Be careful of fake websites copying hotels. My wife was scammed making a hotel booking

[advancebooking]

We recently went on a holiday and I regrettably let my wife make the booking for a nights hotel stay. Details are vague but I think she searched for the hotel via facebook and found a fake page that imitated the actual hotel. Or maybe it was a copy of the actual website with a different url. 

 

My wife chatted with them on fbook and they persuaded her to pay the full amount of the room to their bank account. After that they sent another message asking for key deposit She thought this was an odd request but transferred another 1500 baht.....

 

My wife called the police who said fill out an online form. An officer called her and made an appointment for my wife to go to the station. She did this and he didnt turn up saying he had an emergency. My wife has western personality now and was quite rude to him. He later called and said they have blocked the bank account but who knows...

 

Now we make another booking a few weeks later in a different location / hotel and they seem to have the same problem. But this hotel is professional enough to display a warning message of the problem: 'beware of fake websites and dont transfer any money to anyone etc'. They give the only bank account for the hotel and account name. 

 

Just giving everyone the heads up on this as clearly its a problem in thailand at the moment. Do not chat with hotel facebook sites. 

 

 

[Captain Monday]

The mind boggles

 

 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

It astounds me that Thais use Facebook and Line for commercial transactions and dont have a clue about the dangers.  What are they teaching them in schools ......... never mind, silly question.  

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

Do not chat with hotel facebook sites

I would have thought that was a given.

What's wrong with using companies such as Agoda. Airbnb etc

[marin]

14 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

My wife has western personality now and was quite rude to him.

What happened to that personality when she booked the room?

[advancebooking]

The fact that it is 2 different hotels in 2 provinces next to each other says a lot. Its probably the same fraudsters. 

[Dolf]

7 hours ago, advancebooking said:

key deposit She thought this was an odd request but transferred another 1500 baht.....

Key deposits are normally small 200 to 500 baht and why would you pay that in advance? Obvious scam right there. Never trust your wife with money again.

 

Stick to Agoda.

Edited March 16 by Dolf

[Dolf]

7 hours ago, advancebooking said:

Now we make another booking a few weeks later in a different location / hotel and they seem to have the same problem. But this hotel is professional enough to display a warning message of the problem: 'beware of fake websites and dont transfer any money to anyone etc'. They give the only bank account for the hotel and account name. 

It isn't busy now. If not using Agoda why pay in advance? Just turn up. I often just turn up on the day. 

[transam]

7 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

It astounds me that Thais use Facebook and Line for commercial transactions and dont have a clue about the dangers.  What are they teaching them in schools ......... never mind, silly question.  

Sold my Vigo truck on facebook, but, they came to my house, the money was put into my bank on the spot, bank SMS. Job done.......

Just a case of using your loaf.....🤗

[Andrew Dwyer]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

Sold my Vigo truck on facebook, but, they came to my house, the money was put into my bank on the spot, bank SMS. Job done.......

Just a case of using your loaf.....🤗

Best to meet in a public place, better to avoid inviting strangers into your home, according to my good lady anyway.

I sold a car on Facebook marketplace, arranged to meet at the local mall for viewing, agreed on a price, went over the road to the office to transfer the name in the book and transferred the money while waiting.

 

Did have one nutter who wanted to meet under the highway underpass and pay in cash !!

Better to take precautions when dealing with strangers.

[transam]

Just now, Andrew Dwyer said:

Best to meet in a public place, better to avoid inviting strangers into your home, according to my good lady anyway.

I sold a car on Facebook marketplace, arranged to meet at the local mall for viewing, agreed on a price, went over the road to the office to transfer the name in the book and transferred the money while waiting.

 

Did have one nutter who wanted to meet under the highway underpass and pay in cash !!

Better to take precautions when dealing with strangers.

If a seller wants to meet other than his home, I would not be interested. My Vigo blue book had my address in it, they came to that address, they were all happy, I was happy....

Besides, I would go by my own instinct and not Mrs.T's................😱

[Andrew Dwyer]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

If a seller wants to meet other than his home, I would not be interested. My Vigo blue book had my address in it, they came to that address, they were all happy, I was happy....

Besides, I would go by my own instinct and not Mrs.T's................😱

Up to you.

[transam]

Just now, Andrew Dwyer said:

Up to you.

Reminds me of looking for a 960 Volvo Estate, back in the 90's London, they were hard to find, anyhooo, found one in north London, guy wanted to meet me in some road, OK, went there, the bloke flashed his lights, got out the car, was all jumpy, was one of those Jewish Guys with black suit and strange hair cut.

 

Weeeell, I walked, something wasn't quite right, he was gone in a flash, thought the last time I do that........

[daveAustin]

Sucks. Agoda or phone direct to reserve and pay when there. If they won't have the latter, go elsewhere. Did notice a while back that people were getting scammed in going through Bookingdotcom. Dunno what happened there.

[Nick Carter icp]

12 minutes ago, transam said:

Reminds me of looking for a 960 Volvo Estate, back in the 90's London, they were hard to find, anyhooo, found one in north London, guy wanted to meet me in some road, OK, went there, the bloke flashed his lights, got out the car, was all jumpy, was one of those Jewish Guys with black suit and strange hair cut.

 

Weeeell, I walked, something wasn't quite right, he was gone in a flash, thought the last time I do that........

 

   Orthodox Jews are usually quite trustworthy , not usually known to be scammers

[transam]

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Orthodox Jews are usually quite trustworthy , not usually known to be scammers

I wouldn't know, but I don't think all members of a "religion" are the same in their daily life...........😉

[Nick Carter icp]

4 minutes ago, transam said:

I wouldn't know, but I don't think all members of a "religion" are the same in their daily life...........😉

 

   What made you think that this person was untrustworthy ?

 

[cdemundo]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I would have thought that was a given.

What's wrong with using companies such as Agoda. Airbnb etc

Agoda is very reliable and maybe the least expensive way to book.

Recently I went to the front desk at a hotel to extend my stay the price they quoted me was more expensive than Agoda.

I mentioned that fact and was told to go ahead and book with Agoda as they could not match Agoda's price.

[transam]

6 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   What made you think that this person was untrustworthy ?

 

Meeting at a dodgy location, not at the registered owner's address, and his jitteriness.

Which was quite enough for me and my chum, we had a giggle on the way home............🤭

[Nick Carter icp]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

Meeting at a dodgy location, not at the registered owner's address, and his jitteriness.

Which was quite enough for me and my chum, we had a giggle on the way home............🤭

 

   But you agreed to meet him in that location and that is where you went , if you can concerns about the location, then why did you even go there . So it was Jittery Jew that caused you concern 

[Lacessit]

I have always booked through Agoda, and never had a problem.

I have never been on Facebook, and never will. A company which sells  personal  data, in tranches of 40,000 subscribers to the highest bidder, is not going to be knocking back money from fraudsters putting false websites into the system.

[transam]

4 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   But you agreed to meet him in that location and that is where you went , if you can concerns about the location, then why did you even go there . So it was Jittery Jew that caused you concern 

I think you are digging for something that isn't there, but that is your known trait.

 

Now if you go back to my post, I said, they were hard to find, I found one, took my chum along as the location was questionable.

Is that clear enough for you...........🙄...............

[Keeps]

13 minutes ago, cdemundo said:

Agoda is very reliable and maybe the least expensive way to book.

Recently I went to the front desk at a hotel to extend my stay the price they quoted me was more expensive than Agoda.

I mentioned that fact and was told to go ahead and book with Agoda as they could not match Agoda's price.

Totally agree. Have made well over 200 bookings with Agoda and not once experienced a problem. 

I have had hotels recommend going via Agoda when trying to extend a stay as they are not prepared/able to match the price.

 

Also, I have a regular apartment I stay at in Chiang Mai who will always do me a 'tickle' beneath the Agoda price despite it being less than half the standard price quoted on their own website.

 

The other plus point with Agoda is I accumulate cash to redeem and get VIP prices and upgrades.

[advancebooking]

30 minutes ago, Keeps said:

Totally agree. Have made well over 200 bookings with Agoda and not once experienced a problem. 

I have had hotels recommend going via Agoda when trying to extend a stay as they are not prepared/able to match the price.

 

Also, I have a regular apartment I stay at in Chiang Mai who will always do me a 'tickle' beneath the Agoda price despite it being less than half the standard price quoted on their own website.

 

The other plus point with Agoda is I accumulate cash to redeem and get VIP prices and upgrades.

What about booking.com? Ive never used Agoda actually. 

[transam]

3 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

What about booking.com? Ive never used Agoda actually. 

I use them, even get an extra discount as a member....

[Dolf]

10 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

What about booking.com? Ive never used Agoda actually. 

Same companies. Both have apps. 

[Keeps]

1 minute ago, advancebooking said:

What about booking.com? Ive never used Agoda actually. 

Both owned by the same company apparently? Limited experience of booking.com was similar prices but I assume due to my loyalty with Agoda, I got better deals with Agoda. I quite like the redeem cash back with Agoda which I seem to get with almost every booking.

 

Sometimes it's a couple of quid but other times, if I've stayed somewhere for two weeks or so it's enough to book a hotel room in Bangkok near the airport for a night before an onward trip which suits me perfectly.

As I recall, booking.com rewards were equivalent to one free night as a reward (in selective hotels, subject to availability) for every 10 nights booked.

Agoda works for me personally but I have used them extensively over the years.

 

 

[Keeps]

17 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

What about booking.com? Ive never used Agoda actually. 

When speaking to the owner of the apartments I stay at in Chiang Mai she said both companies we are speaking about take 30 percent so they actively encourage a direct booking.

 

Sometimes though the staff at a hotel when you contact them directly do not have the authority to match the deals on offer via these booking sites so take the easy option. If you turn up with your hotel voucher they cannot quibble.

[couchpotato]

39 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

What about booking.com? Ive never used Agoda actually. 

Same owners.  Booking.com and Agoda have never been implicated in scams--they are both easy to book with and have various perks at times.

As someone else mentioned booking and paying up front using unverifiable fb, Line etc sites is plain stupid.

The OP should have trained his wife better IMHO.

 

An addition and maybe help for some..--for the past few years I personally book hotels in any country on the hotel website, or call. And always book flights direct with the airline, never through travel agents. Any deposits or payments only on Credit card.

Edited March 16 by couchpotato

[it is what it is]

9 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

It astounds me that Thais use Facebook and Line for commercial transactions and dont have a clue about the dangers.  What are they teaching them in schools ......... never mind, silly question.  

 

not just thais, facebook is used for commercial purposes in many countries, personally i wouldn't.