SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego man said he was deceived by an airline ticket website, something travel experts warn is a growing trend.
Jerry Peterson was looking for a ticket to Minneapolis earlier this year to visit family.
He booked it online with a website called Fare Masters. Peterson said he ended up talking to one of their representatives and asked the man on the phone if he worked for Delta.
“He said no, but we’re contracted with them to pick up their… overloaded calls as they come to us,” Peterson told Team 10.
Peterson paid more than $700 with his American Express card.
“He called Delta to confirm a ticket and they [said] you don't have a ticket. There's no confirmation,” said Peterson’s friend, Andy Mikolich, who has been helping him through this ordeal.
Since there was no ticket, Peterson ended up disputing the charge which showed up as PCM Travel on his credit card. After getting his money back, Peterson said a company representative called him again.
“This is a nightmare. The worst part was they wouldn't leave me alone,” Peterson said.
He is not the only one. Reviews online from the Better Business Bureau and TrustPilot have similar complaints.
“It’s the same story. They issue a ticket. They call back and they charge more money,” Mikolich said. “Then sometimes when you get to the airport, there's no ticket and then you have to buy a ticket at the last minute price.”
Clint Henderson is managing editor of The Points Guy, a popular travel website that has written about issues like the one Peterson is dealing with. Henderson said these types of companies are not new.
“Unfortunately, this has become really common in the internet area with these front companies,” Henderson said. “[They’re] pretending they’re airlines, pretending they’re some kind of travel agency.”
Henderson said these companies have found ways to hijack websites and Google listings where they can also change phone numbers from the actual airline to their third-party companies. Problems can begin once you give these sites your personal information, like your credit card number.
In Peterson’s case, he said Fare Masters ended up charging his credit card another ticket and had to dispute it again.
Mikolich wrote to Delta about the problem. He showed Team 10 the response from the company that said in part, "We’re aware that there are scams claiming the recipient has purchased an airline ticket from our company.”
The customer representative added in the email, ”It is important for you to know that this third-party vendor is not with our company and we have no knowledge of its source."
Fare Masters has not responded to Team 10’s emails asking for comment. When Team 10 called their customer service line, the representative said the phone line was for reservations and the call disconnected shortly after.
“The takeaway would be either buy the tickets directly from the airline or a reputable travel agent that you know,” Mikolich said.
Henderson echoed that. “Don’t rely on Siri or a quick google search,” Henderson said. “It’s happening more and more where you’re ending up linked to these shady companies.”
