This has been our first year renting out, as this is the first enquiry which is ringing a few bells and which I'm not sure about I am hoping that someone could advise me.
Today whilst out shopping I received a call on my mobile, I noticed that the area code was not from the U.K but before I could answer my battery went dead.
On arriving home the following were in my Outlook... 2 enquiries via my freebie www.search-villas.com, 1 enquiry via holidaylettings and also an email all from the same person in Romania. The phone number quoted in the enquiries via the listing sites was the same as the missed call on my mobile.
Here is a copy of the email;
Hello,
I’d like to rent your villa in august, 2007, 18th, or 20th.
As far as I can see in the reservation/booking area of linakis villa site, the villa is still available, but your confirmation, is of course, necessary.
Also, since we want to pay from our firms' accounts for the deposit of 10% you require, we need some proforma invoice from you. As soon as you can confirm me the reservation, I’ll send you the account details so we can pay as soon as possible.
Looking forward for your answer.
This is what he says on his enquire via holidaylettings.
Requesting availability: arriving on 18 Aug 2007 and leaving on 1 Sep 2007
i'd like to make reservation for the villa. so i'd like some account information to make the financial arangements.
It's the 'account information...' bit that rings the alarm bells.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Eileen.
Scam or not? Advice appreciated.
Yes, I can see why you are nervous, but on the other hand, the phrase "As far as I can see in the reservation/booking area of linakis villa site, the villa is still available" looks more promising and potentially genuine and I wonder if scammers would really go to all that trouble of multiple enquiry points.
If it were me, I would respond as requested, and see if you get any reply suggesting overpayment or any other spurious comments, then run away.
If I were a betting man, I'd guess that this is about 60% likely to be a scam, but no more than that.
If it were me, I would respond as requested, and see if you get any reply suggesting overpayment or any other spurious comments, then run away.
If I were a betting man, I'd guess that this is about 60% likely to be a scam, but no more than that.
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Mountain Goat
- Posts: 6070
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm
- Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
- Contact:
Eileen
I would have thought it too far in advance for an overpayment scam - they're normally (in my experience) for a booking in the next 3-6 weeks.
You could tighten up security with your bank (i.e. no payments out without telephoned agreement from you; password needed for payments out; deposit account accepting payments in only) before giving your account details.
If not the above two potential scams, I can't see what else they could get up to.
MG
I would have thought it too far in advance for an overpayment scam - they're normally (in my experience) for a booking in the next 3-6 weeks.
You could tighten up security with your bank (i.e. no payments out without telephoned agreement from you; password needed for payments out; deposit account accepting payments in only) before giving your account details.
If not the above two potential scams, I can't see what else they could get up to.
MG
Last edited by Mountain Goat on Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
....but whatever he says we ALL argree 
As e-richard suggested I responded last night, arrghh but I'm none the wiser now that I have received a reply this morning.
thank you for the quick reply.
i'll give you an account information, so you can send me an invoice
proforma:
Firm name:
**********.
Address:
Oradea, 410059, Romania
str. Olteniei nr. 53
ID number:
CUI: R12635716
we'll make the financial arangements, as soon as we receive the proforma.
best regards,
I have deleted the company name just in case it is a legitimate enquiry!
I would have thought that my email last night confirming the total price would have been enough, I don't understand the need for a pro forma invoice.
Thanks for the tip about tightening my bank security. All my bookings this year came from the U.K and were paid by cheque, but I suppose I now need to consider allowing payments direct to my bank account.
Any further opinions on my Romanian enquiry?
Eileen.
thank you for the quick reply.
i'll give you an account information, so you can send me an invoice
proforma:
Firm name:
**********.
Address:
Oradea, 410059, Romania
str. Olteniei nr. 53
ID number:
CUI: R12635716
we'll make the financial arangements, as soon as we receive the proforma.
best regards,
I have deleted the company name just in case it is a legitimate enquiry!
I would have thought that my email last night confirming the total price would have been enough, I don't understand the need for a pro forma invoice.
Thanks for the tip about tightening my bank security. All my bookings this year came from the U.K and were paid by cheque, but I suppose I now need to consider allowing payments direct to my bank account.
Any further opinions on my Romanian enquiry?
Eileen.
-
Paul Carmel
- Posts: 3836
- Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:25 pm
- Location: Palma Mallorca & Greece
- Contact:
Definitely could be a scam.
However, in the USA, many companies need more than the rate. They need an invoice, from which they will generate a Purchase Order/PO... and only then can they send money to you.
Perhaps this Romanian company needs similar information?
If so, they would probably accept a simple invoice with the Villa Name (or your company name) on it along with your tax number or other identifying info, plus a table showing Days Rented, Rate per Day, Total Due and Payment Status (UNPAID). These are easy to generate in Word and/or Quicken. I'll send you a sample if you want one as I've had to provide these to several companies worldwide.
Personally, I wouldn't walk away yet... but I've converted several "red flag scam type" inquiries into good bookings, which makes me willing to go the extra step.
debk
However, in the USA, many companies need more than the rate. They need an invoice, from which they will generate a Purchase Order/PO... and only then can they send money to you.
Perhaps this Romanian company needs similar information?
If so, they would probably accept a simple invoice with the Villa Name (or your company name) on it along with your tax number or other identifying info, plus a table showing Days Rented, Rate per Day, Total Due and Payment Status (UNPAID). These are easy to generate in Word and/or Quicken. I'll send you a sample if you want one as I've had to provide these to several companies worldwide.
Personally, I wouldn't walk away yet... but I've converted several "red flag scam type" inquiries into good bookings, which makes me willing to go the extra step.
debk
Last edited by debk on Wed Nov 15, 2006 10:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thats what worries me too, so far all of my first contacts have said a word or had a question about the villa.Paul Carmel wrote:I think its a scam, Straght in with the dosh, and not a word of nice villa, area etc
Good idea I will email him now.Susan wrote:It sounds a bit dodgy to me. Can you check it out with Ross at holidaylettings.co.uk? A lot of the rental listing companies are very proactive when it comes to weeding out scammers.
I'll let you know how if I hear from Ross.
Thanks everyone.
Last edited by Eileen2 on Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thank you DebK. When weighing up the enquiry as a potential scam as opposed to genuine enquiry one of the pros was that perhaps they did things differently in Romania.
This is all a great learning process for me, albeit a pain in the b*tt, I suppose I should be prepared for the less than straightforward enquiries.
I would appreciate if you could send me a copy of your invoice, I may not use it this time but it does mean I will be ready for when the occasion demands one. I'll pm you my email address.
Eileen.
This is all a great learning process for me, albeit a pain in the b*tt, I suppose I should be prepared for the less than straightforward enquiries.
I would appreciate if you could send me a copy of your invoice, I may not use it this time but it does mean I will be ready for when the occasion demands one. I'll pm you my email address.
Eileen.
I emailed Ross who was very helpful, he also sent me information on how to spot potential frauds. Embarrassing thing was it was Ross from holiday-rentals I contacted instead of Ross holidaylettings! 
I then contacted the correct Ross at holidaylettings who passed my message onto a very helpful young man called Andy who agreed that it had all the potential to be a scam and to ring him back if I had any further questions. Ross at HR and Andy agreed that I should proceed with caution.
I sent off the invoice that was requested by RG (the Romanian Guy!), paying particular attention to all the details by drawing attention to the Terms & Conditions etc. As well as inserting the Company name and address on the invoice as was requested I also added the enquirers name.
Shortly afterwards the RG rang me to say that the invoice was not suitable as the company details were missing! By now becoming exasperated I told him to look more carefully and he would see that the details were indeed correct. "Ah... I'm sorry I missed that, well thats fine then could you please give me your bank details so that I can send you the deposit tomorrow". I told him that I would only accept payment via PayPal, he then proceeded to tell me that PayPal would not work in Romania and that giving him my bank details would not be pose a problem.
To be honest the RG sounded so brusque and I felt that I was being bullied into a corner. I needed breathing space quickly...or a big glass of wine!
I told him that I would go online myself and check if PayPal covered Romania or not and that I would contact him tomorrow. Just as he was about to hang up I asked him if he had any questions regarding the villa, he said none whatsoever he had looked at it on listing sites, although not my own website and he was confident that he would be happy to spend his holiday there.
Quickly I rang Andy at holidaylettings again to run it by him. Andy suggested that I do not accept the booking and that even although the booking proceeded without problem would I feel comfortable with it?
Mulling it over, trying to make dinner, babysit and bake a birthday cake, guess who rang again?
The RG had just checked online with PayPal and no they do not operate the service in Romania, so if I could send him my Bank Details by tomorrow so that he could send the booking deposit!
I told him I would email him later on about it, he had me going around in circles that I could not get him of the phone quick enough.
By the time I checked my email he had sent a completed online booking form for the dates he wants. (hmm, no flight numbers there though, but this far in advance sometimes they are not available...see told you he had me thinking in circles!)
Also take a look at this email that quickly followed it;
hello Eileen,
i just want to explain to you, that, because of taxes deduction, i preffer to make the money transfer
from my company's bank account and not my personal account.
for that i tried paypal, but, unfortunately, romania is not a valid country, as far as i can see, for now.
so, for making the money transfer to you, from bank account, i just need an invoice, just like one you allready sent me,
and a bank account, yours.
i think your personal account will do, if you don't have a company account.
please don't get me wrong, i just try to find a solution, as we like the place very much and we'd like to spend 2 weeks there.
best regards,
Adrian
I'm sorry to ramble on here, I've probably got you all going around in circles following it, but I even feel better just writing it all down. On one hand I feel rotten about being so suspicous, on the other I resent being put in this situation.
Oh well, happy stress free face on now, I'm off to pour a drink and join my family in singing 'happy birthday to hubby'!
I then contacted the correct Ross at holidaylettings who passed my message onto a very helpful young man called Andy who agreed that it had all the potential to be a scam and to ring him back if I had any further questions. Ross at HR and Andy agreed that I should proceed with caution.
I sent off the invoice that was requested by RG (the Romanian Guy!), paying particular attention to all the details by drawing attention to the Terms & Conditions etc. As well as inserting the Company name and address on the invoice as was requested I also added the enquirers name.
Shortly afterwards the RG rang me to say that the invoice was not suitable as the company details were missing! By now becoming exasperated I told him to look more carefully and he would see that the details were indeed correct. "Ah... I'm sorry I missed that, well thats fine then could you please give me your bank details so that I can send you the deposit tomorrow". I told him that I would only accept payment via PayPal, he then proceeded to tell me that PayPal would not work in Romania and that giving him my bank details would not be pose a problem.
To be honest the RG sounded so brusque and I felt that I was being bullied into a corner. I needed breathing space quickly...or a big glass of wine!
I told him that I would go online myself and check if PayPal covered Romania or not and that I would contact him tomorrow. Just as he was about to hang up I asked him if he had any questions regarding the villa, he said none whatsoever he had looked at it on listing sites, although not my own website and he was confident that he would be happy to spend his holiday there.
Quickly I rang Andy at holidaylettings again to run it by him. Andy suggested that I do not accept the booking and that even although the booking proceeded without problem would I feel comfortable with it?
Mulling it over, trying to make dinner, babysit and bake a birthday cake, guess who rang again?
The RG had just checked online with PayPal and no they do not operate the service in Romania, so if I could send him my Bank Details by tomorrow so that he could send the booking deposit!
I told him I would email him later on about it, he had me going around in circles that I could not get him of the phone quick enough.
By the time I checked my email he had sent a completed online booking form for the dates he wants. (hmm, no flight numbers there though, but this far in advance sometimes they are not available...see told you he had me thinking in circles!)
Also take a look at this email that quickly followed it;
hello Eileen,
i just want to explain to you, that, because of taxes deduction, i preffer to make the money transfer
from my company's bank account and not my personal account.
for that i tried paypal, but, unfortunately, romania is not a valid country, as far as i can see, for now.
so, for making the money transfer to you, from bank account, i just need an invoice, just like one you allready sent me,
and a bank account, yours.
i think your personal account will do, if you don't have a company account.
please don't get me wrong, i just try to find a solution, as we like the place very much and we'd like to spend 2 weeks there.
best regards,
Adrian
I'm sorry to ramble on here, I've probably got you all going around in circles following it, but I even feel better just writing it all down. On one hand I feel rotten about being so suspicous, on the other I resent being put in this situation.
Oh well, happy stress free face on now, I'm off to pour a drink and join my family in singing 'happy birthday to hubby'!