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Over the last few months we have had an enquiry, more than once, from someone claiming to be working on an oil rig who are keen to book a coach for a UK tour and are very keen to pay by credit card even before we have quoted a price.
"i will be requiring your services from the 10th to the 16th of June.a standard coach with a seating capacity between 23 to 49. We want to take a look around the city, visit places of interest.
My mode of payment would be by Credit Card, because we are offshore right now in an oil rig.please kindly total the cost and get back to me asap.I hope you do have a POS machine for charging the credit cards.
Provide me with the total cost asap.
ps: our accomodation and other arrangements will be made by an agent that we've contracted."
I suggest that you treat these enquiries with considerable suspicion as the scam continues along the following lines.
- You quote them a price.
- They come back and agree to book and ask you process the credit card for the full amount of the tour, say £5,000, but then ask you to actually take£7,000 from the card and then transfer a sum of £2,000 to their agent who will be booking the hotels.
- The result, I suspect is that you end up with a disputed transaction from your credit card provider as the credit card is reported lost, stolen or cloned and the agent makes off with your £2,000 as well.
I urge maximum caution with such transactions.
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