Traveldiva – As much 80 retirees in South Africa fall for fake travel agents who promise cheap holidays to Thailand, only to be met with major disappointment. They each suffered losses of up to R 2.600 (around Rp 23,5 million) without any guarantee of return.
This news was reported by IOL on Wednesday (26/6/2024), after the group of retirees discovered that the trip was scheduled on 20 June 2024 suddenly canceled without satisfactory explanation from the travel agent.
Sharon Lategan, 64 year, shared that a number of retirees in her community had paid large sums of money to Prudence November of Angelique’s Tours. “Kami percaya dengan janji-janji beliau. We saw the flyer on WhatsApp status and got recommendations from friends,” ujar Lategan.
These retirees started paying deposits in May 2023, with the hope that a dream holiday to Thailand will come true in February 2024. They had even made preparations by ordering transportation and arranging everything.
However, at the promised time to receive their flight tickets, the agent did not provide a satisfactory response. “Kami mulai merasa curiga ketika tidak ada konfirmasi lebih lanjut,” tambah Lategan.
The uncertainty becomes even more pronounced when they approach the departure date without receiving clear information. “Kami akhirnya diberitahu bahwa perjalanan kami dibatalkan, and our money cannot be returned,” ujar Lategan dengan nada kecewa.
At a meeting with an agent, Other retirees also came forward with similar stories. They finally decided to report this case to the authorities after realizing that they had become victims of fraud.
The local police have also confirmed this report. “Kami sedang menyelidiki tuduhan bahwa agen travel ini telah menerima uang tanpa memberikan layanan yang dijanjikan,” kata Juru Bicara Polisi Wesley Twigg.
This case shows how important it is to always check the legitimacy of a travel agent before making a payment. For retirees who are affected, it's not just about losing money, but also a long-awaited holiday dream.
Investigations into this scandal are still ongoing, in the hope of providing justice for the victims who have been caught up in this fraud.
