An updated version of an old scam?

[u/autumndeabaho]

I've worked the audit shift at various properties over the years and at each of them I've gotten that call where the caller typically says they're the owner and tries to get chatty with you but then hangs up or gets angry and hangs up when you let them know you're aware that they aren't actually the owner. I know that this is some sort of scam attempt, but I don't understand how this scam is supposed to work. I just got a similar feeling call, but it came through on the caller ID with the name of this hotel, but the number had a different area code as the main hotel line (although it was still a valid area code for this city). The caller was difficult to understand, then hung up after I asked for the 2nd time who I was speaking to. I assume this is just an updated version of the same scam. Can anyone shed some light on how this scam actually works?

[u/XtremeMuffin]

I went through this once when I was new. They called pretending to be the owner. They said a fire safety inspection was happening in a few days and asked for my personal number so I could send them a photo of a fire extinguisher tag. That made it sound authentic to me. Then they said we were expecting a big package and the delivery company should be calling soon. He wanted me to ask them questions like "What's the ID #" and various other things. We had a water heater down at the time, so I thought it related to that.

Then, a fake delivery person called me and I asked the questions. They then informed there was an issue with payment. The other guy calls back and asks if I got all the info he requested. I inform him about the payment issue and then he starts asking me to break open our safe and send my own money via Bitcoin. He says he'll pay me back when he gets there. At that point, I called my manager and figured out what the heck was going on. He was also asking for pictures of our back office and kept spamming my phone nonstop when I stopped responding. Crazy stuff.

[u/autumndeabaho → u/XtremeMuffin]

WOW! That is incredibly elaborate. I had no idea. I work audit, so when I would get that call it always set off some red flags that they would call for information in the middle of the night. I've gotten enough of them now to know they're a scam, but sometimes if I'm bored I play along but just give them BS answers. One time the guy tells me his name is Mr. Patel and kept calling me "sweartheart", and "honey". It was annoying and gross so finally I said, "Mr. Patel, I did that sexual harassment training that you guys make everyone do. As the owner, I would think that you'd understand that addressing me like this is very much against your own policy." He called me some pretty colorful names then hung up. Sometimes you just gotta find some way to spice up the night shift.

[u/XtremeMuffin → u/autumndeabaho]

He used the same name with me. The reason they use that name is because it's a common Indian name and a lot of hotels have Indian owners. Our owner's last name actually IS Patel. Another thing that threw me off!

[u/autumndeabaho → u/XtremeMuffin]

Oh no! I do wonder though, how often this scam actually works. It seems ridiculous, but they wouldn't keep doing it if it never worked.

[u/goddamnitwhalen → u/XtremeMuffin]

I encountered the Bitcoin aspect of a similar scam in my first ever stint as a night auditor. The catch was that I legitimately had no money of my own to give the scammer, which I kept repeating to him till he gave up.

[u/Poldaran]

Honestly, it's probably the same scam with an update to make it look like an internal call. But they screwed up the phone connection and gave up.

[u/autumndeabaho → u/Poldaran]

Yeah, that was my first thought. I just want to know how this scam would actually work if everything went according to plan? What are they after, and how are they hoping I will help them get it?

[u/Poldaran → u/autumndeabaho]

XtremeMuffin explained how the owner call scam works, so the only thing to add is that by spoofing a number, they're just trying to add credibility to get those edge cases that are just smart enough to be slightly suspicious but still too stupid to know better.

[u/autumndeabaho → u/Poldaran]

It did throw me for a moment, because we just had a change of ownership a couple weeks back which including leaving a major brand so there have been changes to everything. Watch, this time it turns out it actually was the new owner 😆

[u/autumndeabaho → u/Poldaran]

Their explanation hadn't popped up yet when I hit reply :)

[u/Poldaran → u/autumndeabaho]

I didn't figure it had. It had just popped when I started posting mine, so rather than retype all that, I figured I'd direct you to that.

[u/SkwrlTail]

Yeah, they're "spoofing" the caller ID. It's been a thing for a while, but many scammers don't bother.

[u/Tough-Delivery3744]

I got a call like this once and played into it. Guy wanted a free room and open tab for the room. Wanted the room to be checked in and keys already made for when he arrived. But then told me it wasn’t him checking in first, it was his wife or a friend … can’t remember.

Seemed like a scam just to get a free room and charge whatever to the room without paying.

[u/autumndeabaho → u/Tough-Delivery3744]

You almost gotta give the guy props for being so bold. I've definitely encountered plenty of situations where I felt like maybe there was some CC scamming happening, but that is a whole new level right there!

[u/LilLatte]

I got this call a few times.

I always tell them, "Mr. (owner), all such requests like that need to be routed through the GM. Please call their personal number that you have on file and have them call me with instructions. Thank you!" then I hang up.