TWELVE tourists were left stranded in Zhongying Street in Yantian District on Sunday by a non-existent travel agency after being defrauded of about 36,000 yuan (US$5,507).
The tourists, all in their 60s, were from Hubei Province on a five-day shopping tour to Hong Kong and Macao. They had booked online with a travel agency, yesterday s Daily Sunshine reported.
They found the Shenzhen Comfort International Travel Service Co. Ltd. in an online search April 7 and made reservations with a travel agent identified as Xie.
One of the tourists surnamed Qin told the Daily they had signed contracts with Xie when they arrived in Shenzhen on Saturday and paid more than 30,000 yuan for the trip.
The travel agency offered a one-day free trip to Zhongying Street and a tour guide, surnamed Wang, took them there by bus at 8 a.m. Sunday.
Wang and another two men posing as tourists left the group after the tourists spent about 6,000 yuan in a shop.
However, Qin and other tourists found the goods they had bought, including a watch, were broken. By this time, Wang and the bus had disappeared.
Qin and the Daily reporter went to the office at the address printed on the contract, but found it was named Shenzhen Comfort Travel Service Co. Ltd., instead of Shenzhen Comfort International Travel Service Co. Ltd. as stated in the contract. Staff at the agency told Qin that Shenzhen Comfort International Travel Service Co. Ltd. did not exist.
Qin called Xie to ask for refund and Xie said she would refund 70 percent of the contract sum though bank transfer.
Qiu Gan, deputy director of the travel management office of the city s tourism bureau, said: It s a typical online swindle and shopping swindle, and the suspects used the name of Shenzhen Comfort Travel Service Co. Ltd. to confuse consumers.
Qiu suggested consumers make reservations at travel agency offices, rather than online. Police are investigating.
(Tina Chen)
