A woman from New York has vowed to take on a rogue Cape Town travel agent after she claimed she was swindled out of R45 000.
South African-born Verona Rajaram, 33, said her hopes of travelling to South Africa this month were scuppered when the funds she paid a local travel agency disappeared without a trace. Rajaram said she was travelling to Durban to bring her six-year-old daughter to meet her family.
“I was hyped and immediately started saving up. I received a referral from a friend in South Africa.
“I believe in investing in the country and its small businesses.”
Rajaram contacted the owner of Travel House SA, Gretchen Moodley who acted promptly on her request to book flights to South Africa.
“Everything went smoothly.
“At first she was great, she always responded to queries and she was ready to do the transaction,” said Rajaram.
Then things took a turn for the worse said a disappointed Rajaram.
“I couldn’t reach her after the payment was made. I paid $2 900 (about R45 000) in May. It reflected on my side, but she kept on telling me that it did not reflect on hers.
“She then told me that she would refund me for my tickets, but up until today I still haven’t received a refund.
“I felt like I was legit going crazy because all I wanted was a solution.”
Rajaram said she posted the ordeal on social media and received messages from people who confirmed her worst fear.
“I had been scammed, and I’ll say it on record that she is a scammer because people told me they had the exact experience,” she said.
The desperate woman said Moodley then sent her what appeared to be a booking confirmation but when she contacted the airport she was informed that it was just a reservation.
“So that means I was going to go to the airport and then find out there that there isnt a booking.”
Another victim Natalie Naidoo who also booked with Moodley said she was still waiting for her R19 000 since booking in 2019.
In a text message Naidoo called Moodley a liar, after she promised she would pay back her money in instalments from February. Naidoo has also not received a cent yet.
An acquaintance of Moodley said he knew her since they grew up in Lavender Hill.
“She then moved to Durban. We became acquaintances through the tourism and travelling industry.
“I always made use of her service and she always assisted me, so I never imagined something like this happening when I recommended her.
“Verona was first very reluctant, but I always made use of Gretchen.
“Then the two of them had their conversations about how to send the money, it was sent from PayPal to her bank and that’s where all the problems started.”
The acquaintance said things started sounded fishy when Moodley kept saying the money didn’t reflect.
“Verona then went onto Facebook and found other people who had the same problem and I started questioning if she really scammed people, and started to also feel like I was scammed because what if she used me to help her get people because she knew I was in the US?
“She kept on making excuses about power outages. I am just so really upset about this situation because I trusted her. If I knew I would also advise my friend to rather make use of a travel agency, and it could have spared her all that loss.”
Moodley told Weekend Argus that she was aware of Rajaram’s situation and said she was among four to five clients who still needed to be refunded.
Moodley admitted that she was also not registered under the South African Travel Agencies.
“I am aware yes, but these cases are at different stages of refunding. I have explained to Verona that the hold up is at PayPal and because it is my first transaction with them, they held onto the funds until May 31. I sent her the screenshots and everything, the money would also be reversed.”
Moodley said she felt people used the word “scam” too openly.
“If I was a scam artist, my accounts would be closed, I wouldn’t communicate, I have everything on email, I make sure to have it.”
Moodley said Covid also caused a backlog in her business.
“After Covid I’ve been trying to get back on track, and I don’t have office space and I know this is not an excuse.
“I have made arrangements and will refund them, I’ve sent emails with my name, address everything on them.”
She refuted that she told Rajaram the booking sent was a confirmation.
“I explained to her that it was a reservation until the money reflected.”
Moodley said she plans to register her business with an accredited organisation, but said it would take time.
“I am validated but I’m not registered under any governing body. I am a registered business though.
“There were plans to register under a tourism association but again with Covid its costly.”
Association of Southern African Travel Agents (Asata) warned travellers to always be assertive when making bookings .“Travel fraudsters tend to reveal themselves around the festive season, leaving hundreds of eager travellers stranded and without their much-deserved holidays.Tips for Travellers against travel fraud:Look for the accredited ASATA logo Go with your gutDo your researchWatch out for excusesMake sure there is a physical place of work with a landlineBe aware of dodgy, unprofessional marketingDon’t get pressurised into paying by EFT ”.
