Recent Event Highlights: Olympic trademark rules shackle travel agents, E-Clear must be probed, says travel fraud watchdog, E-Clear: Travel industry fraud group calls for action, TMC hit by £12,000 villa fraud, Shots fired at home of E-Clear boss, E-Clear: Cyprus property firm pulled into hunt for missing millions, and 168 more...
Created by nathanmidgley on Feb 5, 2009
Last updated: 04/06/10 at 05:49 PM
E-Clear administrators have uncovered just £72,000 after months of investigations into the controversial credit card processing firm and said the situation was “looking bleak”.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/24/33348/e-clear-administrators-uncover-just-72000.html
Travel agents wanting to cash in on the London Olympics have been warned they risk criminal prosecution unless they adhere to stringent trademark and copyright laws
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/18/33285/olympic-trademark-rules-shackle-travel-agents.html
PricewaterhouseCoopers is considering pursuing an affiliate of Deutsche Bank for £20 million owed by E-Clear following Globespan’s collapse.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/08/33185/pwc-may-pursue-deutsche-bank-affiliate-over-20m-e-clear-debt.html
A travel management company (TMC) has fallen victim to a fraud in which customers lost their luxury villa bookings worth up to £12,000.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2010/02/04/32966/tmc-hit-by-12000-villa-fraud.html
Police have confirmed they have no plans to launch a full investigation into credit-card processing firm E-Clear.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2010/01/14/32803/police-deny-e-clear-investigation.html
A First Choice agent from County Durham has appeared in court on fraud charges.
Paul Crane, 31, of Birch Crescent, Burnopfield, County Durham, who worked for the Gateshead branch, appeared before magistrates in the town on a preliminary hearing on Friday, December 11.
Outlining the case against Crane, prosecutor Justin Gibson told the court that management had first been alerted to the alleged fraud when it proved impossible to contact a client about an overdue balance on a booking.
An investigation then began and a total of 19 fictitious bookings were discovered.
This led to the accusation that Crane was making the bookings and entering the deposits in the computer, before cancelling the bookings and keeping the commission.
Mr Gibson told the court: “Telephone calls were made and letters sent to the clients but they turned out to be non-existent.”
Crane made no plea to the accusations of theft and dishonestly abusing his position between March 2008 and January 2009 and...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/12/15/32605/first-choice-agent-in-court-on-fraud-charges.html
Fraud using payment cards issued overseas is on the rise – and agents could become prime targets, the Prevention of Fraud in Profit (PROFiT) group has warned.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/12/10/32572/fraud-warning-issued-over-foreign-payment-cards.html
Fourteen people denied conspiring to defraud Thomas Cook of about £235,000 at a hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on September 14. Nine woman and five...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/09/15/31882/fourteen-deny-conspiracy-to-defraud-thomas-cook.html
A travel consultant who worked for the three fraudsters jailed on September 8 has warned other agents to speak out if they suspect wrongdoing. Michael...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/09/11/31863/fraud-victim-urges-other-travel-agents-to-speak-out.html
The Prevention of Fraud in Travel Group (PROFiT) is to road test a number of anti-fraud computer systems to...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/08/06/31608/profit-to-trial-systems-to-fight-cardholder-not-present-fraud.html
Travel agents have been urged to exercise caution when entering into business relationships during the recession. The warning comes after three bogus...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/07/02/31347/three-travel-agents-plead-guilty-to-1.2-million-fraud.html
Travel agents are being warned of a travel scam - an email asking the agent to book flights from Lagos, Nigeria, with a credit card. Anti-fraud campaign...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/06/17/31235/email-scammers-target-travel-agents.html
It's Krakow or Salzburg, and only our travel agent columnist's crystal ball can prevent an all-out row...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/06/11/31188/maureen-city-break-standoff-brings-out-my-inner-fortune-teller.html
Our travel agent columnist reckons the operator's Jordanian cooking class will help lighten the gloom...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/13/30973/maureen-peltours-cooks-on-the-bright-side.html
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/19642/nardi-named-in-abta-fraud-scandal.html
The ringleader of a gang of fraudsters who ripped off thousands of holidaymakers has been ordered to pay back £4.2 million or face a further seven years in prison
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/30613/fraud-ringleader-ordered-to-pay-back-4-million.html
Select a test...Homepage1: Introduction to InterContinental Hotels Resorts 2: Business or Pleasure? 3: North Asia 4: Southeast and South Asia 5: Australia, New Zealand and French PolynesiaHome | Exit
InterContinental Hotels Resorts Asia Pacific Rewards Official Sweepstakes Rules - December 2006
1. NO PUR
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/22949/intercontinental-terms-and-conditions.html
Would you switch from ABTA to TTA Worldchoice? Read the facts and figures below to help you decide which association is for you
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/30401/tta-worldchoices-abta-alternative-would-you-switch.html
The glittering legal career of Riccardo Nardi lies in ruins following his conviction for fraud.
Barristers governing body The Bar Council is likely to disbar him striking him off the register of those able to practise law at an official tribunal hearing later this year.
Because Nardi is expected to face a prison term The Bar Council will go ahead with the tribunal without him, a step usually reserved for barristers working overseas.
"The ultimate sanction is disbarring, which means you are no longer a barrister," said a Bar Council spokesman. "The legal world is small, so it generally means you cant pick up any legal work, even as an advisor, if youve been disbarred."
Read the full story in this week's Travel Weekly.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/20633/nardis-career-in-ruins.html
The Heathrow-based airline ticket-fraud unit has come under fire from ABTA after an agent complained that officers failed to help catch a fraudster.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/7273/abta-attacks-fraud-unit-after-officers-fail-to-act-on-agents-heathrow-tip-off.html
The more things change, the more our Maureen wants to reach for the bottle...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/22015/maureen-the-travel-industrys-favourite-columnist.html
Journal: TWUKSection: Title: Issue Date: 25/09/00Author
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/12520/travelocity.com-targets-internet-wary-clients.html
ABTA has been forced to defend changes to its code of conduct that prompted its withdrawal from the Office of Fair Trading’s Consumer Code Approval Scheme
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/22429/abta-criticised-for-code-of-conduct-violation.html
Improving your business by understanding the A-Z of three generations was a focus of one of the sessions at the ABTA Travel Convention... Penny Wilson reports
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/29117/business-advice-understanding-the-three-generations-of-travel-clients.html
ABTA has warned agents not to rely on authorisation from the banks as a safeguard against being hit by huge charge-backs after credit-card companies detect
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/3738/abta-urges-agents-to-take-fraud-precautions.html
Four people who ran a £6 million travel agency scam were given a total of 18 years in jail at Southwark Crown Court today.
Christakis Phillippou, 62, of Bark Place, Bayswater was given 7 years. Evangelina Liogka, 38, of Montpelier Place, Knightsbridge was given 3 and a half years.
Timothy Entwisle, 56, of Ludworth, Dorset, was jailed for 3 years.
A co-conspirator, Peter Kemp, 52, who had already pleaded guilty to the same charges was given four and a half years.
Thet were found guilty of conspiring to defraud thousands of holidaymakers on February 26.
The group set up five separate companies between July 2003 and August 2006, to sell holidays at inflated prices. They pocketed customers’ money before closing down and leaving them empty-handed.
Jurors took just two-and-a-half hours to find the trio guilty. Philippou and Entwisle were found guilty of all five charges, while Liogka was cleared in regards to conspiracy to defraud customers using Onshine Ltd.
Mike Monk,...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/27317/travel-agency-fraudsters-jailed-for-a-total-of-18-years.html
The Logic Group product marketing manager Sarah Goode offers a few pointers on how to avoid falling foul of credit card fraud
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/30589/how-to-preventing-credit-card-fraud.html
Travel Weekly is dedicating Febraury 2009 to raising awareness of travel fraud. Here we look at a scam operated by travel agency Top Flyers in 2007
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/30184/fraud-case-study-top-flyers-bust-out.html
Increases in credit-card fraud confirm the need for increased security for 'cardholder not present' (CNP) transactions, according to fraud specialist John McVitie. The latest unoffici
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/1088/rise-in-card-fraud-confirms-security-needs.html
The fraudsters found guilty of defrauding thousands of holidaymakers will be forced to pay back at least £2million of their assets, Southwark Crown Court ruled today
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/30557/travel-fraudsters-to-repay-at-least-2-million.html
The break-up of the ATOL-bonding consumer protection scheme could lead to an increase in company failures in the peak season and a sharp rise in fraud, industry leaders have warned
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/22170/protection-changes-will-lead-to-failure-and-fraud.html
Journal: TWUKSection: Title: Issue Date: 11/09/00Author
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/12115/in-brief.html
With just a few hours of 2008 remaining, we've dug into the Travel Weekly records to find out which news stories scored the most hits this year...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/29853/top-10-travel-weeklys-most-read-stories-of-2008.html
Members call on new president to restore faith in Newman Street
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/20320/six-months-to-save-abta.html
EBOOKERS chairman and chief e
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/18426/ebookers-to-go-on-acquisition-spree.html
ABTA applauds 15-month sentence in deception case
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/20473/fraudulent-agent-gets-jail-term.html
I have read with interest yet another article in Travel Weekly (November 22) on credit-card frauds and Mike Monk's outline of a typical scenario. A
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/2202/ask-for-id-on-tod-bookings.html
Criminals are realising that credit-card fraud is a lot easier than robbing a bank. Fraud specialist John McVitie said:"The armed robbers of yester
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/2258/would-you-take-credit-if-frauds-on-the-cards.html
ABTA has succeeded in recouping £132,000 from liquidators following the collapse of South Shore Travel (Southport) in 1993. ABTA head of legal services Riccardo Nardi said he was deli
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/1685/abta-recovers-insolvency-cash.html
Ryanair has accused Thomas Cook of “deception, mis-selling and fraud” after the travel agency levied a £82 fuel surcharge on two Ryanair passengers last year.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/30340/ryanair-hits-out-at-thomas-cook-fuel-surcharge.html
ABTA president Martin Wellings has announced he will not stand for re-election.
Speaking at ABTA’s annual general meeting, Wellings, who has held the position for two terms, said he was stepping down to concentrate on his own company Personal Service Travel in Sussex.
He added: “I have enjoyed my time as president but I have decided to stand down because it is time-consuming.”
The deadline for nominations is May 3 and a new president will be voted in on May 10.
The news follows the rubber-stamping of changes at the AGM which mean agents will no longer have to pay for external account audits. Instead they will have to send ABTA proof of accounts.
ABTA will also be able to deal with fraud faster, while financial and membership criteria will be more flexible.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/21794/wellings-to-step-down-as-abta-president.html
Journal: TWUKSection: Title: Issue Date: 18/09/00Author
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/12448/new-system-to-aid-crackdown-on-fraud.html
Journal: TWUK Section:
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/05/11/12298/new-system-to-aid-crackdown-on-fraud.html
A Shropshire travel agent on the run after being convicted of a series of fraud offences has been arrested by police in France.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/04/14/30723/shropshire-travel-agent-fraudster-arrested-in-france.html
Travel Weekly columnist Maureen Hill has uncovered fraudsters targeting agencies in the West Country. The Gillingham-based Travel Angels consultant...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/04/09/30706/travel-weekly-columnist-maureen-hill-uncovers-fraudsters.html
It's a good thing our travel agent columnist was on the ball this week - credit card fraudsters have targeted her business...
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/04/09/30709/maureen-just-call-me-fraud-buster.html
The holidaymakers and trade bodies who lost out to a gang of fraudsters are to be awarded compensation.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/03/31/30619/judge-awards-compensation-for-holiday-fraud-victims.html
The ringleader of a gang of fraudsters who ripped off thousands of holidaymakers has been ordered to pay back £4.2 million or face a further seven years in prison
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/03/30/30613/fraud-ringleader-ordered-to-pay-back-4-million.html
THE wife of former ABTA legal chief Riccardo Nardi, who is accused of swindling the association out of more than 1 million, will fight prosecution attempts to commit her case to the Crown Court, her solicitor has said.
Stephen Smith, representing Samantha Nardi, told Horseferry Road Magistrates she will contest the committal proceedings at a hearing in two months time.
Cases are heard in the Crown Court if they are deemed too serious for a magistrate to preside over.
The Nardis, both 37, were excused attendance at court last week but will reappear on November 23.
Around 1,000 documents have been compiled by the prosecution in relation to the alleged fraud.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/03/26/20298/battle-against-crown-case.html
Members call on new president to restore faith in Newman Street
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/03/26/20320/six-months-to-save-abta.html
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