Controversial travel agency Tshiamo Travels has been served with a letter of demand by customers who are due for a trip to Bali in Indonesia in September.
This is the latest development following a cancelled trip to Turkey last week which left a group of about 20 customers shocked when they discovered that the company had not made any bookings for them.
Sowetan Consumer has learnt that Tshiamo Travels has been served with a letter of demand by lawyers representing the group that is supposed to travel to Bali.
They each paid R20,100 for the trip and their entire group has given the company more than R300,000.
In the letter dated August 25, the group demanded confirmation of their travel arrangements.
“On the 4th of August Tshiamo Travels posted an itinerary on the [WhatsApp] group which appeared to have incorrect dates, you [Pearl Khumalo – owner of Tshiamo Travels] were approached by our clients privately and you immediately removed the itinerary and posted a new one with correct dates.
"On the 22nd of August, an article was published on SowetanLIVE regarding 22 travellers that received the shock of their lives at OR Tambo International Airport when they realised that their flights to Turkey were never booked,” read the letter from their lawyers.
“After numerous attempts to reach you telephonically and on all social media platforms, they took it upon themselves to enquire on all the bookings you claimed to have made.
"Upon contacting Emirates, SOL by Melia Kuta and Ananda Resort in Bali, Indonesia, they were informed no booking was made. After realising they might have been defrauded of their hard-earned money, our clients were left with no other choice but to instruct us as they so do.
“We hereby demand all travel confirmation letters and confirmed flight tickets for the above trip or alternatively that you refund all our clients the money they paid to Tshiamo Travels by Friday 26th August 2022, failing which further steps will be taken to recover the monies against your company and you will also be held personally liable. Criminal charges [on all counts] will also be laid against you for fraud.”
Galaletang Nadisha said they served the letter on Khumalo out of desperation.
“It was us trying to bind her in trying to pay us and to show us proof that the trip is still on. Unfortunately, she continues to ignore us and even blocked us on WhatsApp and other social media account. The only thing we know is someone from her company has been telling us to relax and that all is well.
"We could not relax after the Sowetan article about how Tshiamo Travels duped other people. We had received red flags when she started to ignore our calls and that was enough for us,” said Nadisha.
Khumalo couldn’t be reached for comment at time of print on Sunday. She also did not respond to WhatsApp text sent to her.
Last week, Sowetan reported about a group of 22 people whose 10-day trip to Turkey was cancelled at the 11th hour.
Messages and calls made to Khumalo seeking comment for the first article were also not responded to.
One of the customers, Khosi Zwane, cried when she found out while at OR Tambo International Airport that her flight had not been booked by Khumalo and that her drive from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg had been a waste.
They had used Tshiamo Travels’ services and each had to pay R16,000 for a trip whose package included a champagne breakfast on a hot air balloon, a swim at Prince Island and a three-hour cruise on a yacht. But it was all a dream.
They were told on the day they were supposed to depart from SA that their Qatar Airways flights were not booked.
The company sent a text message to the group, saying: “We would like to apologise for the delayed response and poor communication. We have had to unfortunately cancel the trip at the 11th hour due to unforeseen circumstances. One of our employees issued out fraudulent tickets to the clients. This means that the tickets were never booked."
How to protect yourself against travel fraud
Travel fraudsters tend to reveal themselves around the festive season, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded and without their much-deserved holidays.
Here’s how you can protect yourself against travel fraud.
Look for the logo
Check the website, advertisement and travel documentation for the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (Asata) stamp of credibility. Asata members comply with a code of conduct and constitution that requires them to abide by the laws of the land and prove they are legitimate travel businesses that protect the interests of their customers. Check whether your travel provider is an Asata member by checking the association’s website.
Too good to be true?
If the price of your holiday is much lower than anywhere else, alarm bells should go off. Travel fraudsters hook unsuspecting customers by offering too-good-to-be-true airfares and package holiday prices. Check with a reputable travel agent, tour operator or airline what the normal price for the air ticket or holiday would be.
Paying by EFT
Travel fraudsters will put pressure on you to pay by EFT, which effectively means you’re paying by cash. Safeguard yourself by paying on credit card so your purchase is protected. If you pay by EFT you will struggle to get your funds reimbursed if the supplier is found to have committed travel fraud.
Dodgy, unprofessional marketing
Keep a keen eye out for fuzzy logos or low-resolution images on print marketing collateral or travel documentation or an unprofessional-looking website. Travel fraudsters will sometimes copy and paste extracts from genuine travel companies to make it seem as if their offer is legitimate. Always check with Asata whether the company is a bona fide travel company that is accredited.
Excuses, excuses
If your travel supplier keeps making excuses there’s a good chance they’re up to no good. If you’re not getting your vouchers and air tickets timeously and queries are continuously answered with excuses, alarm bells should certainly be raised.
Do your research
Travel is a high-ticket item. If you were spending thousands on a new TV it’s likely you would do your research to make sure you have the right model and are buying it from a bona fide company. The same should be said for travel. Before you work with a travel brand with which you’re unfamiliar, try Googling it to see if there are any reviews or warnings about the company. If they’ve been involved in fraud before you may find that other customers have posted their experiences online.
Go with your gut
Chances are if something sounds too good to be true it probably is. If something seems amiss to you don’t be afraid to question it and don’t allow yourself to be hurried into a decision you can’t get out of.
Source: Association of Southern African Travel Agents
sifilel@sowetan.co.za
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