Canadian man loses $2K after booking trip through fake travel website
A Canadian man is out over $2,200 after booking a trip to Brazil through a fraudulent travel website.
In October, Sam Salam said he Googled travel companies when booking his flight to Brazil to visit his girlfriend. After he paid for his ticket, Salam said something didn't seem right after he called the number online.
"They sent me a ticket, but it was a strange ticket, and they said they would send me the real original ticket at a later time," Salam, of Vancouver, B.C., told CTV News Toronto.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Salam booked his ticket through Flight Centre Canada – or so he thought. He decided to visit a Flight Centre location in person when his ticket didn't arrive, and that's when he found out he had booked his trip through a fraudulent company.
"When I went in the office, they already knew about this problem and said it was a scam," said Salam.
Salam was scammed out of $2,280.
Sam Salam (left) fell victim to a scam costing him $2,280 when he booked a flight to visit his girlfriend in Brazil through a fake website. (Photo submitted by Sam Salam).
Flight Centre Canada is now warning its customers to be careful when booking a flight they don’t end up on a fake website imitating their company.
"We are seeing a lot of fraudulent websites pop up that imitate Flight Centre Canada," said Chris Lynes, the managing director of Flight Centre Canada. "A lot of the time people will show up at the airport and not realize that they don't have real tickets."
According to the company, an example of a website imitating Flight Centre Canada is when "center" is used in the link, which is the American spelling of the word.
This is what Flight Centre Canada said their real website looks like. (Flight Centre)
The company said it has heard from many victims who have lost thousands of dollars and wants to warn its customers to be careful when booking a trip.
"We are in contact with Google, and our legal team has been working on this to remove these sites, but as soon as we get one down, another one seems to pop up," said Lynes.
Salam had to buy another ticket to go to Brazil, and despite being scammed, he said he had a good trip with his girlfriend and likes to try to keep a positive outlook.
"Thank God I'm keeping safe and happy, and as we say in French, 'C'est la vie!'" said Salam.
Salam could not get a refund because he paid with a debit card. When booking travel you should always use a credit card because if there is a problem you have a better chance of getting a refund if something goes wrong.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.