Did I nearly get ripped off or scammed for THB32k?

[Butch]

Here's the low down, I won't mention the hotel at this point as I'm not 100% sure, but anyone looking at my post history will very quickly work out which one it is.

Now, i'm no techie, and I've no idea how this worked, but here's the yarn:

 I booked a room at the hotel with Agoda for next year 32k baht for 20 nights.

I then emailed the Hotel (as I had done on my last trip) asking for a specific room to their Reservation email address.

I then received a reply that they can't allocate the room, but if I wanted to cancel my Agoda booking and book directly with them and pay up front, I could have the room and they'd match the price and throw in breakfast (200baht pp per day). The email stated that I could contact them by using the what's app number and pay that way.

Within the field of the email reply at the bottom, the Reservation rep said that I should contact them on the what's app number given. I contacted the number, it came up with the hotel name, and asked them what I needed to do. I was told to transfer the money into a bank A/C with Wise transfer, and give them the link so they could track it, they would then confirm my reservation. They went to great pains saying they use it all the time and it's the safest way to transfer money.

Alarm bells began to ring when the name on the account wasn't one I recognised, the only thing that rang true was the recipient email address. I told them I wasn't going to do it and they became slightly "terse" in their reply, accusing me of wasting their time. They then said the room has already been allocated and my Agoda booking might be cancelled. The english was actually very good so that also threw up a red flag.

I cut them off.

After speaking to a very close and trusted friend, he went to the Hotel and spoke to the Reservations manager, who pretty much instantly reserved my room, took a small deposit and confirmed everything with no hassle. They were super helpful (always the case)  "She" (LB- makes no odds though) denied that they had any what's app number at the hotel and would look into it.

Now, in summary, the Email I got came from the correct email addy for the hotel. The name, the writing, the person who wrote it has been there years and has replied to me before. The number at the bottom of the email has been added and highlighted, (I referred to emails from my last trip - same hotel).

*EDIT IN

I asked if I could make a video / voice call as I know a fluent Thai / English speaker, they declined.

Question: could the email have been hacked and intercepted by scammers?

Is this an inside job?.

Did I do the right thing?.

I have not fully elaborated on some details, so any questions, ask away. I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this guys.

Even if it was legitimate, I think that being cautious is never a bad thing.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Butch

[Stillearly]

Always better to be cautious where money is concerned , if something doesn't smell right avoid it 👍

I've had a couple of instances recently with future hotel bookings in Pattaya and Bangkok , all booked through Booking.com ( sister company of Agoda ) ... I have been contacted by the hotel via Booking.com to say there is a problem with my reservation and I need to reconfirm the credit card details or my reservation would be cancelled ...

both times I ignored the message and I found a separate reservation email address for the hotel and a separate Booking.com address and let them know what had happened...

and both times I have received apologies and emails ( from hotel and booking.com ) advising to ignore the messages I received... 

they looked so plausible and real , I could have easily fallen for them 

but I haven't received any explanation of what had happened whether it was a rogue staff member at Booking or the hotels 🤷‍♂️

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by Stillearly

[lazarus]

Scammers are like fisher'people...

They cast as many lines (or nets) out there as they can...

...& hope a big one bites!

. . .

 

[fforest]

In India, the scam centers are very advanced and they speak perfect English.....This should be kept in mind if you smell a scam..

 

 

[tommy dee]

hotels here are beign scammed all the time with fake fb and social media accounts and fake websites  I think you did right mate

 

only thing that would have persuaded me was if the recipient accounts was in the hotel's name

[tko]

Last June I tried booking through Agoda and was contacted by the hotel to confirm because they'd been getting a lot of no-show bookings from them.  Not a scam because it was pay on arrival. 

This month I booked the same hotel directly through email, again pay on arrival.  I wonder if something at Agoda (and therefore all the other online booking companies they've acquired) has broken down?  I used them for years with no problem.

[boydeste]

That smells of an inside job to me, BUT given the recent situation with @Pumpuynarak who knows.

[Glasseye]

Hotel booking sites are one of my least favorite tech apps. Dreadful

[Pumpuynarak]

19 hours ago, tko said:

Last June I tried booking through Agoda and was contacted by the hotel to confirm because they'd been getting a lot of no-show bookings from them.  Not a scam because it was pay on arrival. 

This month I booked the same hotel directly through email, again pay on arrival.  I wonder if something at Agoda (and therefore all the other online booking companies they've acquired) has broken down?  I used them for years with no problem.

 

16 hours ago, Glasseye said:

Hotel booking sites are one of my least favorite tech apps. Dreadful

I regularly book through Agoda/Booking.com/Hotel direct and have never had a problem, i use my UK credit card.

[Yessongs]

38 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

 

I regularly book through Agoda/Booking.com/Hotel direct and have never had a problem, i use my UK credit card.

Same here Cliff, I always take the option too of "pay when you arrive" just to hold the booking with a credit card. Like Phuket coming up over the holidays, I used "Booking.Com" as I am now at " level 2 genius" status. Never had a problem either but...you never know. Called the hotel directly and all is well. 

[boydeste]

4 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

 

I regularly book through Agoda/Booking.com/Hotel direct and have never had a problem, i use my UK credit card.

 

4 hours ago, Yessongs said:

Same here Cliff, I always take the option too of "pay when you arrive" just to hold the booking with a credit card. Like Phuket coming up over the holidays, I used "Booking.Com" as I am now at " level 2 genius" status. Never had a problem either but...you never know. Called the hotel directly and all is well. 

I too use Booking.com almost exclusively these days unless going directly gives a better price. On accasions it's Agoda where Booking hasn't got the hotel listed or is sold out.

[Pumpuynarak]

9 minutes ago, boydeste said:

 

I too use Booking.com almost exclusively these days unless going directly gives a better price. On accasions it's Agoda where Booking hasn't got the hotel listed or is sold out.

BINGO, i just clear my cache and then compare the pricing of all three then just book the cheapest, works for me, after all said and done its the same hotel and room, why pay more ?

[Jambo]

I have only been scammed once in Thailand....................twice if you count Lek running off with my Yamaha.

I booked two return flights to the UK for Sai and I at a total cost of 70K baht at a travel agent in Pattaya Tai used several times previously. Received what appeared to be all the correct booking documentation.

Visited a week or so later expecting to collect the flight tickets themselves to find the shop shut. For good, as it turned out. They took my money knowing full well they were going out of business.

Since then I have always booked flights direct with the Airline.

[Butch]

I've had a good few days to reflect upon this.

Still not sure what is going on, and I will mention it when I get there next year.

Ultimately I could have kept my Agoda booking in the system and left it at that, but I thought that booking directly and getting the room I wanted as they suggested plus the free breakfast (which is crap) swung it.

Luckily my friend went in, and one could ask why I didn't ask him to do it in the first place. The reason is that I don't like to bother people too much and I didn't want to commit him to doing something, especially when he's busy enough as it is. 

 it's certainly given me a kick up the arse. I know that scammers are sophisticated, so if anything it's made me extra vigilant in my own personal "bubble" at home. I've been sent on software, hardware and physical security courses at work but in some ways it's probably given me a false sense of security, thinking that I'm armed with the knowledge when in fact the opposite is true. It's one thing to lock up expensive equipment, have 2 stage RFID entry into areas and change passwords at work, but regardless of all that, I almost handed over 32k baht to a stranger on the promise of getting a decent hotel room and a free breakfast.

Phew. I need a beer.

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by Butch

[boydeste]

40 minutes ago, Butch said:

I've had a good few days to reflect upon this.

Still not sure what is going on, and I will mention it when I get there next year.

Ultimately I could have kept my Agoda booking in the system and left it at that, but I thought that booking directly and getting the room I wanted as they suggested plus the free breakfast (which is crap) swung it.

Luckily my friend went in, and one could ask why I didn't ask him to do it in the first place. The reason is that I don't like to bother people too much and I didn't want to commit him to doing something, especially when he's busy enough as it is. 

 it's certainly given me a kick up the arse. I know that scammers are sophisticated, so if anything it's made me extra vigilant in my own personal "bubble" at home. I've been sent on software, hardware and physical security courses at work but in some ways it's probably given me a false sense of security, thinking that I'm armed with the knowledge when in fact the opposite is true. It's one thing to lock up expensive equipment, have 2 stage RFID entry into areas and change passwords at work, but regardless of all that, I almost handed over 32k baht to a stranger on the promise of getting a decent hotel room and a free breakfast.

Phew. I need a beer.

 

Non of us are infallible, we like to pride ourselves as being savvy, but sometimes the most innocent thing can catch us out when we least expect it.

At least you caught it and shared your experience for us all to learn from.

The same scam was doing the rounds during covid with some of the SHA hotel bookings.

I still believe it is an inside job!