Free holiday scam warning?
A Sydney Morning Herald report says that Jetset Travelworld has warned consumers of an alleged telephone scam that uses the company’s name to obtain credit card details from members of the public.
A company using the name Travel World had phoned members of the public and told them they had won an overseas holiday, Jetset Travelworld spokesman Damien Hanger said, adding that the callers were then asked to provide their credit card details to cover about $600 worth of airport or accommodation charges for the holiday.
Jetset Travelworld agencies were in no way related to this scheme, he said.
Jetset Travelworld had attempted to contacted the company via a phone number and website details provided to consumers during phone calls, but no contact could be made, Mr Hanger said.
The company appeared to be based in the US, he said.
The matter has been referred to the NSW Fraud Squad.
Jetset Travelworld was advised of the scheme by customers who had been called with the free holiday offer, although none had provided any details, Mr Hanger said.
The scheme has thus far contacted people in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, he said.
Padraig Collins, from Sydney’s northern beaches, said he had been called twice in past few weeks by an American company offering a free holiday.
“It’s a very booming, American voice that goes ‘Congratulations! You have won a holiday’ and that’s when I hang up,” he said.
The voice sounded as if it was recorded, he said.
The company had also phoned a friend of Mr Collins who was also from the northern beaches, he said.
Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn warned the scheme could also be an attempt at identity theft.
He advised consumers to be wary of any schemes that made offers out of the blue and requested personal details including credit card details.
Report by The Mole from the Sydney Morning Herald
John Alwyn-Jones
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