In case you need a laugh...

[Ann72]

Inquiry and reply:

[Helen350]

You & many others @Ann72 , from the postings on here! - Good to keep in the public eye, in case newbie hosts succumb....

- Your response was brilliant! And SO quick! 🙂

[Ann72]

@Helen350  Yes!  We all need a laugh right now.  And thank you!

[Helen350]

@Fiona319 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

Here is mine from lunchtime today

Penn13:28

Hey, how’s it going? My firm sent me as a medical doctor to your city soon. I really liked your house, it seems very nice. It will be very good for me. I’m already waiting for the trip, but I’d like to ask a few questions first. Please send me a message in v-v * h, hat s ар, the num-berr is plu-ss foo-urr tvvоо - z ееrоо, then goes ši х, z е r о, е-igh(t), then there i (Website hidden by Airbnb) and 4 and 9, then another zee-row, and at the end there’s si х and see-venn. Thank you in advance!

@Stephanie Please could you advise how I should report this user to ensure no one gets scammed?

@Ann72 I haven't copied my reply as it just didn't compare with yours!!

[Helen350]

To report, just click the blue/green 'Report this user' , bottom of their profile page, @Mike-And-Jane0 . The go thru the steps clicking 'I think they're spamming/scamming me.' - Or click the flag symbol to the right of the message... - if it still exists.

[Ann72]

@Mike-And-Jane0  Ha!  I've been using that answer on HomeAway, where I get more scam requests than legitimate ones.  They never answer me.   Sad face lol.

[Mark116]

@Mike-And-Jane0  Talk to me like I'm stupid, how can you tell that this is a scam?  I get that the poor English and desire to communicate on whats app are red flags, but it seems pretty benign as scams go, no?  All you have to do is say no, or what am I missing.

[Helen350]

If you put 'scam' & 'whatsapp' into the search box top right @Mark116 , you will see LOADS of similar posts, with loads of replies, from loads of hosts who report this very well known  scam. Even today, @Fiona319 posted a similar post, minutes after @Ann72 . (I've posted links to similar posts on there, including an informative reply from @Susan17 )

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Mark116  - I was fairly sure it was a scam as there is no legitimate reason for a guest to want to communicate outside the platform. I say fairly sure because I couldn't be certain so went back with a simple 'Happy to answer all your questions through this messaging facility'. If it was honest then we would have continued without a problem.

Now when I logged onto the community centre I find a near identical message being discussed so it confirmed the scam. My guess is that it would have turned into a 'lets split the payment' scam using a stolen credit card.

@Helen350 I've reported the profile as per your instructions so hopefully, if everyone reports people quickly, we can stop some less suspicious host being scammed and losing their money.

[Dimitar27]

At least 20 of the same messages so far.  90% of them come from Russian or Ukrainian users.

Almost all of them-real estate agencies.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Dimitar27 Do you know why they are being sent?

[Dimitar27]

@Mike-And-Jane0 Different reasons. They are asking to list your property on other site like a short or long term rental; asking for money laundering through fake reservations; trying to involve you in different scams. Identity theft ...

One very popular and dangerous scam- the EBN (European business number) and the Swiss business catalogue:

https://www.internationaltaxreview.com/article/b1f7n9g3k1g5sd/croatia-tax-authorities-warn-against-e...

https://www.mirror.co.uk/opinion/money-opinion/p-s-investigates/police-raid-novachannel-business-dir...

[Fred13]

I get tons of 'Hi, I am X from the land of Z. I need to book 8 rooms with you and just need driving instructions to your place. It's an island without a bridge to it -so I ask them if they have an amphibian vehicle - no reply.

[Ann72]

@Fred13  Ha!!!