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Written by Anthony Black - news.com.au
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Tuesday, 11 July 2006 |
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FAKE company internet sites offering discounted domestic flights are scamming consumers out of thousands of dollars.
Perth receptionist Diane Willis is a victim of the latest internet scam involving bogus airline tickets.
Ms Willis lost almost $800 last month after buying tickets online from a fake company site called New Flights.
The
New Flights internet site, displaying Qantas logos and a passenger
jet, offered what appeared to be discount airfares across Australia.
Ms
Willis said she booked three separate flights and deposited $770 into a
designated bank account after Qantas initially confirmed the tickets
and booking details organised by New Flights were valid.
Ms
Willis, 56, said more inquiries by Qantas uncovered the scam and the
airline referred the matter to the NSW Police fraud squad.
"Qantas
told me there was nothing they could do, but, as a gesture of good
will, they sent me a $100 voucher to go towards my next trip,'' she
said.
"I was angry at first, because I bought the tickets in good faith.
"I
was hoping Qantas might have honoured my bookings and given me
legitimate tickets because they did say they were OK at first. But it
was not to be.
"I feel totally ripped off by New Flights.''
Ms
Willis said the first of her internet bookings included a Perth to
Melbourne flight on July 29 to attend a Christian Women's convention.
Subsequent bookings included a Melbourne to Brisbane flight on August 5
for a holiday and a Brisbane to Perth flight on August 12.
"I'm still going on my travels, but its costing me almost an extra $1000,'' she said.
Ms Willis, a medical receptionist, said she hoped her plight might alert others to internet fraud.
In
response to Ms Willis's claims, a Qantas spokesperson said: "There are
fraudulent operators in the market and Qantas recommends that people
take care when making bookings.
"For complete certainty, we recommend bookings are made through Qantas.com, or a licensed travel agent.''
Delia
Rickard, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission's
deputy director of consumer protection, said New Flights Limited was
allegedly trading from a Bondi address when the elaborate scam was
operated from the US.
She said use of the word "Limited" created the illusion that consumers were dealing with a company registered in Australia.
"Travellers today are accustomed to cheap internet deals, frequent flyer schemes and budget airlines,'' she said.
"However,
in light of this, consumers need to be aware of fake companies
advertising on the internet, which promise to save you hundreds (of
dollars) on your flight, but leave you stranded at the airport with
nothing but a worthless ticket.
"This particular website has since been shut down, but people should be wary about copycat sites popping-up.
"A
key message is that once people depart with their money to a scheme
(scam) that is based offshore, it's often the last they'll see of their
money.''
Source: www.news.com.au/perthnow/
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 July 2006 )
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