I run a bed and breakfast in Texas and I am seeing more and more of these scams. At first they looked like a scam from the get go, but this one the first email I got looked like a regular reservation request. These people are going around inquiring about multiple rooms and the exact cost and when you say you have availability and tell them the cost. Thennnn they tell you they already made a check out that is over the price for the room and they want to send it to you, deposit it and then send the difference back! I know that there has been people that excepted the check and sent the money back then the person that made the reservation cancels before the cut off date so they can be refunded. This would not be bad, but they also cancel the check that was sent which means the money you sent them that was the difference comes out of your pocket. Some banks take longer than others to cash checks that come from over seas. It will say on your account AVAILIBLE so you will think ok we have the money, but this is wrong!!! Please don't fall for these scams if you own a B&B. Never except any check over the amount that is for the reservation. And if you get the correct amount and want to cancel you need to make sure that the money is in you account before you refund otherwise you will give them YOUR money and they will cancel the check and get THEIR money back. And if you get an email from this type of scam and you refuse the check so they say that they will give you a credit card, check with the card company because it is usually stolen! Here is the latest scam email that I got:
Hello,
I am engr owen hughes of siemens communication ltd scotland. I
Need to make reservation for Two (2) of our technicians
Coming from London for installation of fibre optic cable in one of our sites in your city.
Arrival Date: 10th APRIL
Departure Date: 20th APRIL
Number Of Rooms: 2 double Rooms (each for single
Occupancy)
Length of Stay: 10 Nights.
Get back to me with the TOTAL COST (INCLUDING
Applicable taxes and breakfast) in euro or usd equivalent
If the dates mentioned above are free, so that we can confirm reservations
Immediately. Your prompt response will
Be appreciated.
Thanks and have a nice day.
Engr Owen Hughes
447035901195
Logistics manager
Siemens communication ltd
Then I sent back our availability and the total cost and even said that we require a credit card deposit to hold the rooms. He sends this letter back:
Hello Casey,
Thanks for your reply and assistance so far.
We have agreed on the price and the rooms are good for us. As for the payment, we are paying the whole sum.
Again I am glad and happy to tell you that we have concluded payment with the delegates. However, a Certified Bank Check of $8,000.00 was earlier made out, for a room reservations whose services were not up to the standard of what your home is offering to us now. Which was meant for the ACCOMODATION, PROVISION FOR HIRING CAR, and other necessary arrangement.
I have now been instructed to send you the check, which will cover
The cost of accommodation and all the necessary arrangement for the
Delegates. Moreover, we also made an arrangement with a pre paid
Car hiring firm who will supply the delegates with cars they will
Use during their stay. So you are required to deduct the cost of
Your services $1,943.60. And send the balance of $6,056.40 to the Logistics agent whose information will be forwarded to you as soon as possible.
So confirm this and provide me with your (1) YOUR FULL NAME (2)
ADDRESS (3) PHONE NUMBERS, for payment to be delivered to you via
Courier on or before wednesday next week.
Please remember that the integrity of our agency is involved, so
This business requires prompt response. I also hope the stay of the
Delegates will be made comfortable.
Kind Regards,
Engr Owen Hughes
447035901195
Logistics manager
Siemens communication ltd.
I send him an email saying that we DO NOT except checks over the amount for the reservation and we do not forward money to anyone else and he sends me this email:
Hi,
Thanks for your response. However, the check has already been made out to that amount. I think it will be more convinient to have you cashed the check since i'm not in the states right now. This is the reason why the money will cover reservation and car rental charges. All you need to do is to have the check deposited, and verified before going on with the reservation. Hope you can understand me right. You can go ahead, and have your name and address forwarded, for the check payment to be delivered to you.
Thanks, and have a nice day.
Engr Owen Hughes
447035901195
Logistics manager
Siemens communication ltd.
These people are getting more persistent as the scams go on.
IF YOU HAAVE A VICTOME OF A SCAM LIKE THIS AND HAVE LOST MONEY YOU CAN GO TO www.ic3. Gov/. It is the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). They are in partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.
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