Another week, another fascinating piece of consumer protection news unfolding in our home state.
A Florida woman is facing charges for allegedly selling fraudulent cruise vouchers to at least nine consumers, according to this report from Bay News 9.
The woman, Janet Bender, 54, of Largo, was arrested in early May on seven counts of grand theft. According to officials cited by Bay News, Bender is “an independent travel agent who works through CruiseOne travel agency.”
According to Bay News, investigators began looking into Bender in March, when several customers alleged that they had purchased travel vouchers from her that turned out to be fraudulent.
As the Bay News report explains:
“Bender allegedly sold the vouchers, which were for the entire cost of a cruise with a balcony state room, for between $200 and $500 each, investigators said. The nine victims were asked to pay for the vouchers using cash or by check payable to Bender.
Detectives say that some of the victims tried to use the vouchers to schedule cruises for later in the year, only to discover Bender had never even scheduled the vacations.”
For more on the case, we encourage you to read the full Bay News report on their site or read more about the case at the Tampa Bay Times.
Led by Attorney Michael D. Finn with 50 years of experience, the Finn Law Group is a consumer protection firm specializing in timeshare law. Our lawyers understand vacation ownership as well as the many pitfalls of the secondary market of timeshare resales. If you feel you have been victimized by a timeshare company, contact our offices for a free consultation. Know your rights as a consumer and don’t hesitate to drop us a line with any questions or concerns.