An Edinburgh woman says she booked a dream mother-daughter holiday only to end up missing out on thousands of dollars.
Diana Lopez said she began planning her trip to Europe last year through a travel agency called Bellamar Travel, which she found in a Facebook group.
The trip was planned to celebrate her daughter’s high school graduation.
Lopez started making payments this year, but as her trip drew closer, she began to realize something was wrong.
“I noticed she sent me a different link, and the fees were $300 higher. She said I could send her money via CashApp or Zelle if I wanted to avoid the fees,” Lopez said. “About a week prior, she sent me an updated itinerary with flights and hotel names, and I had the usual gut feeling that most moms have. They looked for my name, my daughter’s name, my email address, my phone number, and there was nothing.”
In total, Lopez spent more than $7,000.
The Better Business Bureau says sending money through Cash App is always risky.
“Some consumers are using Cash App or Zelle to pay. The problem is that if you pay that way, it can be harder to get your money back if you fall behind on a payment. It’s always best to use a major credit card,” said Hilda Martinez, president of the BBB’s South Texas chapter.
The BBB recommends using a credit card so you can contact your credit card company to dispute the charge.
Channel 5 called the number listed by authorities and the number Lopez used to contact Bellamar but received no response.
Lopez, meanwhile, has managed to get back about $3,000 and hopes the agency will return the rest.
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