Hello, new to the forum. Great info. First time staying on on st barts. We have visited via sailboat from St matrin several times. We have found a great villi through vrbo. Is it normal to ask for payment as a a bank transfer? Everything seems correct I have just never paid this way. Any info would be helpful. Thanks again for this great site.
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Bank transfer
- Thread starter Nohero
- Start date
rivertrash
Senior Insider
I have done it, but only when a reputable agency was involved. After reading the recent discussion of problems with bank transfers to individuals, I would not do it. But that's just me.
cassidain
Senior Insider
You'll have to judge for yourself as to the credibility of the individual you're dealing with, but it's just the way the French do business (it's not America, and they're not Americans). I've paid in full through wire transfer to the metropolitan French bank account of an individual for an upcoming Saint-Barth stay. I'm comfortable with the credibility of the individual I'm dealing with. I did similarly, but via bank check, for our last stay. If you're not comfortable with the procedure, I'd recommend you work through an agency. Pluses and minuses to both.
KevinS
Senior Insider
Nohero,
STOP!
Are you following VRBO's recommendations? Have you spoken with the villa manager/owner by telephone? If not, stop right now and make the phone call. VRBO has had issues where a villa-owner's email has been hacked, and rental payments have been made to thieves instead of the owner. A telephone call - but only to the number listed on the VRBO site - will give you better assurance that you're really renting from the owner.
GO!
OK, assuming that you've followed proper VRBO security protocols, yes, Bank Transfers are a normal form of payment. Checks written in US dollars are deposited on SBH, and can take many weeks, even a few months, to get credited to an owner's account. A dishonest renter can book, pay, arrive, and depart before a phony check is detected. A Bank Transfer is faster, and better protects the owner from fraud. Your US bank will price-gouge you on the transfer fee. Consider it a cost of doing business and move on.
If it helps, some of the villa owners are well known to people on this site. If you would like, name the villa and the owner and perhaps some of us can comment on the villa or the owner. Feel free to drop me a private message if you would prefer to keep your proposed villa/owner information private.
STOP!
Are you following VRBO's recommendations? Have you spoken with the villa manager/owner by telephone? If not, stop right now and make the phone call. VRBO has had issues where a villa-owner's email has been hacked, and rental payments have been made to thieves instead of the owner. A telephone call - but only to the number listed on the VRBO site - will give you better assurance that you're really renting from the owner.
GO!
OK, assuming that you've followed proper VRBO security protocols, yes, Bank Transfers are a normal form of payment. Checks written in US dollars are deposited on SBH, and can take many weeks, even a few months, to get credited to an owner's account. A dishonest renter can book, pay, arrive, and depart before a phony check is detected. A Bank Transfer is faster, and better protects the owner from fraud. Your US bank will price-gouge you on the transfer fee. Consider it a cost of doing business and move on.
If it helps, some of the villa owners are well known to people on this site. If you would like, name the villa and the owner and perhaps some of us can comment on the villa or the owner. Feel free to drop me a private message if you would prefer to keep your proposed villa/owner information private.
katva
Senior Insider
Totally agree with my friend Kevin! We have had great success and subsequent trust with VRBO. I be sure to make a personal connection. We've rented thru VRBO in Greece and other countries as well. Follow the guidelines.. Although we've just been lucky--- dealt with the very nicest people every time. Last two trips SBH we stayed at a very special VRBO property--- BEST service ever, and we are staying in touch for future visits
llyon
SBH Insider
We have paid several villa owners directly with a wire transfer. It is normal. Be careful and research well before doing so, this forum and the members are very helpful.
caribfish
SBH Member
There was a thread on this site about two months ago from a guy that wired some money through VRBO and got ripped off.
I hate to inject doubt into your trip planning but be cautious.
If your gonna use VRBO I think they have some kind of insurance plan but that does not put you on St Barts.
Take Kevins advice, make sure you qualify that you are speaking with the official owner or rent through an agency.
You can probably rent the same villa through an agency but without having to take a chance.
SBHonline Villa List With Codes
The VRBO scam is hard to identify because what happens is that the crooks actaully hijack an owners email address.
So you have communications back and forth.... everything seems normal. They could even have a phone number in their emails to you... you could even talk to the crook directly....the problem is you are not emailing or talking to the owner rather some thief and they give you instructions to wire into an account that they control.
In these cases the owner has no idea this is happening. All the owner knows is that inquiries to their villa may have dropped off. By the time they figure out their email address has been jacked the scammers could have taken money from a couple of customers.
It is sickening
I hate to inject doubt into your trip planning but be cautious.
If your gonna use VRBO I think they have some kind of insurance plan but that does not put you on St Barts.
Take Kevins advice, make sure you qualify that you are speaking with the official owner or rent through an agency.
You can probably rent the same villa through an agency but without having to take a chance.
SBHonline Villa List With Codes
The VRBO scam is hard to identify because what happens is that the crooks actaully hijack an owners email address.
So you have communications back and forth.... everything seems normal. They could even have a phone number in their emails to you... you could even talk to the crook directly....the problem is you are not emailing or talking to the owner rather some thief and they give you instructions to wire into an account that they control.
In these cases the owner has no idea this is happening. All the owner knows is that inquiries to their villa may have dropped off. By the time they figure out their email address has been jacked the scammers could have taken money from a couple of customers.
It is sickening
caribfish
SBH Member
Here is a link to the VRBO insurance policy.
http://www.homeaway.com/guarantee/home.html
If you wire money I think this offers protection from fraud.
Probably a good idea.
http://www.homeaway.com/guarantee/home.html
If you wire money I think this offers protection from fraud.
Probably a good idea.
Thanks for all the helpfull info. Kevin I sent you a PM with the villa's info. I feel pretty good aboout everthing, just reading the VRBO info make me question. I will call directly to the owners to make sure. Great site here. Lots of great info and great people. It is very sad that scams can and do happen. I always say if the scamers put as much effort into a job they would not need to cheat. Thanks again!
5 years ago we arrived at a vrbo villa that was not as advertised. We were there for a month and went thru a lot of worry. Owner would not respond to a very major problem. Finally on the last day we met and negotiated a settlement. I think if we were anywhere but St Barts the vacation would probably been much worse. It is hard to get to upset in paradise.
Quick update, everything has gone through reguarding the transfer and I have had mult contacts with the owner. They have been great! I guess they have had to deal with us Americans enough to know it is a little different for us to handle it this way. Gayle, yes we will check out Rostia's properties for the next trip. (is it too soon to think about a return before we even get there?). Yes, a big thank you to Rostia. She was kind to pm me with some info and helped us out. Less than two weeks. We had snow for Friday and it was a North Carolina snow. Melted very fast, but I couldn't help but day dream of beautiful views, warm sand, and frozen drinks. Thanks again for this site...if I could only stop checking it at work!!!! Trip updates to folllow.
I am the owner of Villa Triagoz, and actually I always request transfers for the payment of rents. It takes on our two days, and I advise immediately when the funds arrived.
Indeed, with bank checks I had some disappointments: bad checks, one month later.
With credit card payments, PayPal is the only possible payment for a villa owner,and they takes 5% fees (transfer and exchange currency).
Thank you for discussing this on the forum, because I understand the reluctance and better for customers.
My calendar is "Realtime booking". www.villa-triagoz.com/booking
Joël Guégan
Indeed, with bank checks I had some disappointments: bad checks, one month later.
With credit card payments, PayPal is the only possible payment for a villa owner,and they takes 5% fees (transfer and exchange currency).
Thank you for discussing this on the forum, because I understand the reluctance and better for customers.
My calendar is "Realtime booking". www.villa-triagoz.com/booking
Joël Guégan
Monique T
SBH Member
Dear All,
As owner of villas, it is always secure to wire funds, and with less fees for guests, if you compare payment by Credit Card . I accept Both methods of Payment, and I have never had any problems.
Wire Transfer can be tracked and is very secure, because it works from Bank to Bank.
Thanks for reading,
Monique
As owner of villas, it is always secure to wire funds, and with less fees for guests, if you compare payment by Credit Card . I accept Both methods of Payment, and I have never had any problems.
Wire Transfer can be tracked and is very secure, because it works from Bank to Bank.
Thanks for reading,
Monique
llyon
SBH Insider
In the US once the money is wired there is no way to retrieve it, for example to an accidental wrong account number or scammer's account.
At least that is what I was told by my bank. They always ask several times if the account number is correct before they hit send.
