Probably a scam, but at this stage I'd respond. But the clues to watch for are someoen who doesn't care WHEN he comes, doesn't seem sure how long he'll be staying, or how big the party is. Also soemone, in our case, who asks lots of questions about our "city", when we're *clearly* a rural gite half way up a mountain!
But push comes to shove when they start asking thigns like, will you take a cheque from their company for MORE than the rent and then give them the difference as spending money, or buying them an air ticket, or something etc. That's what's making me wonder if this one is real, if they offer to make payment by bank transfer. But maybe that just means they've worked out a new way to run the scam. If they pay sensibly in advance, if they pay the correct amount and if they don't do anythign which would involve you spending your own money, I can't see the problem. ALso, and this proves nothing I know, but it's a gmail account, all the scammers I've had in the past have been from hotmail or yahoo. But I have no evidence Gmail are any better than the rest at blocking naughty boys from using their system - I just havn't seen it before.
Don't touch it with a barge pole Sheila, I've had so many emails from exactly the same type of people when I've been selling houses or cars on leboncoin. to be honnest it isn't even worth replying, and that'll be the best test - see if they really are interested - will they send you a second email. There seem to be a lot of scams going on where they use bank transfers to launder money, sending it then getting it back, asking you to refund it to their French account etc...! Or as others have already said, it's just a scam to get hold of your bank details and then all hell let's lose ={:-O
Just don't reply to emails with a telephone number 00225 .............. all scams from the Ivory coast
I too think its a scam. Any enquiries with 00225 prefix go straight into the zap box. Beware also for groups of priests,doctors & other such emminent people coming to conferences. Scams all of them.
Looks dodgy to me!
Don't touch it with a barge pole! It looks like a Cote Ivoire enquiry (dialling code 00225). As others have said, if it seems to good to be true, it almost certainly is. There's a lot of useful posts about scams on the Lay My Hat forum here
Jan
PS The way it normally works is that they send you a cheque in advance for more than you require, you send them the 'change' as a cheque, which they cash, and some time later your bank discovers that their cheque which you cashed in good faith has no validity and you're out of pocket by a large amount.
How do you mean, "Google the email", Mrs. H.? I Googled his name, and a lot of results were returned, but nothing specific. Lots of people with the same name. Or did you mean put the text in and see if he is known as a scammer?
When in doubt, google the email!
Trust your instinct! There's usually something in their emails that tells you, whether it be a spelling mistake or use of language that doesn't 'feel' right and always a mention of payment up front and a request for the 'best price' and more information that you have already provided in your site.
Thanks Catherine. As we are newbies to the world of chambres d'hotes, I thought I would run this one up the flagpole, so to speak, but was fairly sure it wasn't genuine.
Leave it. I wouldn't even reply. I've had a few of those - lots of 'local mission' and holidays but payment being by someone else etc.,
Hi Guy. Absolutely not! PayPal only. Also, if I wanted to go somewhere for 3 weeks, I would go self-catering, so I doubt this is genuine.
Here in our region, people tell us these emails from abroad are a scam. I'm not sure how it works, but I wouldn't give them any bank details...