Customers duped by Larnaca travel agent

Police are searching for a Larnaca woman following over a dozen complaints from people who say they were duped by a travel agent into pre-paying for their holiday packages.

The phones at the Aradippou police station were ringing off the hook on Thursday, with people wanting to file complaints against a woman who acted as their travel agent and has disappeared as of Wednesday.

According to the complaints, the woman, aged 37, received money from unsuspecting people who paid up front and in full for their holiday packages.

No further details were made available as police have just opened an investigation and people were expected to walk into Aradippou police station to file formal complaints.

But media reports said the woman appeared to have paid only a small down payment for the holiday packages, pocketing the rest which could amount anywhere between €25,000 and €80,000 as more people come forward.

According to Kathimerini Cyprus, the woman opened a travel agency in January 2018 and has been booking summer holidays while asking for full payments up front.

While an increasing number of Cypriots book holiday trips online, the tradition of using a booking travel agent has remained widespread on the island.