Reservation scam

[mascamps.com]

We recently received an enquiry for a reservation later this year for five rooms for three weeks from a place stating that they represented a christian organisation.

A couple of e-mails later and they said that we had been selected as the accommodation. For this, we would of course be looking for a deposit, around 1.000€ and replied saying that this could be paid by credit/debit card or French issued cheque.

Just received a further e-mail saying that they'd be sending us a cheque for 10.000€ from which we should deduct our total charges and forward the balance (around 5.000€) to a car hire firm.

It sounded a bit off at the start but now seems to be screaming SCAM.

I'm sticking this on the B&B and gite owners forums.

 

Arnold

 

[Coco]

Hi Arnold

It is a huge scam and several people on this site received similar emails/letters last year but it's certainly well worth posting again, just to remind everyone and to make those starting up for the first time this year aware of it!!

[zeb]

I think I'd bank the cheque and tell them that they could collect the change from me when they arrive!!!!!

[Coco]

The problem with that is, this is a money laundering scam, so the cheque is illegal money anyway.  You'll get yourself into a lot more trouble than the 10,000€ would solve!!!

[mascamps.com]

Not only that, presumably the cheque wouldn't clear so you'd be out bank charges too.

One upside that someone pointed out was that it's an indirect sign that I've arrived on the search engines. Now all I need to do is to get the keywords right

 

Arnold