Fraud:-look out for this one!

For everything specific to B&Bs as opposed to holiday rentals.
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Caroline
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 4:36 pm
Location: Gard
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Fraud:-look out for this one!

Post by Caroline »

We got this enquiry last night & had just finished replying in Italian too when the second email below came in!

"Hello,
we are an italian family composed by 2 adults and 2 children (7 and 8 years old).
We are plannig our holiday in the south of France.
We will stay in your neighbourhood for 2 or 3 nights.
May you please give us your disponibility of lodgings in August, preferably in the first half?
May you give us the prices too?

Thank you in advance
best regards
Chiara Giacomazzi"


So then we got this!

Cette alerte est générée par le système anti-fraude de France-Voyage.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
La personne qui vous a envoyé un message pour votre annonce sous le
nom de chiara giacomazzi (chiarajaco@libero.it) a été identifiée comme
ayant un comportement suspect sur France-Voyage.com.

Il vous est recommandé d'user de prudence et de demander des garanties
si vous décidez d'effectuer une transaction avec cette personne. Le service
fourni par France-Voyage.com se limite à la publication d'annonces et toute
transaction proprement dite se fait directement entre le propriétaire et
l'intéressé.


Anyone else had this family try to book? I think we have decided we are full during this period if they get back to us. We had one bounced cheque last summer & it took 2 months to get that sorted out!

This enquiry looks far more normal & genuine than the usual hoax emails that I assume come from west Africa & always want to pay you in advance by credit card & get you to give them some cash back which is why I didn't stop to consider it as anything other than cosha, but maybe the bit about 'your neighbourhood' should have warned me!
Caroline.

Camargue Birding &

www.lestroispuitscongenies.com
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Thomas BC
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Post by Thomas BC »

Yes, I agree with you Caroline, I thought the original enquiry looked quite normal. I might very well have responded offering them accommodation, if I had availability.

Loads of people, with better grasp of the English language, as a first or a second language, ask me for the prices ...even when they are clearly stated.

Your mention of the cheque is one reason why I would not take cheques ... I have been asked, and I have said no in response. Have never lost a booking as a result.
Last edited by Thomas BC on Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Big Sis..
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Location: Torrevieja and Norfolk
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Post by Big Sis.. »

If this is a Scam then Caroline,
[as looks likely] maybe you could also post this in the Scam section.
Thanks for posting it :)

viewforum.php?f=31
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Caroline
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 4:36 pm
Location: Gard
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Post by Caroline »

Hi Big Sis,
Good idea, just done that! I hadn't noticed that thread before, so I've spent an interesting 30 mins reading some of those!
Caroline.

Camargue Birding &

www.lestroispuitscongenies.com
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