A travel agent con artist attempting steal thousands of euros

In the spring and summer of 2016 I was in touch with four scammers: horse riding lessons scammer Victor Smith, event scammer Michelle Dormanen, art scammer Albert Spencer and wedding scammer Anthony Martinex. I played around with them, made them think I was falling for their scam, then burst their balloon at the bitter end and told them no, I was not going to send them thousands of euros, pounds, dollars or whatever.

On September 15th 2017 I received a message from “Richard Matt”, where he asked me about accommodations and didn’t specify anything about where or of what kind. This inquiry is wildly ridiculous because I’m a photographer and have nothing to do with hotels, real estate or accommodations.

The only connection might be that I photograph apartments regularly and Mr. Matt might have found me by searching Google for apartment, Paris, accommodations, or who knows what. He has to be completely boneheaded to think I manage hotels after looking at a page about me following his search on Paris and apartments.

I searched eltravelagency.com on Google and somewhere after the first half-dozen results I found a page in Greek saying the site is run by scammers: “Hotels accept reservations from a distance (via e-mail) in which prolific “agents” ask them to charge cards whose data have been intercepted by the actual owners themselves and then requested the business to assign their commission via Western Union, or by way of remittance in order, as they claim, to send them other reservations. Bookings are mostly made from the following travel agencies: Elite Travel Agency… they request that the commission be sent by wire transfer to a bank account in England (Halifax & Barclays)”.

A few more results after that I found two more pages in Greek saying basically the same thing. Checking WhoIs records on the site shows that it was created on October 10th 2016 and will expire on October 10th 2017. I don’t know much about about domain name longevity though I imagine this is further evidence that the site is a fly-by-night affair and has only been created to make Elite Tours Agency appear to be a real and bona fide business.

Here’s the story:

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September 15th 2017

Subject: Accommodation Inquiry

From: Richard Matt, <etagency@ukadvisors.com>

Hi,

I write to confirm if there are available rooms for a group of 6 people for 7 nights starting from Oct 23rd to Oct 30th, 2017. We want 6 single rooms or 6 double rooms

This is an official trip. Please send over quotation if you can accommodate them for the period

Awaiting your response,
Richard Matt

This message is hopelessly non-sequitur because he hasn’t specified in which city he needs the accommodations, or what quality he’s interested in: budget, mid-range or luxury. So for the fun of it I assumed “he’s interested” in high-end lodgings in Paris and wrote back:

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Hello Richard,

Thank you for writing! Certainly I have rooms available for your group in that last week of October. The rooms in my hotel are luxurious and offer the utmost in comfort with wonderful views over the city of Paris.

You may make reservations at 300 euros per night, please don't hesitate to ask further questions and do keep me posted as your travel plans to Paris take shape!

All the best,
David

Months later I’ve been informed that this bonehead sent basically the same letter below to other people on January 30th 2018 and February 19th 2018 and who knows how many other times as well:

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September 16th 2017

From: "Elite Travels" <etagencyltd@gmail.com>

Thanks for your response

I'm happy to inform you that we are prepared to affirm the reservation. In any case, before that, I have a few inquiries, kindly discover them beneath:

Do you accept credit card?

Due to past experience, we want to make full payment now, will that be accepted?

We have arranged an agency fee of 45% of total rental fee with our clients as our commission so you need to increase your room rate to accommodate that. Could you please send us another quotation with our commission so we can send it over to our customers?

We get our commission when you get the full payment, I trust that won't be an issue with you

NOTE: we have worked things out with our clients and we can assure that there won't be any cancellation once the reservation is fully confirmed

Please let us know if you are still interested in making the reservation for us base on the above stated conditions.

Best Regards,

Richard Matt
Elite Travel Agency

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As it happens, he sent me this message the same day a replacement web site/domain was made for him: eurotravelagency.com, shown above. I wrote back:

Hello Richard,

I’m very pleased you have chosen us for your accommodation needs in Paris! We can indeed accept payment by bank card through PayPal.

There’s no problem with full payment ahead of time, or a 50% downpayment a week before is fine also. Adding your agency fee of 45% to the room rate of 300 euros per night results in a daily fee of 435 euros.

For six rooms this amounts to 2,610 euros per night and for eight nights, October 23rd to the 30th, the total is 20,880 euros. I’ll be happy to transfer your commission of 45% on receipt of your payment and I’m reassured by your level of professionalism in that there will be no cancellation once the reservation is confirmed.

Please let me know if you have further questions or need additional information…

All the best,
David

To be continued…? Towards the end of December 2017 I received an idiotic e-mail from Peter Tetteh, asking me to purchase airplane tickets for him.

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The mailbox

October 2nd 2017

Hi David

We too have had the same contact from Richard Matt. I have played along with it this last days. He has now sent us the credit card numbers to be charged.. Have you had any further correspondence?. If I was in the UK I would forward it to the police as his company name is supposedly based in London. But im in SE Asia now working.

I figured out it was a scam after trying to call him as I had my suspicions the way he conducted his business. What travel agency works like this. The fool! Do people actually fall for this!?

What's your advice? Have you notified police?

Thanks for posting your blog.

Kindest regards
Dawn Mia Renne

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Hello Mia,

I haven’t heard from Richard Matt for two weeks now, since September 15th 2017. I had three exchanges from him, then… nothing, I don’t know why. It might be that he did a bit more research on me and saw that I’m a photographer, have nothing to do with hotels or providing accommodations in Paris and was likely playing around with him.

It could be that he had someone else “gathering leads” who (obviously) isn’t very competent. He took my info provided by the lead provider, wrote me a few times, then decided to search information about me for himself once I appeared to be falling for his scam and decided I wasn’t worth pursuing.

I doubt that contacting the police would help much, it doesn’t matter much that you or I are not in England because “Richard Matt” probably isn’t either and English police wouldn’t be able to find Mr. Matt, do anything about him or whatever.

I imagine that people indeed fall for scams like Mr. Matt’s, that’s why it’s important that anyone who’s been contacted by him and haven’t been fooled write web pages that others can find by searching Google.

I don’t have any advice, have fun and play around with him if you feel like it, write about experience on web pages that can be found on Google…

All the best,
David

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January 30th 2018

Hi David

I’ve read your article about “Richard Matt” and that helped us to confirm our doubts. He still operates, now under another agency name. You can read below if you are interested. Many thanks for that.

Best regards,
Laurence Monclard
CEO, Meeting the French
meetingthefrench.com | +33 1 42 51 19 80
25 rue Michel le Comte, Paris 75003 France

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From: Euro Travel Agency, <info@eurotravelagency.com>

Date: 2018-01-30 8:32 GMT+01:00

Subject: Re: Rooms Inquiry for 7 People

Greetings from Euro Travel Agency

I write to substantiate if there are offered rooms for a group of 7 people for 12 nights starting from March 5th to March 17th 2018. We wish 7 single rooms or 4 double rooms.

The reservation is for business. Please send over quotation if you'll be in a position to accommodate them for the period

Awaiting your response
Richard Matt

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Dear Richard,

Thank you for your message!
Are you looking for a B&B or a hotel (3 star, 4 star)?

Kind regards,
Vincent

This idiot sent the same letter below to me on September 16th 2017 and to the Ansino Bukit Hotel on February 19th 2018 and who knows how many other times as well:

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January 30th 2018

Thanks for your response

I'm happy to inform you that we are prepared to affirm the reservation. In any case, before that, I have a few inquiries, kindly discover them beneath:

Do you accept credit card?

Due to past experience, we want to make full payment now, will that be accepted?

We have arranged an agency fee of 45% of total rental fee with our clients as our commission so you need to increase your room rate to accommodate that. Could you please send us another quotation with our commission so we can send it over to our customers?

We get our commission when you get the full payment, I trust that won't be an issue with you

NOTE: we have worked things out with our clients and we can assure that there won't be any cancellation once the reservation is fully confirmed

Please let us know if you are still interested in making the reservation for us base on the above stated conditions

Best Regards,
Richard Matt
Euro Travel Agency Ltd

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Richard Matt is still at it, someone at the Ansino Bukit Hotel forwarded me this message. This cretin sent the same letter below to me on September 16th 2017, to the Meeting the French agency on January 30th 2018 and who knows how many other times as well:

February 19th 2018

Thanks for your response

I'm happy to inform you that we are prepared to affirm the reservation. In any case, before that, I have a few inquiries, kindly discover them beneath:

Do you accept credit card?

Due to past experience, we want to make full payment now, will that be accepted?

We have arranged an agency fee of 45% of total rental fee with our clients as our commission so you need to increase your room rate to accommodate that. Could you please send us another quotation with our commission so we can send it over to our customers?

We get our commission when you get the full payment, I trust that won't be an issue with you

NOTE: we have worked things out with our clients and we can assure that there won't be any cancellation once the reservation is fully confirmed

Please let us know if you are still interested in making the reservation for us base on the above stated conditions

Best Regards,
Richard Matt
Euro Travel Agency Ltd

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Карина Галустян wrote me this message on February 19th 2018:

Thank you for your web page informing about that kind of fraud!

These scammers are still in effect and found us, but thanks to you we understood with whom contacted.

С уважением,
Карина

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March 14th 2018

Hello Mr. David Henry

Warm greetings from Mongolia. Thank you for warning me not to get scammed, I too had email conversation started with email titled “5pax accommodation”.

It was strange but I sent accommodation quotation and and tour details. After few days exchanging emails, we want me to advise about getting payment by only credit card.

Then it went strange and I looked on the internet and found your website. Now he (she?) is using the name of Alan J Hicks. I wrote this email to just say thank you for helping me to confirm it was scam.

Kind Regards,
Tsovoo Baatarzevseg
Tour Manager
Tel: +976 86559395
Orig Travel LLC,
Peace Tower, Suite #1108 Chingeltei district, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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March 9th 2018

Subject: 5pax accommodation
From: Alan J Hicks, <makebookinghome@gmail.com>

Hi Tsovoo,

Thank for your respond. We are sorry for our late reply. Name: Elite Travel And Tour

UK Office:
Address: 31 Milliners Court Milliners Court St. Albans, Al1 3Xt UK
Phone: + 447452255640

GUESTS DETAILS
NAME: AFFORD S. SIOSIUA
ADDRESS: 4585 Georgia St San Diego, CA 92116
Tel: 915 229 3397

Kindly let us know if you can meet our booking request.

Regards,
Booking Manager™
Alan J. HICKS

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March 23rd 2018

Hello David,

The “Elite Travel Agency” is still out there and this time he changed his name to “Alan J. HICKS”.

This is sent to my work mail, he did some researches about my accommodation and tried to contact me. I tried to Google this “agency” right away and found your post. Lucky me! And thank you for your post! It helps me throughout this scam.

I received email of “E travel” from 2 different email addresses:
“Alan J. HICKS” <customercare@etraveltours.agency> and
E Travel <elitetravelandtours1199@gmail.com>

He continued to ask for alternative periods of 2-week-reservation and local tour bookings. After that he did contact me on viber through this number: +447451208550.

Below is what he wrote to my hotel to book a reservation for “14 days”

—Ngan Nguyen

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Greetings,

Will you be able to accommodation 5PAX for period of 14nights? Request date as followed - May 3rd until May 17th, 2018.

If yes, two or three rooms are needed base on your available rooms. So therefore, let me know quotation on three rooms if available, if not, please advise me quotation on two rooms.

Some 4days tour programs are require during the visit. Let us know what you can offer or you link us with tour agency around.

Don't hesitate to write us with complete response to our booking request above.

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May 15th 2018

Hi,

Googling led me to your website, he is still busy, now purporting to be Euro T Agency, note he has a different email address which makes his email less believable.

Regards,
David
Thavonsouk Hotel, Vang Vieng, Laos

Below is the message scammer “R Matt” sent to the Thavonsouk Hotel…

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From: Euro T Agency, <fd54581@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2018, 16:19
Subject: Accommodations Needed

15th May 2018

The Reservation Manager,

Kindly reserve 5 rooms on single occupancy basis for a group of five people visiting from London and US from July 2nd to July 16th, 2018 on official tour

Please forward rates and any additional charges if there are available rooms

Yours,
R Matt

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October 1st 2018

Hi David,

Thanks for the info on the scammers!

They are still working and try to contact also us.

Have wonderful day,

Odelia & Rafi
Ashalim, Israel

Here are two messages Alan J. Hicks sent to Odelia & Rafi:

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From: Travel Consult [mailto:elitetravelandtour1199@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2018 2:24 PM
Subject: Re: ROOMS BOOKING INQUIRY

Hello,

Do you have rooms available from Nov 15th till Nov 29th, 2018 and it will be for two couple (4adults).

Kindly let us know what will be total cost for two rooms for the request date?

Let us know if each of your room can sleep two people because two rooms are require. If not, let us know what you have available or what you can offer.

Also, reply with room quote in Euro currency.

Regards,
Alan J. HICKS

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On Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 4:58 PM ELITE TRAVEL AGENCY <elitetravelandtour@mailbox.co.za> wrote:

Hello Rafi,

Thank you for your response. Yes, the booking is still relevant.

Kindly let us know what will be total cost for two rooms for the request date?

Can you confirm the reservation full quote in Euro? So we could understand what our client will be paying.

Be informed that full 100% payment will be made upon booking confirmation by credit card. Please advise if accepted?

Looking forward to your reply.

Regards,
Booking Manager™
Alan J. HICKS

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October 5th 2018

Hi,

We noticed that you have been tracking the activity of the below e-mail address in your blog. They are still active.

Med vennlig hilsen – Best regards,

Amy Henrickson

Odda Tourist Information, Torget 2–4, 5750 Odda, tel: +47 48070777

Here is a message sent to Ms. Henrickson:

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From: For Travel <fd54581@gmail.com>
Date: fre. 5. okt. 2018 kl. 10:13
Subject: Reservation Inquiry

Hi,

We have some guests (8 guests to be precise) visiting on 19th November 2018 on an official tour and would stay for 9 days commencing 19th of November 2018 to 28th November 2018. I would like to book accommodation for them on single occupancy basis preferably. We can consider double occupancy if you don't have enough rooms

Can you please confirm availability and assist in making the reservation.

Awaiting the quotation

Best,
William Green

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December 27th 2018

Dear David.

Thanks You for your page, letting me know that this was an scam, Sorry for my bad English, We are located in Peru, South America, Until here this scam has being active, Good to know that theres good guys over the world.

The email that we received is this one, below

Best Regards,
Orlando Hernandez

KILLAWASI LODGE
p: +51 54 691072 m: +51 982526277
a: Calle Caravely 408 & Calle Islay 408 Distrito de Yanque, Cañon del Colca, provincia de Caylloma Arequipa - Peru
w: www.killawasilodge.com

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-----Mensaje original-----

Enviado el: miércoles, 26 de diciembre de 2018 10:24 p.m.
De: info@ftsgi.com <info@ftsgi.com>
Asunto: Re: BOOKINGS

Hello,

Will you be able to accommodate 4guests on 13nights for the following date - Feb 20th until Mar 6th, 2019?

Number of rooms needed will be two and what is your rate per room in Euro currency.

Hope to read back from you soon.

Best Regards,
Alan J. HICKS

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Dear Sr. Alan J. HICKS

Yes, We have availability for those dates that you request, two twin rooms in Junior suite, it is in 105 USD Dollars, (92,06 Euros). We also have twin rooms in Deluxe rooms whit mountain view, In 125 USD Dollars, (109,59 Euros)

We charge only in dollars or Soles, the currency of Peru.

You can also book thru our web site and find some discount inn promotion.

We keep in touch for any other info.

Kind Regards,
Orlando Hernandez

Reservas – Booking Departament.
KILLAWASI LODGE
www.killawasilodge.com
MOVIL +51 982526277
PHONE +51 54 691072

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De: Travel Consult <elitetravelandtour1199@gmail.com>
Enviado el: jueves, 27 de diciembre de 2018 08:02 a.m.
Asunto: Re: BOOKINGS

Hello Orlando,

Thank you for your response.

Kindly confirm total cost on two deluxe rooms will be €3,068.52? If not, please confirm to us the right cost.

Also, 100% payment will be made upon booking confirmation using credit card. Please advise if accepted?

Looking forward to your reply.

Regards,
Booking Manager™
Alan J. HICKS

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April 8th 2019

They are now using the name of E-travel with booking manager Cory J. McCain

—Coill Maher

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January 23rd 2020

Hello David,

I received this email a few days ago. They are still on it…

Now on Elite Travel Agency, on the name of Willoughby Clark…

Many thanks for the info.

Warm greetings from Reunion Island (Indian Ocean).

Bien cordialement / Best Regards,
—Julie Mary

De: Elite Travel Agency [mailto:sales@ftsgi.com]
Envoyé: mardi 21 janvier 2020 17:23
Objet: Vacation Booking

Dearest,

We have group of guest willing to have their vacation spent in perfect place.

Can you accommodate them for the period of 9nights on the following date:- March 25th - Apr 4th, 2020

They are two couples, with total of two male and two female. Let me know if you need more details from me or the group to complete the booking process.

Await your quick reply.
Regards,
Willoughby Clark
Sales & Marketing Director

“Mr. Clark” sent almost exactly this same initial inquiry message to la Maison d’hôtes de Charme «Le Bois Rouge» on January 21st 2020.

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January 27th 2020

David Henry, bonjour

Même mésaventure avec Elite Travel Agency <sales@ftsgi.com> et elitetravelandtours1199@gmail.com (après une première affaire avortée en 06/2018 avec un certain Stewart J. Probst)

Quelle perte de temps pour rien… quelle bande d’escrocs… restons vigilants.

Bien cordialement
Thierry
Maison d’hôtes de Charme «Le Bois Rouge»
2, route des Sources 97413 Cilaos
Mobile: 0692.43.81.66
Site: Hotel-Le-Bois-Rouge;
www.facebook.com/leboisrouge.re

Not surprisingly, “Willoughby Clark” sent almost exactly the same initial inquiry message to Papangue Tours on January 21st 2020. Here’s his followup message, with a portrait photo in his signature taken by Andrew Watson, an Australian photographer:

Le mar. 21 janv. 2020 à 20:52, E Travel <elitetravelandtours1199@gmail.com> a écrit:

Hello Thierry,

Total cost will be €2,502 for the whole period for four adults? Let me know if my calculations are correct.

I will like you to make additional €1,342 which is our agency commission, guests traveling insurance and traveling document cost.

Full payment will be made upon confirmation by the guests using their cards so you can reimburse us additional cost after receiving full payment.

Awaiting your response and how to proceed.

Willoughby Clark
Sales & Marketing Director
T: + 0 75 64 61 021
M: + 0 75 64 61 021

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