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Hotel guests: Beware of a new scam, says Eugene Police Fraud Unit

by Jaculynn Peterson on August 25, 2009

The Eugene Police Fraud Unit is getting calls about a new scam involving hotel guests and is advising the public to be careful with credit card or other personal identity information.

On August 19, at about midnight, a traveler from Texas was asleep in bed at a local hotel when his phone rang. When he answered the phone, the female on the line identified herself as the “night auditor.”

She proceeded to say they were having a problem with some of his credit card information and needed confirm the details. She had the last four digits of his credit card and some other information. Although the guest was groggy, he became suspicious and, instead of giving her the information, said he would just come down to the front counter.

The suspect said that was fine and she’d wait for him there. When he arrived at the front desk, he found out there was no such thing as a “night auditor.”

Police say that since this case, other hotels have called in to report the same type of scam activity. These cases provide an opportunity for a reminder on how to avoid becoming the victim of fraud. The Eugene Police Fraud Unit says to be careful and skeptical of callers:

Don’t give out personal credit or other important personal or financial information to someone who calls you. Your banks and credit institutions already have all that information. If you are unsure, hang up and independently find the phone number of your credit card company or bank and initiate the call yourself.
Beware of high pressure techniques, such as the need to give information on the spot.
If you feel concerned about a contact, call your bank or financial institution to report it, monitor your bank account closely for any suspicious activity and contact police if you become the victim of fraud.