Alert over premium phone number scam

Hi
I received an e mail from Stephen Morris on Sunday 14th September asking me to contact him regarding B & B for surprise holiday for his wife and family.
i tried several times to call him and sent e-mail too but no reply.
i just thought i would goggle his company and found this alert.
See you never know - i wait too see how much the calls cost me

• 18 September 2008 05:02 AM

I am the Security Director of a leading Hotel in London. This scam was discussed at a recent meeting of very concerned Hotel Security managers all of whom have received similar complaints from their respective reservation departments. I have reported the con artist "Stephen Morris" to Ofcom (ref. 16613302) and am promised 'follow-up' action...I have also asked the Metropolitan Police Hotel Unit to get involved and treat Mr. Morris, or whatever his name is, as any other common thief. The 070 so-called 'Follow Me' numbers cost £25 to buy and cloak the real number to which calls are diverted at a percentage to the owner. Nice work if you can get it...they plan to change the numbers allocated to 060 but not till next year...

• 18 September 2008 03:05 AM

I have had this email twice sent to me but was suspicious due to the way it has been written - sadly I receive many emails such as this particularly when trading gets tough. Email received reads "Hi there, I am thinking about booking a suprise holiday for my wife and family, however I need to check a couple of things in relation to disabled access. Please can someone from your reservations department give me a call on 07099 800152. Thank you Stephen Stephen Morris Commercial Director Aquasita Tel: 07099 800152 International: +44 (0) 7099 800152."

• 15 September 2008 01:39 AM

He is active in Capital of Culture (Liverpool) looking to re site his business, only found your site after calling his number. Where i was informwd "The other caller has hung up" Pity it was not at the end of a rope instead of a telephone.

• 15 September 2008 12:02 PM

I received the same email this morning and was suspicious that he only had a mobile number so ran a check on the name. Lots of mentions of this company and the scam. Bit sad really that I felt I needed to check, shame they don't have any real talent hey! We're a graphic designers too, so be aware others!

• 15 September 2008 09:30 AM

Looks like Stephen Harris is now looking to move to Norfolk! We've been asked to contact him on 07099 800152 with a view to being included on his preferred supplier list. We are Graphic and Website Designers. Like many of you, I was dubious of the authenticity of the request and Googled his details and ended up on this site. Certainly worthwhile spending a few minutes researching requests like this before it costs you money.

• 15 September 2008 09:08 AM

I run a guest house in Paignton Devon. We had the disabled access for wife story. This request arrived during the night of 14/9/2008. What an arse!

• 15 September 2008 07:25 AM

We are executive serviced apartments in Crewe, Cheshire and received an email about disabled access. Luckily, we found this scam information. Thank you.

• 14 September 2008 07:09 AM

Just received another from stephen@aquasita.com - he has changed name to Stephen Harris but basically the same message. it was the personal mobile numbers & lack of website that alerted us. He is now using 07099 800152.

Hopefully this will help the next person who googles him.

• 14 September 2008 05:58 AM

I am a B&B in Cornwall and I received an email too for disabled access, surprise to wife accommodation etc. I did telephone the number and there was no reply. The second time I phoned it rang for a while and then an operators voice told me the phone was transferring and then I heard music. I put down the phone. Then read about scam. So look out everyone

• 14 September 2008 05:23 AM

Also received the 'suprise holiday' email but googled aquasita and found the scam info, thank you.

• 14 September 2008 03:42 AM

We run a B&B in MK and we got the same email - he's a busy boy! - We were suspicious and googled it and, thankfully, found this blog. Thank you.

• 14 September 2008 01:48 AM

Well Liverpool's Capital of Culture is attracting huge robotic spiders. But I didn't think it would attract a giant cockroach like this chap. He's apparently moving to Liverpool and wanting our sales team to pay his premium rate number by giving him a call.

• 14 September 2008 01:24 AM

I run a B&B in Wooler Northumberland and have just received an email saying.

Hi there,

I am thinking about booking a suprise holiday for my wife and family, however I need to check a couple of things in relation to disabled access.
Please can someone from your reservations department give me a call on
07099 800152.

Thank you

Stephen

Stephen Morris
Commercial Director
Aquasita

Tel: 07099 800152
International: +44 (0) 7099 800152

My mum & Dad also run a B&B and received the same email. luckily i googled it and came across all this information.

• 14 September 2008 01:04 AM

Us too!! We run a guest house in south wales and also googled the company name. Thanks for all the info

• 14 September 2008 12:26 PM

It looks like Stephen Morris is a very busy chap. He is also relocating to Livepool and want to develop a preferred supplier list. A cheap scam but one that staff could easily make the mistake of falling in to.

• 14 September 2008 12:24 PM

I received email from Stephen Harris of Aquasita, saying "We are moving our operations to the Norfolk area and I am currently setting up an internal preferred suppliers list. Please can someone from your sales team give me a call on 07099 800152."

Looked quite reasonable, but Google couldn't find the company and I found reference to the scam ...!

• 14 September 2008 11:06 AM

I run a B&B in N. Devon. I too received this morning an email from Stephen Morris enquiring about disabled access for 'a surprise holiday'for his wife and asking me to contact him on the 07099 number. Fortunately, my intuition proved correct and I didn't contact him. I have now notified B&B's around this area as to this sham.

• 14 September 2008 10:54 AM

Stephen Morris contacted my b&b asking me to call him about disabled access. Could smell a rat so I didn't call. Now realise its a premium rate phone number.

• 14 September 2008 10:22 AM

We are a guesthouse in The Lakes we have had an enquiry about disabled access for guests as he's organising a surprise holiday for his family. We've been asked to call him back too.
Fortunately ( or unfortunately) we get a lot of scams and so are a bit more savvy perhaps. I googled Aquasita and your pages came up. Nice work on your part.
Nice work on the part of Stepen Morris ( if you can get it ! )

• 14 September 2008 10:12 AM

Guess what, he tried the same thing here (Oxfordshire)asking for information about disabled access for a surprise holiday for his wife and family. Luckily I googled the name 'Aquasita' and found this site before I called the number! Grateful thanks.

• 14 September 2008 10:10 AM

This Stephen Morris has contacted our B&B with his bogus scam, so we are now advising the accommodation providers i.e Mid Wales and Welsh Tourist Board about this.

• 14 September 2008 09:48 AM

I have received an email from a Stephen Harris and my business is office equipment!!

• 14 September 2008 09:42 AM

Found your blog by doing a Google search for the 07099 number.Thank you it has been a great help.This guy is now emailing accommodation providers.

• 14 September 2008 09:34 AM

We've also received this email from Stephen Morris so I think it's safe to say the email is a scam.

• 13 September 2008 11:05 AM

Hi,
I thought you might want to know the whole team here read your blog daily – keep up the good work.
Re the telephone scam I noticed a few variations, not just for estate agents, & posted them on my blog on the 1st + 5th + 12th September, to ensure Google picked up the numbers & warned people since that time I have had contacts from the UK, USA & Turkey!
http://isleofwighthomes.com/EAAdministration/eablog.aspx?blogid=1&cd=sa&pa=2008,9
Kind Regards
Simon
Director
Isle of Wight Homes Ltd

• 13 September 2008 09:56 AM

Maybe Stephen M****** Aquasita with a 07099 number I email;ed him back to ask which property?
Also Aquasita when googled gives no results in the UK.

• 12 September 2008 05:23 AM