A new scam?

[Inna22]

Just got this inquiry:

Can I now please have the condo unit # and access code for our arrival tomorrow 3-09 around 9 pm?

Thanks very much. Signed with full name

I do not have any prior communication with this person. I do give people the nearest intersection when asked for a location. If someone is determined to find the house, they can do it by using the façade picture. The person is a member since 2014 but no reviews. I replied that I have not any bookings from him and never heard back. This property is not going to be open to bookings till August so he can not be a member of another group. He had to select other dates to message me.

[Debra300]

@Inna22,

Yes, it sounds like a scam.

Was this message sent last month, or did you accidently enter March instead of April? 

[Inna22]

@Debra300 I copied what the guest wrote, did not even realize he put down march. This came just now

[Colleen253]

@Inna22  If the property isn't even  open for bookings, yes, definitely suspect. And the wrong date suggests whoever it is is just doing a copy/paste of text they've used before.

[Inna22]

@Colleen253 good thought about copy/paste

[Sarah977]

@Inna22  Either a scam or a very confused guest. If a scam I guess they think hosts are stupid and disorganized and will just send the information? Amazing what people will try.

There's a telephone scam in Mexico, nothing to do with hosting, where the caller targets phone numbers in areas where retired expats live. The callers actually seem to be American, not Mexican, as they speak perfect, unaccented, colloquial English, but no one really knows for sure. It goes like this:

"Hey, guess who this is?"

"I don't know."

"It's your cousin Jack. Long time no see, cuz. (Somehow these scammers do manage to get personal information of the caller beforehand) I just decided to drive down to Mexico on a whim and surprise you. But I just had my car broken into and all my money and credit cards stolen. I just need a tank or two of gas,a motel for the night, and some food and I can be at your place by tomorrow noonish. Can you front me some money so I can be on my way? You can just go to the Oxxo ( the Mex. equivalent of  a 7-11) and send it and I'll be able to get it right away."

A few old folks have fallen for this, but most are savvy and some have fun playing them along.

"Wow, can't wait to see you. How's your mom and sister? Bummer about the theft. Yeah, so what's the account number to send the money to? Okay, let me write that down- oops, need to find a pencil. (Wait, wait, wait) Okay, read that to me again. Okay I'll read it back to you. I got the 5 and 3 reversed? I better find my reading glasses. (Wait, wait wait) Okay, tell me again. This connection is bad, I can't hear you clearly. Okay, you know what, Jack? You should get your scamming facts straight. My cousin Jack died in 2008. Have a nice day."

[Inna22]

@Sarah977 good for them!

My 11 year old has been dying to scam back the callers that show up as "scam likely". The other day I get one of those, answer in a funny voice and she follows up with "Dominos pizza, can I take your order". It was the city of Chicago returning my phone call about a snow ticket I got! Luckily, the guy was a good sport, still asked for me (hearing a kids voice) and laughed along. The joked was almost on me this time!

[Anonymous]

@Sarah977   I used to work for a production company named after the founder who had passed away about many years prior. We were frequently targeted by scammers trying to work some connection or other, but our favorite calls to take on a slow day were always the guys who name-checked the founder as a "close friend."  

"How close?"

"Real close, we got way back. Say, is he there, I'd love to talk to him."

"Let me check for you. Hey, just to jog his memory, when was the last time you saw each other?"

"I ran into him just a few weeks ago!"

"Oh, you don't say! How was he looking?"

The game was to stretch the story out as long as it could before a new call was coming in, then abruptly ask the scammer to google the founder's name and hang up.

[Inna22]

@Anonymous my husband‘s office gets calls for patients who claim they are close friends or family so I need an appointment ASAP even though he’s fully booked. My response is always tell them you can’t help because the calendar is full but they should text him, he will get them in personally. A close friend would always have his cell phone number. And these people of course don’t.

[Anonymous]

@Inna22 Exactly... How do name - droppers always forget that detail? 

[Fred13]

@Inna22  I get these at least 2x a week; I treat them like Spam. It is either as 'Click' or if it must be answered - a dot (.).

[Inna22]

@Fred13 out of all people you should totally mess with them! You should respond with all the proper directions to your island And 666 for the door code

[Fred13]

Oooh you give me ideas. I can see it, send them a recent picture of the island, this one may do the trick: 

[Colleen253]

lol, and tell them, no door code needed, @Fred13 

[Christine615]

There are some known scams in which someone clones a listing (by stealing the photos and descriptions). Could it be he booked a fake listing on a fake site (or on Airbnb's site) and now is coming to yours because the other site is gone?

Another scam is people looking for the address early because they can just study the calendar and figure out what dates are open and vulnerable to theft (which is why we don't give out our address until after booking).

Or the guest is drunk or confused.