Travel agent accused of not giving refund

[Jason]

Travel agent accused of not giving refund for cancelled trip

Source: Angie Thompson, The Tifton Gazzette

A local travel agent was arrested Wednesday and charged with theft by conversion after a customer complained the agent took $1,700 to pay for a cruise and wouldn’t refund it when she canceled.

Lavonia H. Hobgood, 71, an agent with Sunbelt Tour & Travel on 4th Street, faces a felony charge of theft by conversion.

The alleged victim, Janet Owens of Tifton, told a Tifton Police Department officer that she booked a cruise with Hobgood in November for a trip with Royal Caribbean International for her son and herself. The cruise was planned for a group of graduating Tift County High School students and parents.

Owens stated that she paid a deposit of $200 in November when she booked the cruise to Key West, Fla., Cozumel, Mexico, and other destinations. She said that in March, she aid Hobgood a total of $1,700 for the balance of the cost of the cruise.

Owens said she canceled the cruise within the appropriate time frame to receive a full refund less the $200 deposit. As of Wednesday, the report stated, Owens had not been refunded the money and Hobgood or Sunbelt Tour and Travel “has refused to refund the money and failed to give a legitimate reason.”

The report states that Owens provided documentation, including copies of checks, a copy of a notarized letter addressed to Lavonia Hobgood of Sunbelt Tour and Travel requesting the refund and a letter addressed to her attorney from Royal Caribbean International stating that the cruise line only received the $200 deposit.

Tifton Police Detective Ricky Day said that Hobgood was released on $2,000 bond Wednesday and that the investigation into the case is continuing.

Hobgood did not return a telephone call made to the travel agency Wednesday afternoon.

[elfed]

Hi Jason,

Yes, I've heard iof this sort of thing before involving agencies. That's one of the reasons we now only book directly with the cruise line. You'll pay a bit more but it's worth the peace of mind knowing ther's no "middle man" involved.

Regards,

James.

[JoeyandDavid]

The bail was more than the amount of theft......Some TA's :sealedlips: :rolleyes:

[SCIROCCO]

Theres Bad Apples everywhere :wink: and it makes it hard for the good People out there who are trying to be honest, and do right by People! :wink:

[JoeyandDavid]

Good morning Robert ....

Sometimes the justice, (IMHO) should be as simple as the bad apples get thrown out with the garbage...

I am currently under the impression, we as a society; breed these type of individuals, when we adopt the win at ALL costs attitude.

Many consumers are ripe for the plucking.....

Example...

How many times a month do you think people shop somewhere and never read the receipt, happily assuming it is correct, after all it was a compter that tabulated it......

My congratulations go to the consumer!! Stand Up People...

Joey

[sailingrose]

Nice to see that some people still care. I bet it wasn't easy filing charges against the agent. Sometimes law enforcement doesn't want to do that against the locals. Glad that he was arrested, maybe now they'll get their money back.

Always a few bad ones in the bunch.

[JoeyandDavid]

Always Rose.. Love your new Avitar :wink:

[SCIROCCO]

You hit the nail on the head Joey! :wink: But me and Annie always check our receipts and your right we reap what we sow! :wink: but Joey what makes people so consumed with greed that they would jeopordize their lives and careers over some small amounts of Money or whatever they take! :rolleyes: Whats happened to our society nowdays! :huh: Is this the signs of things to come? :wink: Hey Joey I sent you a Gift for your Dad and wished him a Happy B-Day did you see it in Daily Dock? :wink

[sailingrose]

Thanks Joey! How nice of you to notice.

[Peddler]

Sounds like someone got Tifted off (Tifton) :grin: .