eBay travel victims unite
BRISBANE tourist Don Bailey has vowed to join other victims of a holiday rip-off and launch legal action against an online travel agent who ruined their dream holidays and left them thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Online auction site eBay has suspended Beach Australia's Robert Kobis, who also operates Cyber Blue Media, from trading on the site after it received hundreds of complaints from unhappy customers.
Mr Bailey and his wife Maxine arrived in Cairns on Tuesday only to find their five night booking at a Port Douglas hotel was part of the nationwide scam.
The couple have lost at least $1700.
The Cairns Post has received dozens of emails from Far Northern families and other people throughout the country after it revealed on Wednesday that holiday makers had been left hundreds of dollars out-of-pocket after booking accommodation with Mr Kobis.
Mr Bailey said he was stranded with a hire car but had no idea that he was roped into a scam because Mr Kobis had 98.4 per cent positive feedback on eBay.
"It's spoiled our holiday," Mr Bailey said.
"It doesn't help when I apply for leave from work and have nowhere to go. I'd like to get my money back."
Cairns mum Tracey Johnson and her family was forced to cancel their dream holiday on the Gold Coast when Mr Kobis took their money but failed to book their hotels.
"I was hoping some miracle would happen and our holidays would be booked," Mrs Johnson said.
"I haven't broken it to the kids yet because they were really looking forward to the theme parks."
A number of other families told The Cairns Post they were left with non-existent holidays by the same Victorian trader.
Investigator, Stephen Russell, from the Caulfield Crime Investigation Unit in Victoria, said the investigation was a "train wreck".
Victims are urged to lodge official complaints to E-crime on www.police.qld.gov.au/onlineauctionfraud and follow the steps.
"I’m getting emails every five minutes from people in Australia and New Zealand," he said.
An eBay spokeswoman said Mr Kobis’ account was now suspended and could no longer trade.
The Weekend Post contacted Mr Kobis yesterday but there was no room to leave a message on his voicemail.
contacted Mr Kobis yesterday but there was no room to leave a message on his voicemail.
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Stranded: Brisbane tourist Don Bailey and his family are $1700 out of pocket after paying for a holiday on the internet only to find nothing has been booked.
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