I had sent a letter to our India Currents magazine.
They jave published it - see http://www.indiacurrents.com/articles/2012/12/04/voices
Another letter was also published - I reproduce them below
Fraudulent Travel Agency
India Currents carried an advertisement from Bombay Tours and Travels, operated by Vijay Bakshi. I called Bombay Travels to assist in booking tickets for my family on Emirates Airlines for travel from San Francisco to Delhi. On September 24, 2012, I wrote a check for $5,325 to Bombay Tours, Inc. and deposited the check into the agency account. However, on the day of the travel I was stopped at the airport for not having a reservation. The merchant in question had bought the tickets for me using stolen credit cards. The e-tickets he had sent me were canceled due to non-payment. I had to buy new tickets.
On my return to the United States, I plan to file a police complaint against this business. In the meantime I am alerting India Currents readers to be careful and to caution anyone who conducts business with Bombay Travels and Tours or with Vijay Bakshi.
Rajeev Sumbly, currently in India
I am writing to inform you that a travel agency, Bombay Travels also known as Bombay Tours, has defrauded me to the extent of $8,000. They promised to acquire two business class tickets for me and my wife for travel from SFO-BLR recently. I decided to use their services since they offered a reasonable deal. I sent them a check so they could make a quick booking. Bombay Tours booked my tickets with British Airways by using a bogus credit card and, adding insult to injury, using my name as the card holder. Predictably British Air did not issue tickets and flagged the transaction. The end result was that I was unable to visit my aged parents and family who were keenly expecting us.
I called Bombay Tours and demanded my money back. They deposited a check into my account but the check was returned due to insufficient funds. Subsequent attempts to recover my money has also failed. I have notified authorities and hired a private investigator who informed me that the name given for the owner, Vijay Bakshi, is probably a bogus one. The address given was just a private mail box.
You will appreciate that this is much more than a matter of money; amongst Indian families the emotional after effects of missed reunions are quite strong. I have setup a blog http://bombaytoursfraud.blogspot.com/ to facilitate information sharing. Please point any inquiries to this website. Hopefully we can succeed in bringing this criminal to justice.
D. Krishna Murthy, CA
They jave published it - see http://www.indiacurrents.com/articles/2012/12/04/voices
Another letter was also published - I reproduce them below
Fraudulent Travel Agency
India Currents carried an advertisement from Bombay Tours and Travels, operated by Vijay Bakshi. I called Bombay Travels to assist in booking tickets for my family on Emirates Airlines for travel from San Francisco to Delhi. On September 24, 2012, I wrote a check for $5,325 to Bombay Tours, Inc. and deposited the check into the agency account. However, on the day of the travel I was stopped at the airport for not having a reservation. The merchant in question had bought the tickets for me using stolen credit cards. The e-tickets he had sent me were canceled due to non-payment. I had to buy new tickets.
On my return to the United States, I plan to file a police complaint against this business. In the meantime I am alerting India Currents readers to be careful and to caution anyone who conducts business with Bombay Travels and Tours or with Vijay Bakshi.
Rajeev Sumbly, currently in India
I am writing to inform you that a travel agency, Bombay Travels also known as Bombay Tours, has defrauded me to the extent of $8,000. They promised to acquire two business class tickets for me and my wife for travel from SFO-BLR recently. I decided to use their services since they offered a reasonable deal. I sent them a check so they could make a quick booking. Bombay Tours booked my tickets with British Airways by using a bogus credit card and, adding insult to injury, using my name as the card holder. Predictably British Air did not issue tickets and flagged the transaction. The end result was that I was unable to visit my aged parents and family who were keenly expecting us.
I called Bombay Tours and demanded my money back. They deposited a check into my account but the check was returned due to insufficient funds. Subsequent attempts to recover my money has also failed. I have notified authorities and hired a private investigator who informed me that the name given for the owner, Vijay Bakshi, is probably a bogus one. The address given was just a private mail box.
You will appreciate that this is much more than a matter of money; amongst Indian families the emotional after effects of missed reunions are quite strong. I have setup a blog http://bombaytoursfraud.blogspot.com/ to facilitate information sharing. Please point any inquiries to this website. Hopefully we can succeed in bringing this criminal to justice.
D. Krishna Murthy, CA
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