I was hanging out in the office of my good friend (a.k.a. Director of Golf at my home course). He showed me an email he’d gotten from a guy who wanted to book a golf travel package with him. They were willing to “pre pay” for 10 people, including hotel rooms and who knows what else. This would all be paid in advance, but since they were based outside of the USA, we’d have to process the payment for other parts of their travel and “reimburse” their agent who was booking the travel. They would allow us to charge $10,000 or something like that for the hotel, golf and transportation but we needed to wire them the difference of the travel/golf back to them, about $3,000. Uh yeah right.
What this guy booking the travel failed to realize, was that he was willing to book travel to our course when it would be closed for winter, when it has two feet of snow covering it.
That was about a month ago.
Today I received the same solicitation through the HOG contact form, even though I’m not even a “golf course.” Obviously these scammers are scouring the net hoping they can get some bonehead to bite.
I really hope none of you directors of golf, or course operators are dumb enough to fall for a scam like this. Just in case you are I’m posting the entire email below in quotes. I’m also leaving their email address too, in hopes that they get picked up by all the spam bots and get added to all the porn lists. May their in box be full of the same sort of junk they’re sending out!
From: MARK <dr.markdoneric@yahoo.com>
Subject: golf booking inquire
Message Body:
Hi,
I am Dr.mark don eric.
I want to make booking for 10 guests. Our
10 guests will all come for Golf Course
from November 10th February to 20th
2011(10days) by
12.30pm each day.
Get back me with your service cost if
there is availability.
I hope you do have a Credit Card machine
for Credit Card charges as regards payment.
I also want to know the type of Credit
Cards you accept for payment.
Do you offer lunch?
And also do you have accommodation?
If you do we need 6 double rooms
starting from 10th February to 20th 2011
that is 10days.
Thank you and looking forward to your
urgent response
Best Regards,
Dr.mark don eric.
Address: 179 Great Portland Street,
London, W1W 5LS. UK.
Ph:+447045714054
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
Similar scams are all over the place. In the law firm I work for we get similar scams emailed to us all the time. Some lawyers in other places have been hit for large sums this way. Rule of thumb, someone you don’t know wants to give you a large some of money out of the blue ITS A FAKE!
I recently received a very similar email request information for golf lessons for the persons’ children. Worded in the same manner. This also reminds me of the Nigerian based requests for golf equipment. These however, used stolen credit cards for purchase and shipping.
DOH! You mean I won’t get my $3000 back? Dammit! (JK)
Same scam happened to me last winter – wanted to book indoor lessons for a week for 12 students. I was supposed to pay around $4000 in advance to a travel “agent” on my credit card b/c theres would not work in Canada. I guess people actually fall for this stuff?? crazy.