[X]
Write ReviewJump to 
38
Helpful
Votes
Votes
Motel 6 Complaint - Facilitated a possible scam and crime!!!! - Motel 6 - Louisiana
Motel 6 - Louisiana - Complaint
5488 INN RD, ALABAMA -- We stayed at a Motel 6 in Alabama on a drive cross country. At 2:00 A.M. a call was put through to our room (obviously without the operator verifying which party/name the caller was trying to reach). The man identified himself as Ron, the Night Manager/Auditor there at the hotel. We were sleeping and obviously disoriented. He said there was a problem with our credit card and we needed to come to the office immediately. My husband got up sleepily and started to get dressed to go down to the office, but I maintained they could deal with it in the morning as it was cold and in the middle of the night. We went back to sleep to be awakened 15 minutes later by the phone again. This time the man stated "you said you would come down to the office to get this taken care of and you haven't. Either you come down or I will have security escort you off the premises". This worried my husband and angered me. I called the front desk and a woman answered. I asked for the night manager and it was a "Debbie". I asked about the name Ron and they didn't know anyone by that name. I asked why two calls were put throught to our room at that time of night and the operator said she figured they knew us.
The next morning we complained to the office as we figured out that it was probably criminals who sit in parking lots and call rooms to lure people out in the middle of the night unsuspecting. I was concerned that if my husband had gone out they could have robbed him or killed him. They obviously were watching our room or wouldn't have known we didn't go out and head to the office. THIS IS A WARNING AS WELL AS A COMPLAINT!
The motel staff was not concerned in the least when we talked to them the next day. They didn't call in the police department or give us any assurance they would address this attempted scam/crime. I wrote to corporate and was given a pat on the head so to speak that they are concerned for safety of their customers and appreciated my notification. If this motel doesn't care anymore about their customers and will put through any random caller at all hours, we are NOT interested in ever staying with them again. Be Aware!!!!
The next morning we complained to the office as we figured out that it was probably criminals who sit in parking lots and call rooms to lure people out in the middle of the night unsuspecting. I was concerned that if my husband had gone out they could have robbed him or killed him. They obviously were watching our room or wouldn't have known we didn't go out and head to the office. THIS IS A WARNING AS WELL AS A COMPLAINT!
The motel staff was not concerned in the least when we talked to them the next day. They didn't call in the police department or give us any assurance they would address this attempted scam/crime. I wrote to corporate and was given a pat on the head so to speak that they are concerned for safety of their customers and appreciated my notification. If this motel doesn't care anymore about their customers and will put through any random caller at all hours, we are NOT interested in ever staying with them again. Be Aware!!!!
Comments:
Posted by bhskittykatt on 2011-10-11:
They shouldn't be putting calls through to your room unless the caller knows the name of the person registered to the room. As a motel clerk, this is drilled into our heads during training.
They should also have their "auto-attendant" off at night (which allows you to simply enter the room number you are dialing when you call the motel).
This unfortunately is a common scam which you need to watch out for while travelling. At my motel, we've had to keep our phone's auto-attendant off during the day as well because we get so many scammers and prank callers that harass out guests.
I'm not sure what you want the motel to do, though, other than apologize and ensure it won't happen in the future. What are you looking for from Motel 6 to make things right?
They should also have their "auto-attendant" off at night (which allows you to simply enter the room number you are dialing when you call the motel).
This unfortunately is a common scam which you need to watch out for while travelling. At my motel, we've had to keep our phone's auto-attendant off during the day as well because we get so many scammers and prank callers that harass out guests.
I'm not sure what you want the motel to do, though, other than apologize and ensure it won't happen in the future. What are you looking for from Motel 6 to make things right?
Posted by Kris10 on 2011-10-11:
Did you file a police report as this is something they should be aware of in that area apparently?
Posted by justcuz on 2011-10-11:
Great advice, Kris10.
And just one more reason not to stay at motels.
And just one more reason not to stay at motels.
Posted by madconsumer on 2011-10-11:
great review TamiS.
hopefully you will save someone else from the same thing, and possibly a worse fate.
very helpful review!
hopefully you will save someone else from the same thing, and possibly a worse fate.
very helpful review!
Posted by clutzycook on 2011-10-11:
Ok, so they didn't call the police. Why didn't YOU? You would have to be the one to file the complaint.
Posted by lexophiliac on 2011-10-11:
It could have been a prank perpetrated by bored motel staff either on or off duty, or someone not connected with the motel at all playing games. Many motel/hotels only require the room # to put calls through. In the future, you can request no calls after a certain time of night.
Posted by chrissiann on 2011-10-14:
Thank you for warning us! I will tell my mom because she likes staying at motels during her travels. I would like to call the cops if that happened to me and then set up a sting operation if you will. Have the cops show up without their lights, then exit my hotel room with baseball bat or pepper spray.
Posted by jpr_jpr on 2011-10-14:
Did this in fact get reported to the local police? It seems patently obvious to me, especially after the front desks attitude, that some of motel employees must be participants in this dangerous scam.
It's not Motel 6 that needs to compensate you but this particular motel's owners.
It's not Motel 6 that needs to compensate you but this particular motel's owners.
Posted by GenuineNerd on 2011-10-14:
I had a similar situation a few times, although it did not involve arrest threats or extortion. I spent the night at a roadside (non-chain) motel in Fairmount, West Virginia while on a road trip. The motel was a bit rundown, but was within walking distance to a gas station and a 24-hour supermarket (I think it was a Kroger.) The motel room's window was covered by a bedspread instead of drapes, and there were no blinds on the window. At 2:00 in the morning the telephone rings in my room, with the caller asking for a certain person. In my grogginess, I explained that I was just spending the night-that I don't know such a person. The phone hasn't rang since, but I had trouble sleeping due to that phone ringing, as well as bright light from the gas station shining near my window. I wonder if that motel has transients renting rooms by the week or month, in addition to catering to travelers...I know that a lot of older motels (as well as some chains) would do this. I replied in another post about a Days Inn in Dayton, OH that shelters homeless and disability/SSI clients. Lastly, I stayed at another rundown motel in Columbus, OH...at 6:00 in the morning somebody knocks on my door... I'm in my underwear, groggy, answering the door, and it was a guy trying to sell marijuana. I politely told him no. From that point I wanted to check out. As I was taking my packages to the car, I noticed what was probably the same guy, sitting in front of a basement room, in a chair, fondling himself. I was glad I got out of there...that was the worst "motel hell" experience I ever had.
Posted by bruce2954 on 2011-11-20:
If you don't want to be disturbed, take the phone off the hook. No one should have the right to call you after hours. That's what you're paying for. If you don't know anyone there, there's no reason to open the door.
Posted by Rain on 2011-11-21:
The police won't do anything about it anyway. I doubt the hotel staff did it. Those chain hotels only have one person working at night. Strangers will call trying to fish out credit card numbers from you. Many hotels they can call straight to your room by just putting in a random room number and bypass the front desk completely.
Note: All comments are reviewed by a moderator before being published. Please be sure to read our guidelines before commenting.
Company Reps: Post your company response!
