Here's an email that we got from a savvy owner:

I got a phone call from a guy in the “UK” wanting to book 2 weeks next month. It was just like those fraudulent email inquiries….only this was to my cell phone! He called 3 or 4 times within a 2 hour period w/o leaving a message (the phone number was “private”) before I decided to answer it.

Everything he said was like the email…

- “I haven't taken a vacation in 15 years and want to get away”. My response: “Well, if that's the case, WHY do you want to come to Texas in September”? He didn't even know anything about the area…….which seemed strange since this was his FIRST vacation in a very long time…..don't you think someone would go somewhere where they've always wanted to go…..or had family?? Red Light! Red Light!

- The phone # he called from was “Private”

- I told him I could only book w/ payment made by credit card and asked if that was OK….knowing what the answer would be……”I don't use credit cards, but could send a cashier's check”!!!!!!

- He had a heavy accent (not that should immediately make someone suspect…..but his tone and attitude just sounded like a scammer from the start). I was friendly and asked basic questions about his “trip” that he didn't have credible answers for.

- He kept asking me for my email address. I told him that I was having some problems w/ my spam filter and things weren't coming through from people who had never emailed me before….but if he sent me an inquiry through “CyberRentals,” then I could get back w/ him. He didn't want to do that….”I'm a very busy man and just need your email address.” I basically started talking again and hung up mid-sentence so it sounded like we got disconnected……and didn't answer the 4-5 “Private” calls I got for the rest of the afternoon!! And, guess what? No inquiry from him either! ; )