An scam targeting hotel guests is showing up in Greater Victoria.
According to Corporal Chris Manseau of Sidney/North Saanich RCMP fraudsters are calling hotel rooms claiming to be the front desk and requesting credit card information for one reason or another.
" A couple of our local hotel guests said that they'd complained to the front counter that they'd been called in their hotel rooms by a person claiming to be a hotel employee. This 'employee' offers the guest a discount on their room, but then requested their credit card information. Now this is usually right after the person checks in. I guess they're not very smooth with it, so luckily no guests fell victim to the scam."
Manseau says his research shows this kind of thing has been happening for a decade -- but many hoteliers here are just learning of it:
" I spoke with a hotel manager who said that in their 18 year career they'd never heard of such a scam. But one of the employees here at the detachment said that on a recent visit to California, there were notices in their hotel lobby reporting the scam and telling guests not to fall for it."
Manseau suggests hotels here post similar signs in their lobbies. And he advises any guests receiving such calls to just hang up and call the front desk for verification.