Too Good To Be True Travel

I’ve had the pleasure of being on the board of the local Better Business Bureau for several years, not so now, but in that time of service, I gained a deeper appreciation for the benefit of being a member of that organization.  The main reason is that I recognized how hard that organization works to make sure the citizens of the Big Country are informed about business practices of companies that serve us.  They also help us to recognize some of the people who try to take unfair advantage of our good will.

We were alerted this week by our local BBB about a travel scam that occurred at Texas A&M.  More than a dozen international students studying in Texas have lost thousands of dollars in a bogus travel agent scam.  Campus police there report that 17 students tried to purchase airline tickets from a company named Jasmine Travel.  One of the students had done a search online for “airline tickets to India” and the site popped up which was described as India’s version of Craigslist.  From there she found Jasmine Travel was offering airfare to India for $700 cheaper than anyone else.  Without checking into the company, she wired $1000 to them and contacted her friends, all of whom did the exact same thing.  No one stopped to wonder why or how this company could offer such a low airfare.

Investigators have found that they were using an address in Forest Hills, NY that was actually a Citibank office.  Of course the BBB is encouraging assistance in alerting international students and anyone planning overseas visits about this scam, and of course suggesting that they refer to a reputable travel agent when they want to travel.

Heard about another scam in Las Vegas.  A traveler calls a taxi for transportation from the airport to a hotel and when they arrive, the driver gets out and takes the fare then helps get the luggage out of the trunk, but leaves quickly while one of the bags is still in the taxi.

We had one occur with a client with us on our way back from Europe this past year.  We had a stopover in DC for a couple of hours, and while there, someone was able to read the credit card of one of our travelers through his blue jeans.  He had not had that particular credit card out of his pocket the whole trip.  He found out about it when the security department of the credit card company called and wanted to know about his unusual purchases at a Cosco in New Jersey!!  Those cards need to be in an aluminum card holder!!!

Here’s the best tip of the day. . . .the professional and experienced travel agents at The Travel Factory are interested in helping you plan the vacation of your dreams, and we will be here while your are traveling and when you get back, so give us a call when you and your friends want to travel.  We promise. . .we won’t lead you astray!!

Find us at 4150 Southwest Drive, Ste. 120, or contact us at 698-1421 or 800-760-4040.

Better still enjoy our website: www.thetravelfactoryabilene.com.