19 Oct 2008 8:03 AM:
The fact that my site has been running for 8 years is proof enough that it is genuine. It has lasted longer than many others that have come and gone. All someone has to do is to type into a whois search engine and they will get proof.
Almost every property owner requests that payment for their holiday home rental is paid in two parts. An initial deposit to secure the booking followed by payment in full 4 weeks prior to departure. What security can you offer the guest that has just paid you a couple of thousand euros that your property actually does exist?
The website that Markfish uses takes ALL of the money up front and retains it until the holiday has started. Where is the guarantee that the property does exist? If this company is the same one that I know of. They paid out to the fraudster AFTER being warned of him and still advertised the property for several months afterwards.
You say you would not pay all the money upfront without some form of security; what security would you expect and what do you provide to your guests?
There are ways around everything when it comes to fraud, anyone thinking otherwise is naive. But providing some sort of proof of ownership must surely be something. Particularly when the website is established and respected by its advertisers.
What you and Markfish have been indicating is that you do not trust me or my website. Granted this may not be what you are intending. But the terminology about spoof websites fraudulent use of bills etc does indicate this. If someone is dubious about a site, check the testimonials and then contact the owners that are advertising. Would you both feel the same if you were dealing with one of the larger companies that have tens of thousands of properties on their books and just a four or five hundred?
I have still yet to see anyone come up with a better solution to help prevent fraud. As you know so much about fraud through your previous work you must appreciate that when someone tries to do something about it they need support or constructive suggestions. Not negativity.
OK, bills and escrituras can be 'doctored' but so can driving licenses, passports and everything else. Even a solicitors letter can be made up.
When someone opens up a bank account they have to produce utility bills and another form of ID. Same if you need to open an on line account with a currency exchange company. So how does anyone know that these people are not fraudsters? What is the difference between this and what I request?
As I was involved with the tracking down of this fraudster I know that he opened a bank account in th UK with fraudulent bills. So banks cannot tell a wrong one from a genuine one.
I think everyone gets bank phishing emails but how many have you had that are for other types of web sites? Personally I have only had one or two and they were for Google Accounts.
If blanking out NIE and account numbers does not work, why not? The result is the same as when you register your address on a website.
There has to be some element of trust given and accepted. Trust between the website owner and the property owner, and turst between the proeprty owner and their potentail guests. Without that trust there would be no business for anyone. Indeed it is how I run my website. By trusting owners to pay for their advert AFTER it has gone live. I have only been let down maybe half a dozen times in 8 years.
Thread:
Fraudulent 'Owners'
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