Poster: A snowHead
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Skiers beware! DO NOT BOOK with Premier Chalet Holidays (premierchaletholidays.co.uk) they are a scam site. I was minutes away from parting with close to £3000 when, as a last minute check, i did a google image search on some of the pics of the italian chalet we were going to book, turns out the images are from a swiss chalet who know nothing about this company! Fecking livid puts it mildly! Thank god i'm so untrusting but maybe it's time these companies digitally watermark their pics? Oh well, the search for the continues.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Had to check myself, pics are from Chalet Auriane in Verbier. I would never part with cash to any holiday company with a Wordpress Template website - you can set a site up like that in a few days.
You were right to check the images, just because they have a website doesn't mean it is legitimate.
If you want to book direct, best via Booking.com or Trip Advisor.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thats pretty scary.
Have you had contact with the company?
They are registered to
180 Church Road
Hove
BN3 2DJ
Same company as Holidays in France LTD which this seems a part of.
Seems to be a lot of similar companies registered to same address , some of which seem legit.
As much as i loathe scammers this doesnt seem an obvious one and i would hate to think of a small company being targeted unfairly.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'd try contacting them but it does look very suspicious, if their chalets are hand picked you'd think they would have known what they looked like.
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Hmmm, Chalet Soria in Chamonix with views of the Matterhorn? I do not think so.
While equally I would not like to suggest somethink hinky is going on when it is not, but looks hinky to me...could it be a site in development that has gone live too early?
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interpaul wrote: |
Had to check myself, pics are from Chalet Auriane in Verbier. I would never part with cash to any holiday company with a Wordpress Template website - you can set a site up like that in a few days. ..... |
Hmm. I know of at least two small Alpine businesses, that are fully legitimate and use (or have used) Wordpress. Wordpress sites make a lot of sense since they provide a website for which the content is easy to manage, day to day, by someone not skilled in web coding.
This year I prepared and handed over two Wordpress sites (admittedly using child themes rather than bog standard) to model flying associations I belong to. One was in very old fashioned HTML - the other was in asp.net. I was the webmaster of the latter - and as it needed skills in SQL, asp.net, CSS, HTML and a smidge of C#, if I had not converted the site over to Wordpress, I'd still be running it. I still provide technical advice to both sites when required - which is vary rare. I have strong hopes they are the last sites I will ever prepare!
In summary, Wordpress or other CMS systems can be very useful for amateur associations or small businesses. They are not in themselves an indication of a dodgy businesses.
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Another of the "Chamonix" chalets is in fact in Zermatt. It also makes me suspicious that none of the descriptions mention distance to the lifts, specifics of the resort it's meant to be in, nor details of services like shuttle minibuses to the lifts (some of the Chamonix chalet apparent locations are a bit of a trek to the lifts and for that money you'd expect free shuttles I think). More dodgy by the minute I am afraid.
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Hinky? That's a new one on me.
Out of interest, is it local dialect from somewhere?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Bergmeister, commonly used in US detective novels
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Google the 020 number and it doesn't return searches
street view the address and loads of shops with 01273 numbers
plenty of other things suspicious too
That said, their address is of an accountants and its not unusual for a small business to use their accountants address.
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Highly suspicious - domain name was first registered 2 weeks ago, no social media and interesting pricing.
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You know it makes sense.
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I reported a similar website to Action Fraud a couple of years ago and it took them months to take it down. It had was the same MO as this one; 'fake' chalets and very keen pricing.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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It is slightly concerning when the site that is supposed to be the focal point for reporting fraud says this:-
Action Fraud wrote: |
Please remember it is not possible for each report to be investigated, however the information you have provided will aid the police to build up a national picture of fraud. This will make the UK a more hostile place for fraudsters to operate in. |
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hopefully if someone does a google search now this thread might come up and they will see the fake.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Trading Standards might be more effective http://www.tradingstandardsecrime.org.uk/report-fraud/
I have to say, and it's been discussed several times here before, I wouldn't part with £3 grand without being pretty sure of the bona fides of the supplier. The only site we rent out on where we don't have personal contact with the client is AirBnB because they already have a form of vetting in place.
Otherwise everyone at least receives our company registration, property address and home contact details, which are easily verified on public sites if there's any doubt.
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Im not so sure it is fake , the director is involved with a few companies and his home address is clearly listed.
Without a doubt i wouldnt be sending £3000 right now.
But someone of his age and director of a few companies , i cant see him trying to full on scam people.
Theoretically , what do people suggest is the scam here? He is advertising chalets and they turn out to be nothing like the ones shown in the pictures? Or no booking is made at all?
No matter what anyone who did get ripped off wouldnt be long finding him.
What would happen then , its clearly fraudulent , i presume with a trail of evidence then he would be easily convicted.
Something isnt right and under no circumstances should anyone part with hard cash but im curious as to what the scam is?
Are people so brass necked they pull a stunt like that in broad daylight with no concern for punishment?
Or is it vague enough they can weasel out of it by providing alternate chalets blah blah as hid in the T&C's?
Id be more inclined to shout full on scam if the company was registered abroad or company info was hard to find or directors hidden behind company names etc.
Either way whats said online stays online without a lot of fuss and ado
Nobody is booking a chalet with them now!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Quote: |
Chalet Soria in Chamonix with views of the Matterhorn? I do not think so.
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What a nasty suspicious mind you have, @under a new name
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@hawkwind, the directors details and address are publicly available, adding them to a site gives an impression of authenticity but on their own isn't enough. Pictures taken from other sites and various errors would suggest something is not right. Pricing is usually the biggest give away, the rates are low and January is more expensive than February!
The fraud would be to take a deposit and then disappear, I'd assume payment would be asked for by money transfer (zero chance of getting money back) or transfer in to a bank account (very little chance of getting the money back).
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Quote: |
What a nasty suspicious mind you have
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For why? @pam w, For why?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Andrew, one of the named directors pops up a chat message quite quickly and I asked about the Chamonix/Zermatt thing...
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hawkwind wrote: |
Thats pretty scary.
Have you had contact with the company?
They are registered to
180 Church Road
Hove
BN3 2DJ
Same company as Holidays in France LTD which this seems a part of.
Seems to be a lot of similar companies registered to same address , some of which seem legit.
As much as i loathe scammers this doesnt seem an obvious one and i would hate to think of a small company being targeted unfairly. |
That address is just around the corner from me, so I went to check it out. It's the address of an accountancy firm. Its not unusual for a co. registered address to be that of the accountants.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@under a new name, he disconnected the chat when I pointed out other errors.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Gaza, They don't seem too interested in chatting, do they.
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My own very quick reverse image search came up with a chalet advertised in meribel on there also being in St Anton.
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You know it makes sense.
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Why do you think that any of the published details are accurate in any way.
Just google for any company involved in holidays and list that as your 'own' info.
If you take any picture on that site and reverse image search, google reveals different names (not always uncommon) but in different locations.
It worries me that there is not enough done about sites like this quick enough as it has hardened the market to independent accommodation.
I think for us 'sole trader' types it is quite easy to see that we are genuine but there seems to be more risk now compared to when we started 11 years ago!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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They also have the following Domains registered:
ski-luxury.com
chamonix.website
deluxeholidayrentals.co.uk
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Poster: A snowHead
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Quote: |
If you want to book direct, best via Booking.com or Trip Advisor.
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Well, you could, but that in itself is still no guarantee that the property isn't a scam. Booking.com's sign up process is a little more robust, but any one of us could add a property to Trip Advisor this morning, and start advertising. It would cost nothing. And you also (on Trip Advisor) at least pay a whacking extra fee in commission when you book. Do your research, and try and find direct contact details for the owners if possible. Phone them, email them, don't be rushed into handing over money. Pay by credit card is possible, although that isn't always possible for individual owners as it is comparitively expensive to set up a merchant account.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Seems not much has changed. Back in the day I was in a photo shoot for the annual Blue Sky skiing brochure (I think they were part of British Caledonian). The shoot was in Cervinia, basically active skiing shots and poncy poses in bars. When the brochure came out, we were featured in practically every resort they had, there was even a shot of me in 'Mayrhofen' with the Matterhorn in the background !!! Not only that they used the same pics the next year.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Swissie, not quite the same thing I don't think. All of our apartment listings have photos of our apartments.
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@under a new name, I'm not saying everyone does it, in fact I think it happens a lots less now, I was just speaking from an old experience.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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under a new name wrote: |
@Swissie, not quite the same thing I don't think. All of our apartment listings have photos of our apartments. |
Quite. Using photos of another apartment would be misrepresentation. A bit different to posy pics in poncy bars.
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There is a very expensive chalet in Les Gets, featured on Grand Designs many years ago now, and when it appeared in the FT they had used a view from the chalet, but the view they used was of Verbier. Just shows you can't believe all that is in the Press! Quite often in fact
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Thats awful!
Maybe im naive but if that bloke took money off me fraudulently then id like to think i could claim it back with compensation.
Or if i couldnt be bothered with that lengthy process i wouldnt want to be the chap walking home one dark winters evening.
Why would anyone put themselves through that? crazy? how can they sleep at night with the guilt or fear of reprisal?
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hawkwind wrote: |
Thats awful!
Maybe im naive but if that bloke took money off me fraudulently then id like to think i could claim it back with compensation.
Or if i couldnt be bothered with that lengthy process i wouldnt want to be the chap walking home one dark winters evening.
Why would anyone put themselves through that? crazy? how can they sleep at night with the guilt or fear of reprisal? |
If it is a scam, there's a simple answer to your question @hawkwind; greed.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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hawkwind wrote: |
Thats awful!
Maybe im naive but if that bloke took money off me fraudulently then id like to think i could claim it back with compensation.
Or if i couldnt be bothered with that lengthy process i wouldnt want to be the chap walking home one dark winters evening.
Why would anyone put themselves through that? crazy? how can they sleep at night with the guilt or fear of reprisal? |
I'm guessing they will request money is sent my bank transfer so you will have very little chance of claiming compensation.
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Foolish , i dont know exactly what i would do if i lost £3000 to a scam but i do know a lot of people that wouldnt have much faith in the legal system , is a few grand worth your health? your reputation? your families reputation? Jailtime?
I probably trust people too much , this just seems reckless for tiny amounts of traceable cash.
Ill lose sleep now worrying that people have lost money on a dream holiday to a scammer
I just cant fathom that, having the neck to do it in broad daylight with no fear of repercussion.
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