Robert J.

A few days ago through www.homeaway.co.uk I found Prop. ******* "Beautiful Villa, South of France with a view and pool". When I filled out the information request on their website (email manager), the info was supposed to be forwarded to the owner of the property. I received an email from what appeared to me to be HomeAway team asking more info to give me the offer. Two days later, after a few emails sent and received, I came to a final step of asking for the contract. The contract with info for payment came two day ago.

When I looked at the contract I realized that some things were strange. Then I started looking at all our conversation from the beginning and came to a clear conclusion that it was a scam contract. At that point I phoned the owner of the property and found that the owner was totally unaware of my communication with anyone about her Villa.

I was supposed to send 1890 Euro to the following company:
Business Name: Rajani Solutions
Business Address: 12, Broadway Parade, Cold Harbour Lane. Hayes UB3 3HF
Bank Name: Lloyds TSB Business Bank
Branch Address: 40 The centre, High Street Feltham Middlesex TW13 4AX
IBAN: GB90LOYD*******5960
Account Number *******
Short Code: *******
BIC: LOYDGB*******

Some of the failures the scam people have made in this process were:

1. The email address domain was. Gmail, which is unusual for the large companies (only private persons use that domain and server)
2. The price was changing, and a big discount was given, for no reason (not corresponding with the advertised price)
3. The contract documents were coming from them not from the owner, which is not in accordance with the info on the HomeAway site
4. In the contract they ask for the money to a company with a different name, no person name, funny address, etc.
5. I checked the address of this company and with the use of the street camera found that it was a small rubbish shop in a poor London area full of graffiti
6. In the contract there was no owner's address
7. Second part of the contract, terms and conditions, mentions a number of times that the deposit should be paid directly to the owner, not to this company (this was obviously copied from the HomeAway documents)
8. They wanted full payment with a big attractive discount of course
9. They gave me 72 hours to pay, after which the price could change
10. The signature on the contract was funny and had no name of the person who is signing. Etc, etc.

I was lucky not to fall into their trap, however very disappointed that HomeAway didn't answer my telephone calls or my email in which I informed them and sent them the scam contract. I suppose that the criminal minds are still acting and unfortunately some people could be loosing their money this moment, and HomeAway instead of informing the police theay are doing nothing. That is a very bed business.

Jakesanin.