Buyer Beware! SCAM

[SissasMomE]

I don't think that NCL will honor any other than price from the normal price list at the time of the booking - it sounds like this TA has given customers discount from their own commission or something similar and NCL won't honor that because that's forbidden.

 

True - I forgot about that.

[SissasMomE]

I am now sick to my stomach! 2 years of saving to do this and now I gotta deal with this! I have never felt so stupid in all my life!

 

Don't panic yet! Contact NCL and see if the cruise has been paid for. Also paypal is very good at freezing accounts when there are disputes such as this. But check with NCL first - maybe the guy actually paid it.

[BiXLL]

Don't panic yet! Contact NCL and see if the cruise has been paid for. Also paypal is very good at freezing accounts when there are disputes such as this. But check with NCL first - maybe the guy actually paid it.

Before I even saw this thread I sent him an email

Why does it not show that I am paid in full on the NCL site?

he replied

Hey Bill

 

You are paid in full.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

CEO

[BiXLL]

Don't panic yet! Contact NCL and see if the cruise has been paid for. Also paypal is very good at freezing accounts when there are disputes such as this. But check with NCL first - maybe the guy actually paid it.

Is there a specific number or someone I should talk to at NCL?

[WaldosPepper]

I paid in full! LOL, what a chump I am! My fisrt cruise and I screw it up!

 

In this case, I would do several things immediately. First, log into your MyNCL account, and check to see if you have any balance due, or if the entire voyage shows as paid in full.

 

If it shows paid, you have no worries. If it does not show paid in full, contact the local police department wherever this travel agent has his/her office immediately, and report the fraud.

 

Next, contact the Attorney General in the state where the agency does business, and file a formal complaint immediately.

 

Lastly, write a letter or email to NCL - don't bother trying to call, you'll likely be bounced around and end up frustrated. In your letter, detail the entire situation clearly and calmly, and request that they: A.) flag this agency immediately and prohibit them from selling any more Norwegian cruises; B.) flag your booking as having a fraud issue with the selling agent, and protect your booking while you resolve the situation; and C.) reach out to the agent directly, and demand payment as reflected on your invoice from that agent.

 

I am now sick to my stomach! 2 years of saving to do this and now I gotta deal with this! I have never felt so stupid in all my life!

 

Don't feel stupid! These kinds of scams are often perpetrated by very desperate people who are masters of deception. Take comfort knowing you are not alone in having trusted this agent.

 

Please continue to post and keep us all updated.

[BiXLL]

I logged in to MY NCL and can not find any money figures at all. It show "Booked" as status?

[rimom71]

There is no financial info either for me on My NCL. I'm pretty sure that's because we went through at TA. NCL can't even tell me how much has actually been paid towards my booking.

[WaldosPepper]

I logged in to MY NCL and can not find any money figures at all. It show "Booked" as status?

 

In that case, I would follow all of the steps I outlined above, immediately.

 

Also, I made note of the info you posted above, and googled the partially redacted name, and discovered some interesting info. You may wish to do the same, and make some notes about what you find... ;)

 

Please continue to keep us posted!

[QuiGonJohn]

In this case, I would do several things immediately. First, log into your MyNCL account, and check to see if you have any balance due, or if the entire voyage shows as paid in full.

 

Where can I do this? I logged into my NCL, see all kinds of info for my cruise, date, cabin, things I can buy/prepay, but nothing to show amounts paid or due.

[Demonyte]

Where can I do this? I logged into my NCL, see all kinds of info for my cruise, date, cabin, things I can buy/prepay, but nothing to show amounts paid or due.

 

When booked through a TA, you can't. That info is only available when booked through NCL directly, the status could change to something like "Paid in full" etc after the payment has been received by NCL but I can't remember how it went and I don't currently have any such cruises on my MyNCL.

[WaldosPepper]

Where can I do this? I logged into my NCL, see all kinds of info for my cruise, date, cabin, things I can buy/prepay, but nothing to show amounts paid or due.

 

I had forgotten that when you book with a TA, the "Payment" portion of MyNCL is not activated. Sorry about that. :o

 

If you booked direct, you can see a clear breakdown of payments made, dates, and balance due.

[SissasMomE]

Before I even saw this thread I sent him an email

 

he replied

[/i]

 

You need to call NCL to see if he turned over the money. This guy has a criminal record.

[QuiGonJohn]

Yes I booked through a major online discount vacation and cruise service that almost everyone has seen ads for. So I am sure it is safe. I used this same Online TA Company for our Australia Land Tour in 2010.

 

I tried a Google search on the guy but didn't find anything, with the partial name.

[cruisecritiquer]

I have an invoice from the TA showing that I have paid in full. NCL does not need to "take my word" for it, I have the documentation, which I would be more than happy to share with them. I am not asking them to honor the price the agent gave me, I merely want them to use the deposit that they have, which was made with my credit card, towards a re-booking on the same cruise. How is this unreasonable?

 

Also...to use your theoretical Macy's argument, one needs to add that the personal shopper was contracted with Macy's to provide personal shopping services through their store and sell Macy's products. If that personal shopper took off with my money, you can darn well bet I'd have a problem with Macy's.

 

I was going to bring up this exact point but was still reading through the thread.

 

+1

[Fydlstyx]

They are allowing this guy to sell NCL cruises. They admitted that they were aware of the issues with this guy, and yet still allow him to sell NCL cruises. Sounds like liability to me.

 

Yes, you are right about that. They should not be allowing him to sell their cruises. I just don't NCL deserves the wrath of someone who got taken by the guy, that's all.

 

I do sympathize with the OP!

[BiXLL]

Yes, you are right about that. They should not be allowing him to sell their cruises. I just don't NCL deserves the wrath of someone who got taken by the guy, that's all.

 

I do sympathize with the OP!

you sympathies with the original poster????? I have been on 1 other vacation in my life!!! I am 55 years old, saved for 2 years to do this, obviously got taken by this guy and you sympathies for the op??? What about the rest of us?

[luddite]

you sympathies with the original poster????? I have been on 1 other vacation in my life!!! I am 55 years old, saved for 2 years to do this, obviously got taken by this guy and you sympathies for the op??? What about the rest of us?

 

Have you cancelled with this guy and called the credit card to tell them about cancelling abd getting your money?

[BiXLL]

I have filed a claim with Pay Pal. He called me today to the point of me unlloading on him till he hung up on me. I so hope he makes this right, I have airfare to tampa all ready paid for and it would be bad if I took this flight simply to see him!

[luddite]

I have filed a claim with Pay Pal. He called me today to the point of me unlloading on him till he hung up on me. I so hope he makes this right, I have airfare to tampa all ready paid for and it would be bad if I took this flight simply to see him!

 

Cancel it with him. Re-book with NCL.

[BiXLL]

Cancel it with him. Re-book with NCL.

I am in the very beggining stages of this, never had a bad internet experiance before. Trust me, I do not take loosing well. I am waiting to see what steps I need take next. If I loose, somebody else is going to loose worse!

[SissasMomE]

Cancel it with him. Re-book with NCL.

 

Yeah, I agree. Cancel it with him and rebook directly with NCL. Paypal and your CC company should take care of getting the funds back. You have no reason to stay with him.

[krzi]

I always booked with a travel agent because I like having things taken care of and ready for me, I do not price bargain because I know my agent would already give me the best price and I have used them for my last 6 cruises. They give me on board credit and usually wine in room on first day.

 

I learned a few things from my travel agents, travel agents are not allowed to charge your credit card or accept payments on your behalf to pay the cruise line or suppliers directly. Apparently there is some law against that. If you ever see an agent requesting you to paypal him money or they will charge your credit card with their agency, immediately call your credit card company and cancel the booking.

 

You just had bad luck, I would give a more reputable travel agent a shot.

[Bars7816]

This is not true, I always use a TA and never book direct with the cruise line because I get so much better customer service from my TA. When I book a cruise and give her a CC for deposit and any other payments, the payment goes directly to the cruise line immediately from my CC and can be checked online with my CC company. She is a local franchise with one of the largest cruise line booking agencies and 100% reputable.

 

The real moral of the story should be never use any online booking person or company you know nothing about and can not show up at their doorstep when there is a problem. The OP is very very lucky she got this resolved.

I think you misunderstood me, or I am not understanding your post! I was quoting the prior post when I pasted in red. We always use a TA for better pricing and perks.:)

[ldlewis45]

Also...to use your theoretical Macy's argument, one needs to add that the personal shopper was contracted with Macy's to provide personal shopping services through their store and sell Macy's products. If that personal shopper took off with my money, you can darn well bet I'd have a problem with Macy's.

 

 

I was going to bring up this exact point but was still reading through the thread.

 

+1

Actually, if you would both reread my example, it was a 3rd party, independent personal shopper, just like the TA in question is a 3rd party, independent travel agent. It's an apples-to-apples comparison. Unless you're using a personal shopper contracted with or provided by the store, the store has nothing to do with your contract with the personal shopper. If the agent is not contracted by NCL to sell cruises for them, if he's just put up a virtual store-front and is hawking cruises and stealing the amount beyond the basic deposit, there's absolutely nothing that they're legally or morally obligated to do for the OP or anyone else that was scammed.

 

Just like there'd be nothing that Macy's could or should do if an independent personal shopper only delivered $300 worth of goods when he was given $1000. Macy's would probably laugh in the face of someone that called them up and said, "Hey, I paid this guy from Personal Shopping Agency to buy me $1000 worth of goods from your store and he's only provided me with $300 worth! What exactly are you going to do about it?" The only thing they're going to do is ask, "Did you contact Personal Shopping Agency through Macy's, or by recommendation or referral from a Macy's employee? No? Sorry, nothing we can do to help you. Next time you should use OUR in-store personal shopper or buy it yourself."

[LMaxwell]

Using Paypal linked to your bank account is just like using a debit card. You can make a claim with Paypal all you want, but if the person emptied their account and took your money, there isn't much they can really do about that unfortunately.

 

Always use a credit card with strong consumer protections. Ask and verify with your T/A when you book whose name will show on the invoice. You *want* the payment to be shown as going directly to the cruise line, NOT to the T/A. The T/A's want you to pay them, and then they pay the cruise line; that way they take their chunk up front. That leaves YOU twisting in the wind.

 

It really sucks that this is happening to people and that they get taken advantage of. No one deserves to have that happen, let alone the frustration of trying to sort it all out. This is a good warning for others to stay away from Paypal and Checking accounts / debit cards for this sort of purchase.