Be really careful about what information that you give a renter about your contract. There was another DVC owner who is being scammed by someone who she gave a copy of the existing reservation when he wanted to make sure she already had that hard to book reservation. Now the scammer is using her information to scam other people.
What? So the owner sent the prospective renter the reservation details, and that prospective renter is trying to peddle that as his own? As an owner, I don’t know how I’d protect against that, and I don’t know what my risk is.
Oh, no, much more than that. The scammer has created a whole persona based on the DVC owner and scamming others making fake reservations based on the original confirmation selling reservations on Redweek and other locations. The DVC owner was contacted by Redweek about a complaint someone had about her and a reservation that they rented from her. She didn't rent them anything. The scammer was also noted on TUG. He basically has stolen her identity. Basically, never give out your member ID number and any other information they can use to fake an identity.
Yes. Unfortunately, that member has a long-time record of successful rentals. They supplied the scammer with their name, contact info and a list of references. A copy of the reservation confirmation was sent to the scammer before the deal was sealed or any money was exchanged. The scammer then asked for a copy of the owner's membership card as "proof" of ownership and that is where the member balked. However, this was enough info for the scammer to begin cheating unsuspecting renters. The owner has contacted their references to make them aware of the scam but the scumbag has already attempted their scheme on a number of timeshare websites. They even created an email address similar to the one the owner uses.
Have they paid you for the reservation already? If not, just give them the reservation number. That is how the other DVC owner got scammed. The scammer took the confirmation sheet and stole her identity from it. Or block all the identifying information from it including your name and address and send the renter a copy.
The scammer has been posing as the owner, using her name and a similar email address. They are pedaling the reservation as a confirmed, hard-to-get reservation and they are supplying the confirmation email (with the owner's name still on it) as proof that they have the reservation.
The confirmation email lends credence to the scammer. As would the membership card if the owner had supplied them with it. The more "documentation" that the scammer can supply to an unwitting renter, the more legitimate they appear. I would point this out to potential renters. The confirmation email serves no purpose other than to confirm to the owner that a reservation has been secured. It doesn't convey control of the reservation to the renter and will not supply them with "ammunition" at Disney if they arrive and there is no room reservation.
