WC police investigating after 80 people duped of R2m in travel scam

CAPE TOWN - Western Cape police are investigating a case of fraud after nearly 80 people were duped out of R2 million for a vacation to Thailand.

The victims from Strand, Somerset West, Ceres, Bloemfontein, and Gqeberha were scheduled to fly out on Thursday 20 June for a 16-day holiday

However, they discovered that the trip was no longer happening after failing to get tickets and discovering their itineraries were fake. 

Rita Maree, Debbie Hartley, and Sharon Lategan from Strand, Western Cape, are among the 75 people who were scheduled to travel to Thailand on Thursday. They learned about the trip after this poster was shared on Facebook and WhatsApp last year.

Maree had planned to celebrate her 50th birthday in Thailand but was shocked when she learned that the person they had paid money to was not the trip organiser.

66-year-old Debbie Hartley, a pensioner, says on 12 June she was given reassurance that the trip was happening.

She booked the vacation in 2022 through her cousin Richo and his wife Beneta Jansen, and unlike others, she was provided with evidence of payment.

However during a meeting with Beneta last Saturday, she says she realised that she too had been scammed.

Buckton says she believes Jansen and her husband used them.

eNCA was also unable to reach the Jansens, Beneta and Richo.

We spoke with the owner of Angelique Tours, a case has been opened against her by the group from Strand.

She says she too has filed a case against the Jansen's for scamming her.