My Hotel scam saga - the outcome.

[Butch]

Well, it wasn't really an outcome so to speak because I never actually got ripped off in the first place, but I was close to it.

Here's a link to the thread:

 

The Hotel was the Page 10 on Soi 10, and I spent an hour with the Reservations manager discussing what had happened. I showed her the What's app conversation, along with the bank details they asked me to transfer the money to, the emails and all the other details.

I also showed her the email I'd received from their own reservations team, but with an edited footer on it saying to contact via what's app and settle my bill that way. They had no explanation as to how the emails got intercepted, but I'm guessing maybe an unsecure server got hacked and the scammer added their phone number details to the bottom, then once I initiated contact via what'app, they started the scam in earnest.

for extra points being a c**t, the person also told me to cancel my Agoda booking anyway and they'd reserve the room but couldn't guarantee it , but I should cancel anyway. Thus, if I didn't send them the payment, I would be under the impression my booking was still fine, when in fact I'd cancelled it so I'd turn up thinking I was still reserved when I wasn't, so I'd have been stranded.

Anyway, it transpires that 5 people got ripped off due to this before they discovered what had happened. One guy from Norway lost over EURO 1k. The perpetrators were an Indian guy so basically a typical benchod, and someone else, possibly Thai and possibly inside the organisation . Either way they assured me their system is now secure, but TiT.

I thank my lucky stars I didn't follow it through, and also again to Mike from the Devil's Den for turning up on their doorstep with the deposit and sorting my reservation out within 12 hours.

Moral of the story:

Agoda bookings work pretty well most of the time. A failsafe method is to get a trusted friend to pay the deposit at reception in THB, get confirmation details and names, times and dates. Direct booking is open to abuse, as in this case. As always when dealing with any Hotel, there are always caveats.

 

[Glasseye]

I got burned with a booking on a hotel in Hua Hinn a couple years ago (booking.com). Thankfully it was for only one night.

Went to the hotel to sort it out but the bitch (claimed to be the daughter of the owner of the hotel) would have nothing to do with it.

 

I can't remember in the past five years being as pissed off as I was that day.

 

These hotel booking sites are pure scum. I refuse to use them anymore.

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This is why i almost always stay at the same place in Pattaya and Bangkok. And why typically I will find hotels in a particular area and book directly with ones I have had good experiences with.

I also will only book for one or two nights initially. Then once I am there extend the time directly at the hotel.  

 

 

Edited April 27 by Glasseye