While more customers are coming out about being scammed by Tshiamo Travels, the company’s employees are crossing their fingers that they get paid their salaries later this month as their employer has gone to ground.
Sowetan has learned that the KZN-based dubious travelling agency continues to advertise future trips through its social media despite its website being down since a fortnight ago and its domain is being sold.
According to one of the four employees at the Empangeni-based company, its owner Pearl Khanyisile Khumalo was last seen or heard from last month when her clients who had booked various overseas trips with her, started making inquiries about their cancelled trips.
Sowetan knows about three groups of travellers who were supposed to travel to different overseas vacations between August and September who have opened fraud cases against Khumalo at different police stations around the country. This action came after their trips were called off at the 11th hour with a promise of refunding the clients. They are owed over R1m combined.
The worker said some of them had decided to stay home to avoid fielding calls from frustrated customers.
“Like her customers, we are also frustrated because we can’t get hold of her. We have been looking for her because there is no guarantee that we will be paid our salaries for the month of September. Last time I spoke to her she assured me that despite her bank accounts being frozen, she will refund all the clients she owes.
"She said the banks were frozen after the Turkey trip did not take place last month. I don’t know whether to believe her or not because I don’t have access to the company’s finances,” said the employee.
Last month a group of 22 customers who each paid R16,000 for a 10-day holiday in Turkey served Khumalo with a letter of demand, while another, which was due to travel to Bali this month, opened fraud cases against her.
“I’m annoyed that Pearl’s shenanigans are tainting us as her employees. It is not fair. We are not privy to the company’s finances,” said the employee.
Reality TV personality Nonkanyiso “LaConco” Conco, who has been promoting Tshiamo Travels on social media and even accepted a promotional trip with Khumalo to Thailand recently, issued a public apology to victims of the apparent scam and distanced herself from the company.
Khumalo also sent a note to various WhatsApp groups she created for her customers that she will refund all affected people and that she will no longer take new trips until everyone has been reimbursed.
Lebo Koithing from Balfour in Mpumalanga and her two friends had each paid R3,000 for a holiday in the Drakensburg on September 23, but they were told on September 6 that the trip would no longer go ahead because of the company’s frozen banks. Seven other paid customers were meant to join them.
Khumalo allegedly disappeared after she asked them to send their banking details for refund.
“I had convinced my friends to save R500 each month for the trip. It (holiday) was meant to help a friend who had lost two of her children and was going through a rough time. We wanted to take her on a holiday so that she can relax and distress. Now I’m even ashamed to talk to them because I’m the one who convinced them to go on this trip,” said Koithing.
Khumalo did not respond to questions sent to her on Thursday.
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 is 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 is a good chance they are up to no good. If you are 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 is 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 are unfamiliar, try Googling it to see if there are any reviews or warnings about the company. If they have 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 do not be afraid to question it and do not allow yourself to be hurried into a decision you cannot get out of.
Source: Association of Southern African Travel Agents
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