I Got This Message From Potential Booking Inquiry Potential Scam?

[Walter587]

The message content is in quotes.

"My fiancé is here for business. We love your place and will soon be joining him with our daughter and family, but we have a few questions."

:Is there laundry in the home? On the pictures, I can't see it."

"Are roads OK to travel in night?"

"Please provide me your phone number in the following format: $$404$$865$$1471, and I'll call you to talk."

I suspect this is a scam, but I am not sure.  Asking for a phone number in an unusual format is weird.  Can anyone comment?

**[Phone number hidden due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines]

[Caroline2333]

Thanks for posting it!! I just got the exact same thing on VRBO!!

[Ilse129]

I got this as well. Its my first time doing this on VRBO so great to know -- the laundry thing made me think it was legit. WOW.  I was really hesitant to reply so glad that I checked here!!! 

[Samantha1148 · Accepted solution]

I received this exact same inquiry on VRBO yesterday, suspected it was a scam. Thanks all for confirming. I will report to VRBO.

[Justin1752]

I got a variation of the same on VRBO two days ago. 

[Jorge2420]

Received same inquiry today on VRBO.   Lucky to have internet comments about this!

[Thomas2252]

Thanks for reporting. Message is an exact format for scamming.

[Melody304]

I received it yesterday 

[Rene2463]

I received a very similar message as well....

My soon-to-be spouse is here on business. We are excited to move there and enjoy your area with our daughter, but we first have some questions.
Does the property have a laundry room? I'm unable to see it in the pictures.
I need your phone number written as follows: Once I have, I'll give you a call to chat.

**[Phone number hidden due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines]

[Beth5724]

I got the same text. Called the phone number. No answer. Left vm and texted. Texted me back requested to call him on watsup. Asked him to call me instead, no call yet. 

[Jim1830]

Thank you for posting this. This guy has been a persistent MFer on one of my VRBO properties. Under the name ** (profile created 2023, no reviews, verified email), "My future wife is visiting the region on business. We had some initial reservations, but we are prepared to move there. But I do have a few worries about the property. Reach out to me or leave a voicemail if you can. To provide me your numbr, please do as follows: ** -- to help me figure it out, I'll try yours first or enter yours in this form.

I responded that I would be happy to answer any questions or address any concerns and tried to keep it on the platform.

He responded "I think it looks excellent, barring the service fee. However, I wanted to talk to you first about the service fees (which are absurdly costly). Calling the host provides a personal touch, in my opinion, and most visitors value speaking with the owner. A VRBO booking will be made by me. Sending me your numbr should be done as follows: **is my numbr) or you can try ** If you don't want to give me your numbr,  call if I don't answer, leave a message; and I'll call you back.

So he's right, the service fees (taxes) are absurdly high. In my city STR is taxed at 15%, however, my listing is 30 day minimum. So for the month, VRBO is trying to charge $1300 in taxes whereas AirBnB only charges $400 in taxes for the same stay. So he has a valid point, so I continued the conversation. I did reach out to both numbers before I searched and found this write up. I usually try to give benefit of the doubt, but insist they use the platform to book, which the sketchy ones never do. Will see what happens this time.

**[Name & Contact details removed - Community Center Guidelines]

[Erica-K0]

We received the exact same messages. Thank you for posting this here.

[Jenny1870]

Got the EXACT same message today on my property. His profile name is "Ben Alone" with the same phone number. He's gonna be alone for a while with this scam act, LOL. thank you so much for posting the message. I marked as spam and said we do not communicate off platform. Persistent little MF

[Lena6069]

I just received this message today:  I told him to buzz off!

My future wife is visiting the region on business. We had some initial reservations, but we are prepared to move there.

But I do have a few worries about the property. Reach out to me or leave a voicemail if you can. To provide me your numbr, please do as follows:

X$$404$$X

X$$865$$X

X$$1471$$X

—To help me figure it out, I'll try yours first or enter yours in this form.

[James3708]

Got the same exact message today!

[James3708]

OK, I am trying to get him to send me $ first to facilitate the phone call...Ill let you know how it goes.