Suspected cheque fraud scam

[Gambrinus]

Having received several enquiries through different channels with a rather odd request, I am now suspicios that this is a scam, so I thought I would let you know:

The enquiry is for several weeks booking in summer time, placed on different rental sites for different periods, but the person has total flexibility in travel dates. The apparent origin is a Doctor from Florida who wishes to have an associate pay for the booking by cheque (!) and advises that the payment will be in excess of the total rent so that the surplus can be refunded to a third party, supposedly a tour operator to pay for travel arrangements.

To my knowledge, a cheque takes weeks or sometimes months to reach the states for clearance so the banks will place the funds at your disposal. If the cheque turns out to be a fraud, then that money will most probably be deducted again. If you paid out the surplus in the meantime, that money is gone.

Points to look out for:
A doctor with very bad grammar.
Cheque payment.
Third party refunds

[Gambrinus]

This is the standard answer to a positive response to his rental enquiry:

Good to read from you ,
Thanks a lot for your mail and your understanding ,Well i am very happy to read from you back as regard the property would be available we staying,I would like to let you know that i am okay with the asking price xxxx euros .

Concerning the payment arrangement,i am also assuring you that won't be a problem as one of our company associate in state would be paying the one on my behalf and i had already spoke with him about this and he said that won't be any problem that we should let him know when everything is set so that he can issue you out the payment Asap.

The payment that you would be receiving will be in excess which you are to deduct the week rent and our flight arrangement.I would have love to pay the Traveling Agent but our company associate that would issue out the payment will leave America by Friday at most.

As soon as you get the Euros Check ,you will get it deposited in your bank for clearance and after the money has been cleared into your account,you would deduct the upfront payment and send the remaining balance,which would be for our flight expenses,BTA (Basic Travelers Allowance) and some other necessary paperwork's. The balance should be sent to our traveling agent whose information i would give to you as soon as you receive payment.

[rolf66]

This is definately a scam,this type of approach has been happening in the UK for quite a number of years,usually in connection with used cars. As you rightly say Gambrinus the money is credited to your account, you then hand over the surplus,and weeks later the cheque bounces leaving you out of pocket,best avoided.

[alibali]

Agree with rolf66, second hand car market was a favourite target for this scam. The room booking cheque scam went the rounds here in Scotland about a year ago.

Smudger

[Michael Crane]

This is definately a scam..... .

Bugger, now I'll have to try something else to fund my Carvoeiro holidays.

[carol.b]

Last year they already, tried to do the same with credit cards. probably the same kind of scam! Heard it from several persons that they tried that and all with the same story of a company in the off-shore oil trade. Just watch it and check it with other people, or your local bank!

[Michael Crane]

The only people scammers catch are the two Gs: Gullible and Greedy. If you're daft enough to fall for it then you really shouldn't be using a computer. If it looks too good to be true . . . it is!