A very weird event today - Suggestions??

[JudyJB]

I had a very strange and slightly scary thing happen today. I arrived at my reserved campground in northern Florida late this afternoon. The volunteer who checked me in gave me a map and a vehicle pass for myself and another one for my "friend" who was meeting me here. He said she had given him my last name and said she was meeting me here but was a bit early, but she did not know my site number. The volunteer looked it up and gave it to her, but told her he would give me her pass when I arrived.

Only problem is that I am NOT meeting any friend here! I was confused at first, but he said she was about 20 and said she knew me, so he figured it was OK, and that she said she would be hanging around my campsite waiting for me.

I can't imagine how anyone knew i would be arriving here today. I went back through my blog and could not find any mention of coming here, plus I never give my name on my blog. So who is this person and how did she know my name??? Any ideas??? My kids have my schedule, and I also gave it out to a friend lately, but she is in NY and I cannot imagine her discussing this with anyone.

Unfortunately, I think I did mention something on this forum, but I can't imagine anyone gave that info out, and my last name is not used here. I checked with the neighbors next door to my site but they were gone almost all day. The husband did come over and pointed out that there were several extra tracks in my driveway that did not fit my vehicle but had to be made after the camp host raked my site. The other neighbors are gone, but I will ask them when they get back.

I called and spoke to a ranger and told her what had happened. She is on night duty tonight and will be patrolling. I also asked her to PLEASE tell volunteers and camp hosts that they should NEVER give out site numbers for anyone. If someone really is looking for a friend, they can call that person and ask them. Hotels never give that information out, for example.

Anyway, has anyone ever had this happen and do you have suggestions as to how someone got my name and where I was heading today???

[Bethers]

No idea how that happened, but you're right, they should never give out your info without your express desire that it be done. I wonder if your name is on your site post? She could have gotten it that way and then lied to get free access. But I'd think she'd still have to pay a day use fee. Very strange. I'm glad you talked to the ranger working this evening.

[Cudedog]

Hello Judy.

Sorry you had such a scary experience. Hopefully, it turns out to be nothing alarming.

On the other hand, since you asked:

Only problem is that I am NOT meeting any friend here! I was confused at first, but he said she was about 20 and said she knew me, so he figured it was OK, and that she said she would be hanging around my campsite waiting for me.

Anyway, has anyone ever had this happen and do you have suggestions as to how someone got my name and where I was heading today???

I posted a while back about how scammers play the "long game" and can pick up identifying "breadcrumbs" that the unwary might leave along the way (Judy, I'm not saying this is you, but just people in general). Breadcrumbs left not just here, on Beth's forum, but also on any other forum (Facebook is one) that one might care to visit, or in just generally chatting with fellow campers, in person, along the way.

My original post is here: http://womenrv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=20324#p250271

Read down to the paragraph that begins with "But everyone should also keep in mind that this Forum is not secure.".

I'm sure that many here thought my original post outlandish. And maybe it was. . .

But maybe not.

Good luck to you, Judy. I hope that everything turns out fine.

Anne

[JudyJB]

Someone here also mentioned that there may have been two people staying here with the same last name, which is possible since my last name is fairly common.

No names on numbered posts here, so that is not possible.

Could have hacked this or another forum to get my last name, I suppose. Maybe even could have hacked Florida reservation site.

[Pooker]

Oh, Judy! What a worrisome problem! I can't imagine what purpose this young person could possibly have. Some sort of play on the "Hi Gramma, I'm in trouble and need money" phone scam? My only thought might be a grandchild's friend who lives in the area or a friend's child/grandchild. I certainly hope the RV park initiates a policy right away to NOT EVER give out specific information about a camper. They should have told the person that they would be happy to give you a message with name, phone number, etc. when you checked in.

I'm so sorry. I'm sure you are a bit jumpy.

Evie
''

[Redetotry]

What a mystery, I hope you can figure it out. Maybe it is just a strange case of misidentify.

[JudyJB]

I talked to a different ranger this morning, and asked him to check if there was someone with my same last name here. He said there was not, but there was someone with a similar last name, so maybe that was it.

Anyway, I had a quiet evening, both rangers said they would talk to all volunteers and camp hosts about never giving out site information to anyone other than the registered guest.

[BarbaraRose]

I had a situation once many years ago when I flew down from MN to Phoenix to visit a friend. I stayed at a nice motel for a few nights. The second evening I was there, I got a phone call in my room. It was a man who was also staying there and had been given my room phone number by the front desk. He had seen me walking around and wanted to chat with me and meet me. I saw red flags all over! I did agree to meet him by the pool before dark figuring there would be other people around. It turned out he was a nice man who was a commercial pilot from Canada who was in town for training. He was very attractive. However, I was still very nervous and told him why. I never saw him after that and he didn't call me again. I did talk to the front desk about not giving out room information on their guests for any reason, especially a man asking about a single woman. I was very unnerved by that whole thing.

[OregonLuvr]

Any hotel I have stayed in the last 50 years will never give out room number information. I traveled extensively for work the last 20 years all over the USA and never had that happen. Secondly I would have never met anyone who cold called me. You are lucky you dodged a possible bullet. Personally sounds like some sort of scam to me. Kind of like all the military, and pilots on Facebook trying to hook up. Who are never what they say and rarely live in this country.

[monik7]

I agree with Karen. I would have NEVER met someone I didn’t know like that. You were very lucky Barbie. Please be careful! I agree also about pilots and the military. I was a flight attendant with United for 3 years and often when we traveled from our hotel back to the airport after a layover we heard pilots discussing their so-called attempts or successes the night before. Gross! We all need to be extra careful ALL the time.
Sandi