Prank phone calls: build awareness amongst your staff

Recently, hotel employees and guests at eight properties around the country have been receiving panicked phone calls informing them of a fire in the building, urging them to follow their instructions about how to combat it.

These calls are all very similar: a frantic man urges the hotel desk worker or guest to set off a fire sprinkler, sound an alarm or break windows.
Actions taken by employees and guests following the caller’s instructions have resulted in up to $50,000 in water, computer, and infrastructure damage.

Cases have been reported in Alabama, Arkansas, California, and Nebraska in recent days.

Authorities say felony charges could be filed against whoever is making the calls. At this time, they do not know who is the responsible party.
Various national and regional media outlets have reported on these incidents, including the following coverage:

The best way to combat this situation and minimize future damage is by building awareness for both hotel employees and guests. Tell your staff to be on alert for similar calls, and review the details of your property’s standard security procedures and emergency plans. Encourage them to act in accordance with these plans and – in advance – address any questions they have should they receive these calls, or if a fire situation should arise.
Until reports of such alarms have subsided, consider designating a single individual on each shift who can decide what action to take; tell the staff that all such calls should be reported to that individual and no action should be taken by any other employee unless that individual cannot be found or unless there is physical evidence, such as smoke, to support the warning contained in any call.

Encourage employees to acknowledge awareness of the incidents when asked by guests; this may require having a manager address a guest’s questions or concerns.Alert local authorities if your property receives phone calls of this nature.

Use this as an opportunity to make sure your fire detection devices are properly functioning, and that your emergency fire plan is updated and in accordance with your brand’s standard and local fire marshal requirements, making improvements as necessary.

Travel Lodge manager who stole almost £5,000

A Travel Lodge manager who stole almost £5,000 in fake refunds for guests has walked free from court.

Martin Dyer, 39, used the names of real customers to claim back booking fees and compensation in what the judge called a “sophisticated” fraud.

But the faults he reported to pocket refunds through his own bank accounts were “a pack of lies”, Lewes Crown Court was told.

He was finally caught when the hotel’s bank brought in a new refund system and spotted a suspicious payment made last summer.

Prosecutor Michael Warren said the Hellingly manager had regularly transferred £100 and £200 a time to his own account but left a trail of paperwork that made it look like a refund to the person who had booked a room.

Mr Dyer also pretended to be a real customer called Mr Andrews and complained about room issues and phone problems.

He also made out he was a Mr Hunter who reported no hot water for his family who were jetting off on a long-haul flight from Gatwick.

Mr Warren added: “All of these are, of course, a pack of lies. The customers are correct but they would have stayed and paid in the normal way.”

Dyer, now of Alnhan Court, Newcastle, admitted 12 counts of theft between October, 2007, and July, 2008.

He also asked for 49 similar offences between August, 2007 and July, 2008, to be taken into account. In total, he stole £4,975.

In interview Dyer admitted all transactions had been completed by him and no-one else had access to his cards which had never been reported lost or stolen.

He told police he was a £19,500-a-year manager at the Boship Roundabout hotel working “long hours for little reward”.

The court was told Dyer has now landed another job in the hotel and restaurant industry in Newcastle.

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall gave Dyer a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to do 150 hours’ unpaid work.

He said: “You were in a position of trust and this was a sophisticated system you were operating in which you stole from your employers.

“The offence crosses the custody threshold but it would be un-necessary and un-warranted to deprive you of your liberty.”

Dyer was also ordered to pay back Travel Lodge £4,975 in compensation within three months.