"Perfect Guests Swindle Innkeepers" Boston Globe

[Morticia]

"Worldly, knowledgeable couple in 70's swindle innkeepers out of thousands..."

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

Two things.
One, why do those 2 look INCREDIBLY familiar to me? Names don't ring a bell at all. But BOTH faces do. Hmmm.
Two, what a smart innkeeper, the one who knew something wasn't right when they weren't all upset that the check bounced but seemed instead cavalier about the whole thing. Smart, smart, smart innkeeper.
Do those faces look familiar to anyone else? I'm wondering if they just have a familiar look and that's why they so easily got away with what they were doing - or if I've actually seen them at an inn on the west coast...

 

[Copperhead]

Looks, charm, etc. can be deceiving. Luckily I have not (knock on wood) been swindled like this but it is the #1 Reason to get payment on check in! No checks (at least after check in) from individuals unless you have the equipment to check them.
I do take checks from businesses that I know I can trust. I would also take a check for a deposit as long as it is received 30 days prior to check in. This was suggested to me by my banker as 30 days is usually is enough time to assure the check is good... (usually less for domestic, maybe upto 6 wks for international) I do always ask for a credit card 'for security' purposes.
Banks now claim that the check must be good at the time it is written, far unlike years gone by when you could write a check knowing your paycheck would be deposited before the check would clear a couple of days later....
So, instead of allowing checks from strangers, they should go to a bank, ATM or a check cashing place instead. Bring me back the old fashioned GREEN.

 

[Copperhead]

Two things.
One, why do those 2 look INCREDIBLY familiar to me? Names don't ring a bell at all. But BOTH faces do. Hmmm.
Two, what a smart innkeeper, the one who knew something wasn't right when they weren't all upset that the check bounced but seemed instead cavalier about the whole thing. Smart, smart, smart innkeeper.
Do those faces look familiar to anyone else? I'm wondering if they just have a familiar look and that's why they so easily got away with what they were doing - or if I've actually seen them at an inn on the west coast....

Do those faces look familiar to anyone else? I'm wondering if they just have a familiar look and that's why they so easily got away with what they were doing - or if I've actually seen them at an inn on the west coast...

I thought the same thing about the man, not the woman. I also did a search but the name brings up nothing.

 

[Morticia]

Two things.
One, why do those 2 look INCREDIBLY familiar to me? Names don't ring a bell at all. But BOTH faces do. Hmmm.
Two, what a smart innkeeper, the one who knew something wasn't right when they weren't all upset that the check bounced but seemed instead cavalier about the whole thing. Smart, smart, smart innkeeper.
Do those faces look familiar to anyone else? I'm wondering if they just have a familiar look and that's why they so easily got away with what they were doing - or if I've actually seen them at an inn on the west coast....

Not her, but him, yes.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

Two things.
One, why do those 2 look INCREDIBLY familiar to me? Names don't ring a bell at all. But BOTH faces do. Hmmm.
Two, what a smart innkeeper, the one who knew something wasn't right when they weren't all upset that the check bounced but seemed instead cavalier about the whole thing. Smart, smart, smart innkeeper.
Do those faces look familiar to anyone else? I'm wondering if they just have a familiar look and that's why they so easily got away with what they were doing - or if I've actually seen them at an inn on the west coast....

Not her, but him, yes.
.

I could swear I've seen him before. She looks vaguely familiar, too, but doesn't strike me in the same "oh my I've seen that face before" way that he does.

 

[Kesous]

Gosh, his face looks familliar to me, too! I thought that as soon as I saw his photo, before I read the posts here. I wonder if he just has one of those faces that makes people think they know him.
Kesous

 

[user 26]

going out on a limb here ... but i think he looks like anthony quinn

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

going out on a limb here ... but i think he looks like anthony quinn

.

I suppose it could be some subliminal familiarity like that. But I swear it's the gentle innocent smile that looks familiar to me, not the resemblance to Quinn (which is, admittedly, uncanny).
But she also looks a little familiar to me. Wonder if these two have been traveling the country?

 

[user 26]

please note they will probably travel across the country doing the same thing.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

please note they will probably travel across the country doing the same thing..

Well, probably not now that they've been arrested!

 

[Morticia]

They seem fond of New England.

 

[user 26]

please note they will probably travel across the country doing the same thing..

Well, probably not now that they've been arrested!
.

Well, probably not now that they've been arrested!

are you kidding? 'The husband and wife were released on personal recognizance' Didn't even have to post bail and are probably headed your way! trying to find another article i saw in a local paper where they said 'it was all just a big misunderstanding .... ' So far, their stays paid for with bogus checks go back to September. con artists!

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

please note they will probably travel across the country doing the same thing..

Well, probably not now that they've been arrested!
.

Well, probably not now that they've been arrested!

are you kidding? 'The husband and wife were released on personal recognizance' Didn't even have to post bail and are probably headed your way! trying to find another article i saw in a local paper where they said 'it was all just a big misunderstanding .... ' So far, their stays paid for with bogus checks go back to September. con artists!
.

They're heading someone's way then, that's for sure.

 

[user 26]

so ... i'm wondering about those of you who accept personal checks on a regular basis. one of the inns hadn't deposited the first check and then accepted a second. there are stores that used to have instant check verification and you'd stand at the checkout and wait until it was approved. is this a service that b&b's can use? does anyone use it and, if so, how much is it? in one business i worked at a couple years ago, we used to call the bank a check was drawn on and ask if there were funds sufficient to cover. can businesses still do that?
'As the days passed, the Wolffs kept extending their stay, eventually earning a discounted rate of $169 a night. But one night, all the rooms were booked, and the Wolffs had to check out, paying with a $750 check. They were back the next night, and stayed for two more weeks.
The proprietors didn’t cash the check for several days, but after they finally did, it was returned for insufficient funds. Mudry confronted Jane Wolff, but the woman dismissed it as an oversight. Later that day, Benjamin Wolff was similarly cavalier, insisting he would make it good in short order.'

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

Check approval services are still out there. But since most places only get checks irregularly, it wouldn't be cost effective for them to sign up for them.
Yes, you can still call a bank to verify balance. But it takes more time now to get through automated messages.
For these folks, though, who seem to be quite gifted in the art of deceit, it seems they'd sneak past most folks radars. Like the guy said, they seemed like nice grandparents.
SS, will you post the article you found that shows they've been released? Because I think that says a lot about the ability of these folks to be believed. If even the courts believed these folks were just nice grandparents after what they knew about them, you can hardly blame any B&Bs that did the same.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

Deleted to remove second posting of same comment!

 

[Morticia]

so ... i'm wondering about those of you who accept personal checks on a regular basis. one of the inns hadn't deposited the first check and then accepted a second. there are stores that used to have instant check verification and you'd stand at the checkout and wait until it was approved. is this a service that b&b's can use? does anyone use it and, if so, how much is it? in one business i worked at a couple years ago, we used to call the bank a check was drawn on and ask if there were funds sufficient to cover. can businesses still do that?
'As the days passed, the Wolffs kept extending their stay, eventually earning a discounted rate of $169 a night. But one night, all the rooms were booked, and the Wolffs had to check out, paying with a $750 check. They were back the next night, and stayed for two more weeks.
The proprietors didn’t cash the check for several days, but after they finally did, it was returned for insufficient funds. Mudry confronted Jane Wolff, but the woman dismissed it as an oversight. Later that day, Benjamin Wolff was similarly cavalier, insisting he would make it good in short order.'.

There are add ons you can get to the cc machine that also do check verification. I think you can call the bank, but the money may be there when you call, but not when your check gets there. Especially if a lot of checks are being written and there are not enough funds.
E-checks get there first (think cc payments and other 'bank-related' checks you write, and any payments that are automatic from your checking acct).

 

[Morticia]

Check approval services are still out there. But since most places only get checks irregularly, it wouldn't be cost effective for them to sign up for them.
Yes, you can still call a bank to verify balance. But it takes more time now to get through automated messages.
For these folks, though, who seem to be quite gifted in the art of deceit, it seems they'd sneak past most folks radars. Like the guy said, they seemed like nice grandparents.
SS, will you post the article you found that shows they've been released? Because I think that says a lot about the ability of these folks to be believed. If even the courts believed these folks were just nice grandparents after what they knew about them, you can hardly blame any B&Bs that did the same..

Yes, you can still call a bank to verify balance. But it takes more time now to get through automated messages.

Side rant...my mother's bank was bought out by a bigger bank. Because the branch that is nearest to her is 45 minutes away, she has to call the bank. She is now regularly on hold for 30 minutes or more. Or, the message says they are closed. At noon. On a weekday.

Last I heard she was closing that account as soon as she could get to the bank in person.

I'm still with a small-town bank. I call, someone answers the phone. I don't even get a menu, just a person.

 

[Morticia]

Check approval services are still out there. But since most places only get checks irregularly, it wouldn't be cost effective for them to sign up for them.
Yes, you can still call a bank to verify balance. But it takes more time now to get through automated messages.
For these folks, though, who seem to be quite gifted in the art of deceit, it seems they'd sneak past most folks radars. Like the guy said, they seemed like nice grandparents.
SS, will you post the article you found that shows they've been released? Because I think that says a lot about the ability of these folks to be believed. If even the courts believed these folks were just nice grandparents after what they knew about them, you can hardly blame any B&Bs that did the same..

Yes, you can still call a bank to verify balance. But it takes more time now to get through automated messages.

Side rant...my mother's bank was bought out by a bigger bank. Because the branch that is nearest to her is 45 minutes away, she has to call the bank. She is now regularly on hold for 30 minutes or more. Or, the message says they are closed. At noon. On a weekday.

Last I heard she was closing that account as soon as she could get to the bank in person.

I'm still with a small-town bank. I call, someone answers the phone. I don't even get a menu, just a person.
.

Sorry, the formatting seems to be gone in my previous post.