Room Block / Check Fraud
We have had heard from a number of Door County Innkeepers about similar activities in May and June. Please familiarize yourself and, your employees, with this scam. Phil
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 11:29 AM
Subject: Hotel Fraud
Dear WACVB Member: The Wisconsin Innkeepers Association has issued a warning about a room block/check fraud being perpetrated in Wisconsin. A gentleman (and I use the term very loosely) named Henry Hartford from the Save the Soul Mission called us and ultimately attempted to defraud one of our hotels. I know he also tried to hit up several hotels in the greater Fox Valley area. I thought I'd forward WIA's memo, just in case you're not aware of this scam. You'll find it at the bottom of this page.
Lynn
Lynn R. Peters, Executive
Director
Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau
3433 W. College Ave.
Appleton,
WI 54914
ph 920-734-3358
www.foxcities.org
The Fox
Cities . . .
Wisconsin's
Shopping Place
Dear WIA Member,
The WIA Office
just received updates on three similar check fraud scams, including one
update from the Better Business Bureau. Large scams have already occurred in
Wisconsin and have been tried for amounts of $99,000, $70,000 and $34,000.
Smaller scams have also been reported.
In each instance, the lodging property is contacted via the Internet, and reserves a larger block of rooms, most likely for a 'convention'. The fraudulent group sometimes books other meeting rooms and catering services, then sends an official check as a deposit. This check is then deposited by the property.
The fraudster follows up with an E-mail stating that he now needs to downsize the event for a lesser number of participants and he requests an immediate refund for the difference. When the property questions this, the group threatens to pull out completely. Since the original check is counterfeit, the property loses the money they refunded to the fake organization as the original checks do not clear weeks later.
When accepting checks, the Wisconsin BBB offers businesses this advice:
Don't assume that the cashier's check is legitimate just because the bank has accepted it for deposit. It may take weeks for the bank to discover it's a fraud.
You're the one that is ultimately liable to your financial institution. Be careful!
Accept only certified checks.
If you have a cashier's check, don't deposit it into your account. Instead, "submit for collection."
For more information or further inquiries, please contact Randall L. Hoth, President/CEO of the Better Business Bureau at 414-847-6000 or rhoth@wisconsin.bbb.org.
Should you hear of any occurrences of fraud, please contact the WIA Office.
email:
pugal@lodging-wi.com
phone: 262/782-2851
web:
http://www.wisconsinlodging.info
Trisha A.
Pugal, CAE, President/CEO Wisconsin Innkeepers Association
A Similar Scam
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 12:08
PM
To: phil@doorcounty.com
Subject: another scam?
Phil,
I don't know what this one is about or where it might be going, but I keep getting e-mails from people with very bad english and grammar saying they're ministers and wanting to reserve 2 rooms (or more) for 10 nights, but not a single one ever says what dates they want to reserve and not one of them ever responds again when I reply to them saying a reservation can't be made without knowing what dates they want to reserve. And today I got these two identical ones...every misspelling and weird wording identical in each...but with two different "pasto r" names. Has anyone else reported this odd activity? I don't know what the people are up to, but are these messages maybe something people are doing to try to get some kind of information, possibly electronic?, when we reply? The others have come from supposedly other countries.
HERE'S ONE:
Dear sir,
Please, i am pasto rmartins from united state of America Ok
I want book for Hotel reservation for 2 rooms in your hotel
The Duration of staying 10 nights.
Note, we are 2 in number
Waiting for your urgent response.
ok
pastor martins
HERE'S THE OTHER (just the 2 received today):
Dear sir,
Please, i am pasto cole from united state of America Ok
I want book for Hotel reservation for 2 rooms in your
hotel
The Duration of staying 10 nights.
Note, we are 2 in number
Waiting for your urgent
response.
ok
pastor cole
And, Yet Another
Dear Philip Berndt:
We received this e-mail message May 16th and thought you should be aware of it. (Another scam.) We have not heard from this person since.
| From: | John macpherson <maxbiz_inc@yahoo.co.uk> |
| Subject: | Payment.. |
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