5 On Your Side: Edinburg woman warns others of online travel agent scam
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An Edinburg woman says she is out thousands of dollars after booking what was supposed to be a dream mother and daughter vacation.
Diana Lopez says she started planning a trip to Europe last year through Velamar Travel, a travel agency she found on a Facebook group.
The trip was supposed to be a high school graduation gift for her daughter.
Lopez started making payments this year, but as the date for the trip got closer, she started noticing some things were off.
"I noticed she sent another link and the fees were $300 more. She did say if you want to avoid fees, you can send it to me CashApp or Zelle," Lopez said. "About a week before, she sent me an updated itinerary with the flight and hotel name. So I had a gut feeling that most moms usually have. They looked for my name, my daughter's name. My email, my phone number and nothing."
In total, Lopez spent more than $7,000.
The better business bureau says sending money through cash apps is always risky.
"Some of these consumers are paying via CashApp, Zelle. The problem is paying that way, it's harder for you to recover your money if it doesn't follow through. Your best bet is to always use a major credit card," BBB South Texas Chapter President Hilda Martinez said.
The BBB advises using a credit card, that way you can contact the credit card company to dispute any charges.
Channel 5 called the numbers the agency had listed, and the number Lopez used to contact Velamar, but received no response.
As for Lopez, she was able to get back around $3,000 and hopes the agency gives the rest back.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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