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30/04/2007, 21:18 Lachouette Joined on 23/08/2004 Haute Vienne, Limousin Posts 85 Am I right to think this might be another scam? Wise, learned and experienced colleagues, I can usually spot the usual scam of African origin, involving travel agencies and Western Union but this one has made me feel uneasy, so I'd like another opinion please.  A couple of days ago I received the following message: "Hello, I am Dr. Franklin Altman Stokes from Franklin Yoga Consultancy,and I wish to make a reservation with your for a group of 4 guests coming for a family Vacation.We will like to know if you have vacancy for the period of 18th September to 28th September 2007. Please Calculate the total cost involved for the services which includes and taxes for 10 days, and get back to me if the dates mentioned above are free. We appreciate your prompt response. Yours Sincerely, Franklin Altman Stokes +447024062538 +447024091908 Fax#: +442125042704 http://franklinyogaconsultancy.tripod.com/ franklinyogaconsultancy@hotmail.co.uk +447024062538, +447024091908 52 TOKYINGTON AVENUE WEMBLEY. HA 96HL" It made me smell a rat, and I checked out his website, which shows his yoga courses priced in $s in London, supposedly. I've replied asking exactly what he's looking for in the way of rooms, and today received this: "Hello     I got your email.They shall be staying for 10 DAYS that will commence on the 18th to 28th of SEPTMBER 2007.   Number of Guests=4 Adults Number of rooms needed= 2 Superior Double Rooms Check in date:18th SEPTEMBER. 2007 Check out date:28th SEPTEMBER. 2007 Payment Mode:100% deposit via Credit card   Please give us your rates,for the entire period, and get back to me with the grand total for the period of time i requested.   Your prompt response will be appreciated.   Thanks for your co-operation. Regards" No signture this time, just the message.  We don't take credit cards and as we're GdF 3 épis, don't rate as 'superior', so my next email may well knock the whole thing on te head, but what do others think. Thanks, Jan Sorry about the formatting - it's past my bedtime on night off!    Report

30/04/2007, 21:48 Tresco Joined on 23/08/2004 Charente Maritime. Posts 4,635 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam? I saw that discussed  here. Scroll down the page http://possumworld.informe.com/viewtopic.php?t=145&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30    Report

30/04/2007, 21:48 LesLauriers Joined on 23/08/2004 Posts 820 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam? From the internet..... Dr. Franklin Stokes +447024062538, +447024091908 Fax#:+447884514786 , +44704712105 6th Floor Gwent House Gwent Square NP44 1PL Dr. Hanks Payne, Baird Hall, High Street Linlithgow, +447024062538 West Lothian EH49 7ES Scotland Why have an 0702 number? • Getting a new mobile, but want a number you can take with you? • Using your mobile for business and don't want to give out your real mobile number? • Have to give out your number a lot, but would rather keep your mobile number private? • Want one number for family and friends and another for business, or new aquaintances from your social scene? ...Sounds simple, but how does it really work? All you need to do is select your number from the link below and Ophone will connect you. 0702 is NOT premium rate. When customers, family or firends dial an 0871 number, they will be charged at K rate. K rate may vary depending on your phone provider, contact your phone provider for more details.    Report

01/05/2007, 13:45 Lachouette Joined on 23/08/2004 Haute Vienne, Limousin Posts 85 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam?     Thanks very much - looks like others have been there before.  Got another this morning, strangley enough with the same phone number so will be ignoring both! Jan    Report

24/11/2007, 6:25 Chine tour Joined on 24/11/2007 Posts 1 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam? I tend to agree this is just another scam. But still not sure why the h... this guy should send such an email. But here is the email I received today with strong resemblance to the one your mentioned above. And I do not care to reply to it. Anyone knows how we can report or punish those scam writers? Thanks.     Hi,   I will like to book reservation for 6 people that will be coming for vacation in your area on the 12th january to 22nd of january 2008. If you have vacancy for the specified period, give me the total cost for the whole period of 3 single or double rooms for 10 nights for 6 guest. Also, confirm if you will accept major credit card for your payment. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from soon.   Kind Regards, Dr. Johnson Frank , Baird Hall, High Street Linlithgow, +447024062538 West Lothian EH49 7ES Scotland    Report

24/11/2007, 7:52 Quillan Joined on 23/08/2004 Forum Moderator Posts 3,576 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam? As far as reporting them goes the only advice available from the UK police (because you have a UK address and phone number on the email) is contact the local police station. Basically nobody wants to know. http://www.chambresdhote.com    Report

24/11/2007, 9:02 Sunday Driver Joined on 07/10/2005 Deux Sevres (79) Posts 2,752 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam? Check out the United Kingdon Accommodation Providers Alert System for many more examples of this type of letter.   Waddya mean it's only Saturday......    Report

24/11/2007, 10:46 Cathy Joined on 07/03/2006 Mostly near Bordeaux; Sometimes near Bristol Posts 1,685 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam? Can someone help me out?  Why are these letters/emails seen as being scams?  I need to know as we run a B&B. I checked out your link, Sunday Driver, and now know about the cheque/credit card scam - thank you for that.  However, I do not see how the original letter tooks like a scam.  Can someone enlighten me? Cathy ----- Your children won't remember you ironing their pyjamas but they will remember you reading them a bedside story.    Report

24/11/2007, 11:51 Quillan Joined on 23/08/2004 Forum Moderator Posts 3,576 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam?  Cathy wrote: Can someone help me out?  Why are these letters/emails seen as being scams?  I need to know as we run a B&B. I checked out your link, Sunday Driver, and now know about the cheque/credit card scam - thank you for that.  However, I do not see how the original letter tooks like a scam.  Can someone enlighten me? First I think it's just a feeling you get probably based on the amount of very similar emails you get. If you use good personal (I mean software residing on your PC as opposed to your ISP) anti spam software that 'talks' to anti spam databases then usually such emails are reported and the email comes up as spam. If you take this particular email there are a couple of things. Firstly the 'vacation in your area' is a bit general and the word 'vacation' is an American description where as a Brit would probably use 'holiday', agreed its not always the case but it does make you read the rest more carefully. I had one saying they were attending a three day conference in central Paris and thought my place looked nice to stay at for those days. It takes me 8 hours to drive to Paris. In some cases your suspicion is further enhanced by the poor standard of written English in a letter supposedly from a 'professional' person like a doctor, barrister etc. Many use these titles in their letter because we all trust doctors, lawyers, barristers etc, don't we ?  The next issue is the phone number, the correct code for the road used (the post code is correct by the way) is 01324 according to www.192.com . Next there is actually no such address (Baird Hall is in Glasgow and is a 'Hall of Residence' for the university and was build in 1937), nobody registered with that name in that road on the electoral road, in a phone book or in the last census. This information can be acquired by using www.192.com. You can also use 'reverse number look-up' (which is where you type in a phone number and it tells who has it http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/section/tci/locator.shtml ) in this case it's Magrathea Telecommunications Limited who are a 'use anywhere call forwarding number' this is a number that's allocated to a person and not a phone. This company is often used by people perpetrating frauds of some kind according to the Fraud Watchers Organisation in the UK (information source click HERE). Now to put the cherry on the cake as it were they want to pay by credit card. Credit card and Euro cheque payments are often methods used by scammers as explained in the link SD has given (thanks for that SD I never knew it existed and now have it bookmarked). Credit card type payments are easy to deal with as I said before use PayPal as it is online and requires the 'magic' three number code from the rear of the card which scammers more than often don't have. It checks the card before accepting the transaction, scammers know this so if you ask the scammer to pay using PayPal they will either never answer or come back probably with the Euro cheque proposition. Another 'test' you can do is give a price and put one or two zero's on the end i.e. a 900 Euro stay becomes 9,000 Euros. Scammers are driven by greed and will see the importunity of getting more money out of you so will go for it where as a real person will say HOW MUCH !!!!!!! and you can say 'Sorry my finger slipped on the old keyboard'. Hope that helps. http://www.chambresdhote.com    Report

24/11/2007, 12:22 Cathy Joined on 07/03/2006 Mostly near Bordeaux; Sometimes near Bristol Posts 1,685 Re: Am I right to think this might be another scam? Quillan You are the most lovely man in France (apart from my nearest and dearest)...  Not only have you got me back into the Forum after a frustrating absence, you have also answered my post in the most helpful way.  Your wife is very lucky! Cathy ----- Your children won't remember you ironing their pyjamas but they will remember you reading them a bedside story.    Report

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