GMAQ - Golf Management Australia Queensland Spring 2017 | Page 22

GMAQ NEWS
INDUSTRY WARNING – SCAMMERS
NOW TARGETING GOLF CLUBS
I
n recent months some
concerning reports of brazen
con artists attempting to scam
various businesses seems to
have become more prevalent in
the hospitality industry around
Australia, and golf clubs are not
being spared.
Most recently a major metro club in
Sydney was approach via email by a
fraudulent person wanting to book
a function for his 80th birthday,
claiming to be old and hospitalised.
After weeks of organising with
dates, menus and seating
arrangements, when asked to pay
a deposit for room hire, the client
then asked the club to pay $3,000
for entertainment on his behalf.
This sent some red flags to
management and with further
review the club eventually found
the scheme dubious and now
wants to alert others in the industry
of similar encounters.
“Initially you tend to allow a little
for a person’s age and unfamiliarity
with emails and EFT etc., especially
as we had been dealing with this
person for a few weeks,” the club
GM said.
“I checked on Google and
apparently it is a scam where a
person pretending to be old and
deaf wants you to pay someone on
his behalf after he has paid you by
credit card,”
“I have never received a warning
about this and the scammers
have obviously progressed to the
hospitality industry as targets.
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The scam is well thought out and
they are happy to take their time
preparing you for the hit.”
Another scam reported
to Golf Industry Central:
We have also received a recent
potential scam. This was for a
2 week teaching and training
program for some German
Golfing Students coming to
Australia.
Similar to the story in the recent
Golf Industry Central email blast
the scammer has thought the
story out reasonably well.
• He was working for a drilling
company offshore in England.
He was paying on behalf of
the students as a favour like a
sponsor
• There was a lot of
communication backwards and
forwards that actually was well
considered on the scammers
behalf
General info:
Consumer Protection in
Westerm Australia has received
reports of a number of swindle
efforts targeting vehicle repair
businesses among others and the
WA ScamNet advice all businesses
to:
• Never pay money via wire
transfer to help a customer
access the goods or services
you are selling.
• Be cautious when dealing
with overseas or interstate
orders – independently
verify who you are dealing
with before sending money
or goods. If doubtful do not
proceed with the order.
• Be sceptical if normal banking
processes are not available.
• When accepting a credit card
payment, check with the card
issuer for authorisation to
avoid accepting stolen credit
card details.
• Organisation of the event
shifted when he asked if we
could pay the Tour Company
on their behalf after charging
their credit card.
• When we requested the
signed booking form plus
a copy of the credit card
and a copy of the passport,
communications have since
stopped.
We have had a number of these
over the years but this one was
definitely more believable than
ever before.
For more information visit
WA ScamNet
EDITOR NOTE: Any one else out
there have similar scam tried out
on your club? Please email us
and well collect and let the rest of
the industry know what to watch
out for.