On March 9, 2008 I wired $160 to the account he had specified.

On March 16, 2008 Mr. Lowe e-mailed me with the news that he had given me the wrong “IBAN Code” for his bank and that the funds had probably been sent back to my account. He supplied me with a different IBAN code for that purpose. A check with my bank indicated that the funds had transferred successfully; the funds had not “bounced back” to my account.

It was then that I became a bit suspicious and did a little research on the Internet. Though I could find no reviews at all for the Windsor Edwardian B&B, I found plenty of information regarding the proprietor and his past as the operator of “Windsor Schools” a TEFL training institute. It appeared to me that the training institute was now operating as a B&B, thus the lack of any reviews.

On March 19, 2008 Mr. Lowe again contacted me requesting I send one night’s tariff in order to reserve the room and it was then that I admitted to him that I was aware of his past activities.

A few heated e-mails were exchanged until on March 23 he sent me an e-mail that had supposedly come from his banks customer service department informing me that the funds had been returned to my account at Bank of America on March 10.

The problem is, the communiqué from the bank’s customer service was addressed to me, but was sent to him and forwarded by him. One might think that given the sensitivity of the situation, the bank would have e-mailed me directly.

Another problem too; I did not send the wire transfer from Bank of America, nor do I have an account with Bank of America.

Caveat emptor.