Notices Regarding Hotel Scams

Room Block Scams

The hotels listed on the Hotel List are the only official housing providers for the FMEA Conference. The Florida Music Education Association is not affiliated with any third party hotel brokers. If you are contacted by someone claiming to represent the FMEA offering discounted housing or alternative housing arrangements, be aware that this is a scam. If you receive such communication, please contact Val Anderson at val@flmusiced.org. The only way to ensure you have a valid hotel reservation is to book your room with one of the listed hotels and mention group code FMEA, or if you are an exhibitor please use the Hotel Reservation Form on the Exhibitor Information Page.

Credit Card Scams at the Hotels

You arrive at your hotel and check in at the front desk. When checking in, you give the front desk your credit card information (for all the charges for your room or just incidentals).

You get to your room and settle in. Someone calls the front desk and asks, for example, for room 620 (which just happens to be your room). Your phone rings in your room. You answer, and the person on the other end says the following, 'This is the front desk. When checking in, we came cross a problem with your charge card information. Please re-read me your credit card number and verify the last 3 digits numbers on the reverse side of your charge card.' This may also happen with room service charges.

Not thinking anything unusual, you might give this person your information, since the call seems to come from the front desk. But actually, it is a scam. Someone is calling from someplace other than the hotel front desk. They ask for a random room number, then, sounding very professional, ask you for credit card information and address information. They are so smooth, you will think you are talking to the front desk.

If you ever encounter this problem, tell the caller that you will come down to the front desk to clear up any problems. Then, go to the front desk and ask if there was a problem. If there was none, inform the manager of the hotel that someone acting like a front desk employee called to scam you of your credit card information.