posting, I also had an enquiry from this person via my own website but obviously he picked that up from Chez Nous.

I was suspicious but replied not available, then suddenly his dates were flexible, he asked what did I have available (classic scam tactic). I probably shouldn't have replied but wasn't 100% sure it was a scam. The property is fully booked anyway so I just replied with that and he seems to have gone away. I reported this to Chez Nous, I hope they are going to put out an alert to their advertisers.

I really don't think that anyone is going to be taken in by such an obviously dodgy request regarding payment, but someone new to renting just might.
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oasiscouple
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Location: Port Leucate, France
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Post by oasiscouple »

Thanks for that. I also received an email enquiry from him referring to my website and as he was wanting to book the only period still free, the language seemed normal and he gave his phone number +1(513)456-4721 so it didn't look like a scam. I have had several more suspicious looking enquiries which ended up with a booking.

I replied sending him a booking form but didn't yet give any bank détails, and so far, after three days, silence. I haven't checked on the phone number. There was nothing to arouse my suspicions and I still can't see what he is trying on. Until reading this post I thought is was all genuine. I also have an entry in Chez Nous.
Honi soit qui peu y boit
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oasiscouple
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Location: Port Leucate, France
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Post by oasiscouple »

I have now received a reply together with a signed booking form which gives his address as 727 Yale Avenue, Terrace Park, Ohio 45174 USA. I looked up the phone number he gave me earlier and it shows as being in Ohio.

His reply is:
"Hi Simon,

Welcome back, I trust you enjoyed your holidays, now it's time for ours :-)

Find attached the filled and signed booking form and conditions. Please keep the dates, April 22 to May 20, 2017 (4 weeks) reserved for our vacation. I want my booking confirmed and the 1530€ (internet included) before we arrive.

I paid another French landlord whose villa got damaged some days ago: flooding in the villa from an exploded water boiler in the kitchen. The villa will no longer be available to rent for a couple of months to do the repairs/renovations. This is the main reason why we're booking your property now, I hope you understand? He's ready to pay back my total rent by bank transfer. It's advisable I use the same money to pay your own rent now so I'll instruct the owner to transfer the 100% refund to your French bank account, send your bank account details.

Waiting for your response.

Best regards,

Thad"

He is offering to pay direct to my bank account so what could go wrong? It is not like a cheque which appears to clear and later bounces. I have reported on here enquiries which seemed much more suspicious (such as my apartment being referred to as a villa) and which ended up as a booking.

What is the risk if I follow it through? I have his signed booking form and the language is not typical scammers language. Could his story be true?
Honi soit qui peu y boit
Dotty
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Post by Dotty »

oasiscouple wrote: Could his story be true?


NO. NO NO Its a scam which has been around for more than a year with the exact same wording, just different name and email address.
They have just changed cheque to bank transfer recently. There must now be now some way that they can appear to make a bank transfer to you before it gets clawed back after you transfer on the money.

See this recent thread on LMH

http://www.laymyhat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27282

or google some of the wording and it comes up on other scam notification sites
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

I'm rather impressed that Chez Nous are referring people to this site for the inside track on bogus enquiries! We are officially an authoritative source :)
aussiefrog
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Location: Languedoc, France

Post by aussiefrog »

Casscat wrote:I'm rather impressed that Chez Nous are referring people to this site for the inside track on bogus enquiries! We are officially an authoritative source :)
+1
But I do hope that they are warning their advertisers of this scam. I didn't have a reply to the email I sent them.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

Dotty wrote:
oasiscouple wrote: Could his story be true?


NO. NO NO Its a scam
+1
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
Sam V
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Post by Sam V »

Yep, this is classic scam. Wasn't there also a similar one with a long winded story of a guy who worked on a ship and had lost his booking due to damage at his booked property?

I can't figure out how they work it but, as a property owner would you really pay a refund onto another property?
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Susiewiz
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Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2017 9:04 am
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Bernie Warner

Post by Susiewiz »

I had the same enquiry , same dates same address different
name . Bernie Warner . Overpayment of 8000 euros which would I send to his son in the UK ! The money is in my account but will not clear of course. The recipient has now changed to his son in law !
My advice never be so desperate for a booking you ignore alarm bells and instinct
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