The most creative traveler scam this year…

🚨 SCAM ALERT for Hoteliers, B&Bs, and Boutique Inns 🚨

Please share widely within the hospitality community!

After 25 years in hospitality, I’ve seen a lot—but this one threw me.

In June, we hosted a couple who booked a 2-night stay, claiming to be in town for a wedding. During their stay, housekeeping knocked on their door. There was no “Do Not Disturb” sign, and no answer after knocking. When the door was opened, the guest was naked.

Understandably, this was uncomfortable. As any well-versed establishment would do, I immediately offered apologies and multiple remedies—room upgrades, relocation, complimentary amenities, enhanced breakfasts, and more. But they declined everything.

Instead, they asked for bike rentals and loaner locks and spent the afternoon riding the Shining Sea Bikeway. They stayed their full second night.

Upon checkout? Nothing. No mention of the incident. I waited at the front desk hoping for feedback, but they left in silence.

Two days later, the threats began.

They called to claim “emotional distress,” demanded a full refund, said they were recording the call, and threatened to post scathing reviews if I didn’t comply. The call escalated into 15 minutes of personal insults and accusations of unprofessionalism.

Wanting to resolve the issue appropriately, I asked for the last 4 digits of their credit card to issue the refund.

🚩 Red flag #1: “There’s a problem with that card,” they said.

🚩 Red flag #2: They insisted the card was stolen and demanded a check instead.

Let this be clear to every innkeeper and hotelier:

NEVER issue a refund by check if the reservation was paid via card.

Even if the card was reported stolen or cancelled, refunds will still process to that account. Banks are required to accept refunds on closed or compromised cards—they just won’t allow new charges.

So I refunded the exact card used for booking. (And yes, I believe now that it was indeed stolen.)

Afterward, we alerted other local hotels and B&Bs, hoping to prevent another business from falling victim to this scheme.

The scam is brilliantly manipulative—it exploits human decency, professionalism, and shame. These individuals expect you to panic and overcompensate. They engineer a scene, feign outrage, stay the full reservation, and follow up with threats—hoping you’ll refund them and send them more via an alternate method.

The police advised us to share the scam online, so here we are.

They targeted a high-end inn, dressed the part, and performed the act. Don’t let it happen to you.

👉 PM me if you’d like the names they used.

Please stay safe out there, friends. And always trust your instincts.

#TravelScamAlert #HospitalityScam #BoutiqueHotelWarning #InnsidersUnite #FraudAlert #SmallBusinessProtection #IndependentHotelier