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Travel Agent scams thousands by selling fake vouchers
Avoiding the hustle is part of travel. You look for the good deals, and inspect the great deals with much scrutiny, hoping for it to shake out in the end. From $10 easyjet flights from London-Gatwick to free cab rides in Bangkok, anyone that has done either realizes rather quickly the high price of low cost. Whether it be wasting an afternoon at tourist traps or corralled like cattle onto a perpetually late and uncomfortably full flight, part of travel is finding the balance between value and comfort.A woman in New Jersey provided neither value nor comfort as she executed a low rent Ponzi scheme peddling fraudulent Continental Airlines travel vouchers. Apparently, this woman - travel agent Victoria Scardingo, sold over 2000 fake travel vouchers for between $500 and $600 to well meaning rubes that assumed they were buying round-trip tickets to anywhere in the world. Instead of the bargain of the century, the buyers received a thorough fleecing. The vouchers were completely worthless.
So what did she do with the money? According to CNN, Victoria had a penchant for Louis Vuitton and Coach bags, spending well over $15,000 at the two stores. She also purchased over half a million dollars in flights to keep the scheme running by distributing real tickets to the early adopters. In a Ponzi scheme, those that invest earliest are generally compensated with value gathered by later adopters. Eventually, keeping the scam alive was too costly, collapsing under the weight of customer demand.
"Now the only trip she will be taking is to federal prison," says Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. Scardingo faces up to 20 years in the slammer and the cool million she deposited into her bank account is worth no more than one of her $500 travel vouchers.
flickr image via Magnus Bråth
"Now the only trip she will be taking is to federal prison," says Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. Scardingo faces up to 20 years in the slammer and the cool million she deposited into her bank account is worth no more than one of her $500 travel vouchers.
flickr image via Magnus Bråth
Filed under: Stories, North America, United States, Airlines, News, Consumer Activism, Travel Deals
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ANGELOCOOL Feb 17th 2011 7:09AM
MANIPULATING PIECE OF CRAP , YOU NEED SOME JAIL
dude Feb 17th 2011 12:15PM
WELL IF THE NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL DONT PRESS THE SCUM BAGS TRAVEL AGENT, HES NEED TO BE FIRED ,THIS CARP NEEDS TO STOP OUR ELECTED OFFICALS WE PUT IN THEY NEED TO BE FIRED THAT SIMPLE, SO THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY PLZ WATCH SEE THAT THE STATE IS DOING IF THEY DONT DO NOTHING VOTE OUT THE SCUM LAZY ELECTED OFFICAL,
jim Feb 17th 2011 7:33AM
There would be less fraud and theft if people would just check licenses to validate the business. But they're so into themselves and what they want that they won't bother. Meanwhile, they get ripped off.
trmnatr2 Feb 17th 2011 8:45AM
If it sounds too good to be true,it almost always is.Remember this when you are talking to a salesman.If the salesman gets you to buy the product,they are the winner,they got what they wanted from you and probably more.
jimBoChili Feb 17th 2011 8:24AM
oh well it's too bad ya got caught - good for you any way though and better luck next time .
fasassvalk Feb 17th 2011 9:03AM
WTF everything from NJ is a rip off !
Bob Feb 17th 2011 9:44AM
P.T Barnum was right. There is a new fool born every minute. Somewhere old Berny is smiling
DOM Feb 17th 2011 9:54AM
buy your tickets on line dont use any travel agent
skokupithi Feb 22nd 2011 3:35PM
Dom's comment is just dumb. Most travel agents are reputable. When you are online, you are just dealing with a travel agent who you don't know, can't visit, and may not even be real. Most just have a call center somewhere out there (as opposed to HERE). It is just as they said, If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You get what you pay for. Nobody gets anything for nothing. Do you need any more? Greed draws people into getting fleeced.
Katucha Magnoli Feb 17th 2011 11:14AM
I agree. Everything from New Jersey is a rip off. The agency owner is from Brazil.
Now she is enjoying a very long vacation on a Federal Hotel . Who told you that crime doesn't pay! Yes, it does pay.
LIFE IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT.
March hare Feb 17th 2011 11:22AM
These fools are fortunate they only lost $500-600!!! SAP -- stupid American public!!!
mary Feb 17th 2011 11:24AM
In order for a scam to work...... you need people who want something for nothing. Or looking for something too good to be true.
Lijo12 Feb 17th 2011 11:46AM
Not everyone from NJ is a scam artist. It's people like this that give us who live here, work here and pay taxes here, a bad name.
Marilyn Feb 17th 2011 12:26PM
You mean she didn't run for governor?
bobby Feb 17th 2011 1:23PM
It's not her fault people, you get what you pay for she was just smart enough to play on everyone's greed.
panjo Feb 17th 2011 1:35PM
Serves them right for living in New Jersey!!
Heidi Feb 17th 2011 1:55PM
You know? Whoever made the comment that the buyers should have checked into the licenses is kind of cruel. Do you check when you go into a store whether or not they are actually part of the chain they claim to be? These people trusted that she was legitimate and don't deserve to be fleeced just because they were trusting.
Heidi Feb 17th 2011 1:58PM
I agree with you. I have a friend in New Jersey and he's the nicest guy. Also you guys have that really cool hotdog place. That I hope someday to be able to visit.
Lisa Feb 17th 2011 2:02PM
I am a travel agent and for the person who said don't buy from a travel agent is a jacka**. That women should be punished for her crime but not all travel agencies are like that. I work for a worldwide travel company and the most problems people have are from booking vacations and airline tickets online. You are safer and have an actual person to speak to if you encounter problems. Use your head people nothing is life free or discounted because somehow you always pay the full price!
Mousy Feb 17th 2011 2:46PM
Ignorant idiot