Offiver in Iraq Scam – Justine Vincler
Name: Justine Vincler Email: j01vincler@gmail.com Phone: Start Date: // End Date: // Number of Adults: Comments: Aloha, My Name is Justin Vincler (Petty Officer) of United States marine currently in Iraq, battalion of Kane’ohe-based Marines. It`s in respect of your vacation listing,I am planning a surprise vacation gift package for my Godson and his newly wedded wife alone with treat while currently on an active duty,please check availability and get back to me immediately,the scheduled date will be 1st thru 22nd Sept. 2007,(22 Days)if this has already been booked please advice on the nearest date you have available,include cost for the period, Security Deposit, Cleaning fees, Tax and any order major services to be rendered,for the couple alone,no pets,they don’t smoke either.l will need to conclude this booking early enough for them to avoid any inconvenience during there stay. Mahola

Beware Wgen Renting in Manhattan!
We received some recent reports of fraudulent activity for a couple properties in the Manhattan area of New York! Please be careful. We’ve removed a couple of the properties that were causing the problems, but there may be more. Ask the property owner many questions both via phone and email. If they are pushy about demanding that you send them a cashiers check for the deposit, step away from the transaction!

Tahoe City, California, 4 BD / 3 BA / Sleeps: 10 —– The perfect mix of Tahoe charm and luxury

Jul 1, 2007 – Sep 1, 2007 July 1 – September 1 four night minimum available.

Fraud from this email address: NWLF1122@aol.com
A person with the e-mail NWLF1122@aol.com has been contacting me and telling me that the check is in the mail. I charged only $400.00 but his check is for $3000.00. I told him that it is not available and that I am contacting the authorities, but he keeps e-mailing me. I have copies of all his e-mail. Please look into this person, his name is Gerry. Sometimes the messages say that they come from Italy or Central America. I want no part of a scam.

Buying an Investment Property on the California Gold Coast
Christine talks with realtor, Meredith McKenzie about the California Gold Coast vacation home market. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Another UK Fraud Fraud Alert
Here is a copy of the email I got today: From: monalisa_donald@yahoo.com [mailto:monalisa_donald@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 5:12 AM To: rentals@rosewoodpointe.com Subject: Rosewood Pointe Web Form Name: lisa Email: monalisa_donald@yahoo.com Phone: 206-666-2591 Subject: inquiry Message: Hello, I wish to inquire booking availability in your home for a 14 Days Honeymoon surprise wedding package of my Godson which I was unable to attend because I am presently in the Gulf region. Check your availability of 14 days vacancy effect from august 10th 2007 to 24th 2007, Confirm availability and get back to me immediately with scheduled date; cost for the period, Security Deposit, Cleaning fees, Tax and any order major services to be rendered, all been totaled, for the couple alone,no pets, neither do they smoke.I will need to conclude this booking early enough ready for them to avoid any inconvenience during there stay.Bear in mind that I have Cashier\’s check made out for this transaction,is it okay to pay with it? Regards.

One-on-One with New Hampshire Vacation Rental Owner, Robin Clapp
Christine talks with successful vacation rental owner and rent by owner “purist,” Robin Clapp about why she bought her vacation home, what she enjoys about the process, and how’s she’s handled the unusually warm winter. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Fraud from this email address: NWLF1122@aol.com
A person with the e-mail NWLF1122@aol.com has been contacting me and telling me that the check is in the mail. I charged only $400.00 but his check is for $3000.00. I told him that it is not available and that I am contacting the authorities, but he keeps e-mailing me. I have copies of all his e-mail. Please look into this person, his name is Gerry. Sometimes the messages say that they come from Italy or Central America. I want no part of a scam.

Ask Christine #2: Damage Insurance
This week, Christine answers a question from a Bodega Bay owner who wonders if there are any companies that provide damage insurance for vacation rental homes. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Ask Christine #5: Requests for Multiple (But Not Complete) Weeks
This week, Christine answers a question from a North Myrtle Beach owner about how to handle requests for weeks that don’t fit into the typical Saturday to Saturday model. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Update from a user who almost got duped by Iraq petty office scam
I just hope that no one is sucked in to thinking that just because it is a cashiers check from a bank or credit union, that it is legitimate. I actually called the bank that the check was drawn on and the first person told me that “a cashiers check is always good.” I then asked to speak to someone in the fraud department in the bank. I learned that if you deposit a phony check and then take money out of your account it is not covered by the bank so I was so glad I investigated the check. I also thought the email was very fishy. Anyway, I hope that we can get them shut down on this scam. Thanks! Dana

Buying a Vacation Home with Friends or Family: Part 2
Second part of Christine’s interview with co-ownership expert and attorney, Andy Sirkin. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Ask Christine #1: Should You Buy a 3BR or 4BR House?
We’re introducing a new segment to the How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner podcast series, “Ask Christine”. This week, Christine answers a question asked by a potential owner who wonders whether he should invest in a 3BR or a 4BR house on Lake Hartwell. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Buying an Investment Property on the California Gold Coast
Christine talks with realtor, Meredith McKenzie about the California Gold Coast vacation home market. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Ask Christine #4: What if Your Property Doesn’t Fit into the Break-Even Formula?
This week, Christine answers a question about buying a property that doesn’t work with standard the break-even formula. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Fraud System Alerts and Reporting Update!
At VacationRentalDirect.com, we take all frauds and scams very seriously. They waste the time of the vacation rental owners and potentially put guests who wish to rent a vacation rental at risk of losing their deposits. To further limit fraud on our system we have implemented the following system checks: 1) No visitor can send more than 10 email inquiries per hour. We limit this by IP, Phone and Email. A spammer will have to get pretty creative now to bulk spam the vacation rental owners on this system. 2) Our system now flags all new listings placed from the UK and blocks all listings from Nigeria. Careful scrutiny is given to each new listing. 3) The creation of this fraud alerting system will allow our users and admins to report fraudulent emails and other scams as they occur. We’ve created an XML feed that vacation rental owners can use to monitor the latest frauds and scams as they occur. Thanks! Brent M. Kleinheksel Owner, VacationRentalDirect.com

UK Travel Agency Scam
This is a great example of potential fraud for VACATION RENTAL OWNERS. Many vacation rental owners will get inquiries from foreign travel agencies (mostly claiming to be from London)…they send you an email inquiry and then correspond with you just like a legit reservation. However, in the end they will ask you to charge an amount greater than the cost of the reservation and then ask you to reimburse them via a wire transfer, this is a complete scam!!! Here is a copy of the email that was just sent to me from one of these scammers: Email: Thanks for the mail,I am glad to tell you that I have just concluded discussing the payment arrangement with the clients and i will be making the full payment of $3,000 to you. This will confirm the booking fully. The names of the clients are, Name:——— Mr $ Mrs Graveney Henshaw Address:—— 93 COWLEY ROAD RICHMOND UPON THAMES,LONDON SW148QD,UK. Name:————Dr & Mrs CLIVE E ADAMS Address:——- 20 BARKER ROAD,MIDDLESBROUGH TS5 5ES,UK. However, I am going to send you the Credit Card Information that will cover the cost of their accommodation, and the necessary arrangement for the clients. Moreover, I was able to make an arrangement with a traveling pre-paid car hiring agent who will supply the clients with cars and other necessary things they will use through out their stay with you. So in order not to share the credit card information with a third party, I have decided that only one person will have to handle the credit card information. So once you are on receipt of it, you are required to charge the credit card,confirm the amount of ($10,000), in your account then deduct the cost of your services ($3,000) and kindly send ($7,000) to the agent via SWIFT WIRE TRANSFER. Confirm this message and provide me with; (1) YOUR FULL NAME (2) FULL CONTACT ADDRESS (3) PHONE NUMBERS for office record. Please! remember that the integrity of our agency is involved, so this business requires prompt response. I also hope the stay of the clients will be made comfortable. Kind Regards Mark Lubin. Lubin Travels Ltd. 67 BRAMPTON ROAD BRENT, LONDON NW9 9DE,United Kingdom. Phone 011-44-703-192-4099

Buying an Investment Property in Provincetown, MA
Christine talks with realtor, Rick Tourgee about the vacation rental market in Provincetown. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

How to Choose a Property Manager
Christine talks with Orlando property manager, Steve Trover about how to find a good property manager. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

One-on-One with New Hampshire Vacation Rental Owner, Robin Clapp
Christine talks with successful vacation rental owner and rent by owner “purist,” Robin Clapp about why she bought her vacation home, what she enjoys about the process, and how’s she’s handled the unusually warm winter. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Buying an Investment Property in Montana
Christine talks with realtor, Dorothea about the Montana vacation home market. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Scam from Coker Olaitan
Name: Coker Olaitan Email: balshaminfo2k@yahoo.com Phone: Start Date: // End Date: // Number of Adults: Comments: Dear Sir, I saw your property for rent and i will like to let you know that i will like to rent the place for just 2 months starting from August 1st to September 30th which i will like to know if the period is available or you can let me kno your avialable period. I will like like to inform you that i will like to pay by International Money Order Issued by Money Gram from US Bank or American Express Traveler’s Check issue by American Bank. I will like to know if my method of payment is acceptable. I will like you to get back to me through my email (balshaminfo2k@yahoo.com ) as soon as possible. Thanks, Coker Olaitan

Another UK Fraud Fraud Alert
Here is a copy of the email I got today: From: monalisa_donald@yahoo.com [mailto:monalisa_donald@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 5:12 AM To: rentals@rosewoodpointe.com Subject: Rosewood Pointe Web Form Name: lisa Email: monalisa_donald@yahoo.com Phone: 206-666-2591 Subject: inquiry Message: Hello, I wish to inquire booking availability in your home for a 14 Days Honeymoon surprise wedding package of my Godson which I was unable to attend because I am presently in the Gulf region. Check your availability of 14 days vacancy effect from august 10th 2007 to 24th 2007, Confirm availability and get back to me immediately with scheduled date; cost for the period, Security Deposit, Cleaning fees, Tax and any order major services to be rendered, all been totaled, for the couple alone,no pets, neither do they smoke.I will need to conclude this booking early enough ready for them to avoid any inconvenience during there stay.Bear in mind that I have Cashier\’s check made out for this transaction,is it okay to pay with it? Regards.

Ask Christine #2: Damage Insurance
This week, Christine answers a question from a Bodega Bay owner who wonders if there are any companies that provide damage insurance for vacation rental homes. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

Ask Christine #5: Requests for Multiple (But Not Complete) Weeks
This week, Christine answers a question from a North Myrtle Beach owner about how to handle requests for weeks that don’t fit into the typical Saturday to Saturday model. For transcripts of the podcasts, as well as, tips and advice for second home owners, visit ownercommunity.homeaway.com. Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512)493-4340 and she’ll answer your question on the air.

A small percentage of users are experiencing problems when uploading photos. The system might return an error saying “invalid order” or ‘deadlocked resource”. We processed over 1000 new listings in the past 24 hours, so the system is working for 99% of all users. However, it is not acceptable to ever lose any of the data that an owner has spent much time entering. If you are a user who has attempted to enter a listing and later received an error your listing may still be in the system, we just need to find it and activate it. If your listing is not in the system, and all of your data was lost, I apologize profusely and am willing to give you an additional year for free to help compensate for the time that was lost entering your data. Please contact us once you re-enter your data, and we’ll upgrade your account to reflect the free year.

If you emailed us about display discrepancies that resulted in the categories showing incorrect property counts or no category being displayed at all, this problem has been fixed and resulted from a process that went awry. We have since fixed that problem, so all categories should now be displaying properly.

If you have questions about how to edit your listing, how to upload photos or add an availability calendar, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for instructions and answers to those questions:

http://www.vacationrentaldirect.com/faq.asp