12 scholars become one student scam

[swirt]

Got a new one today. This one is more believable than the 12 religeous scholars traveling to my area of podunk for a seminar.
Hello,
I'm XXXXXX (Single Mom) writing to inquire about your Bread and Breakfast services which I came across over today and we are interested.
My daughter age 19yrs is moving to US for her studies but she is now in UK where she spent the holidays with my half Sister and I want her to move from there to school.

All the payments will be made in full before she moves in.
1.I would like to know your charges per month
2.If you would be able to accommodate her just for 2months.
We are originally from China,
Regards

XXXXXX.
Heee heee... must be attending the Podunk University here in my town. It is a small school which is why they only have semesters that are 2 months long and start a month after all the other colleges in the state

 

[happykeeper]

Sounds like my first try at college! Oh wait- that was how long I THOUGHT the semesters were. Turns out it was like all the other schools!

 

[EmptyNest]

Too funny...I can't believe anyone would fall for such a message..but I am sure there are some innkeepers out there who would reply

 

[muirford]

Too funny...I can't believe anyone would fall for such a message..but I am sure there are some innkeepers out there who would reply

.

I have had a fellow innkeeper in my state association tell me that he responds to every one of these - after we had sent an alert about scams. I asked if he had ever actually got a booking and he said no, but he didn't see why he shouldn't keep responding. He also asked me how he could be on the first page of Google.

 

[EmptyNest]

Too funny...I can't believe anyone would fall for such a message..but I am sure there are some innkeepers out there who would reply

.

I have had a fellow innkeeper in my state association tell me that he responds to every one of these - after we had sent an alert about scams. I asked if he had ever actually got a booking and he said no, but he didn't see why he shouldn't keep responding. He also asked me how he could be on the first page of Google.

.

Oh my...they don't have a clue do they?

 

[seashanty]

you only have to provide bread and breakfast .. not even a bed. swirt, are you sure you don't want to pursue this?

 

[swirt]

you only have to provide bread and breakfast .. not even a bed. swirt, are you sure you don't want to pursue this?

.

No way, I don't want some poor college kid slumped over in a corner sleeping on a loaf of bread LOL

 

[seashanty]

out in the yard ... here's your bread ... good nite.

 

[Paisley]

My stupid, how is this a scam? What would happen next?

 

[Paisley]

Oh.

 

[seashanty]

usually the person 'booking' the room asks for a total price for a stay ... long stay and/or lots of guests all at once. reservations that don't make sense. usually with strange broken english or for rooms or accomodations that are not what the place offers.
here is a good explanation from pillows and pancakes
'Summary
The end goal is to get the B&B owner to send money to the scammer. Typically, the scammer will make a booking and overpay for it with either a credit card or forged check. The scammer will request the balance sent somewhere, usually by Western Union. Remember, these scammers are creative and there are many variations on the scam.
The scam works like this:
The scammer will book a room(s) and claim to have no credit card to hold the room or will have a credit card. They will ask to send a bank draft/certified check/money order to pay for the room in advance or pay for it with a credit card. When the check arrives it will be for an amount greater than the value of the stay or they will ask you to charge the credit card for an amount greater than the value of the stay. The scammer will then request the balance sent to a third party (i.e. a car rental agency) or returned to the scammer.
Since the bank draft/certified check/money order is drawn on a foreign bank it may take up to 3 months to learn it is fraudulent. The B&B owner is now short the amount of the check/wire they sent the scammer and probably lost bookings since they held a room for the scammer. If the scammer paid by a credit card it is surely to be disputed by the actual card owner.'
so let's say you are in massachusetts, i contact you to say my daughter is going to be studying at a university near you (i live in arizona) for one term. you agree she can stay with you. i tell you i want to pay in advance so she is all set. i pay you way more than you asked using a bank check from some bank in another country or yet another state where i supposedly have a business, and i tell you to keep a little extra for your trouble, and just send me the difference. oh, and can you please wire the money right away so i can give it to my daughter for some travel expenses or school supplies? then .... see above. maybe it's a stolen credit card number. the point is to overpay you and get you to refund me the difference quickly before you catch on that the payment you received is bogus.

 

[seashanty]

oh is right. see the problem is there are new b&b owners all the time. and we are always hearing variations on the theme. also, when money is tight and reservations are few, some seemingly nice person who wants to book with you for a few weeks could 'save' you. ugh

 

[birdwatcher]

I received alot more the first year we opened, not so many this year I think its just funny

 

[MTLLodge]

I got one so far. Just one. Must be my website isn't doing it's job LOL I'm getting a new one!

 

[Iris]

Too funny...I can't believe anyone would fall for such a message..but I am sure there are some innkeepers out there who would reply

.

I have had a fellow innkeeper in my state association tell me that he responds to every one of these - after we had sent an alert about scams. I asked if he had ever actually got a booking and he said no, but he didn't see why he shouldn't keep responding. He also asked me how he could be on the first page of Google.

.

I have had a fellow innkeeper in my state association tell me that he responds to every one of these - after we had sent an alert about scams. I asked if he had ever actually got a booking and he said no, but he didn't see why he shouldn't keep responding. He also asked me how he could be on the first page of Google.

haha, that is too funny. Is he still in business?

 

[Morticia]

Too many different countries like she's trying to cover potential spelling errors with 'English not my first language'. But definitely plausible.