People in 4 states including Texas are now canceling plans for a cruise this summer, after sheriff investigators in Collin County arrested a woman for theft.
The potential victims shared they had bought the cruises via connections on Facebook, but this month it became clear that the staterooms on the Carnival ship they were sold didn't exist.
Sheriff investigators arrested the woman, Tracey Graf (from Farmersville, Texas) who now faces a felony theft charge. Graf is out of jail after posting a US$25,000 bond.
One of the victims revealed that Graf had offered them 7-day Caribbean cruises on Carnival Freedom. The ship is scheduled to leave Galveston on July 1.
According to Moore, she and others had learned about the trip on FB, from Graf’s cousin. She was told Tracey Graf was working as a travel agent, and could offer the voyage for US$250 per person, in order to fill spots which others had cancelled.
In her victim statement, Amanda Moore wrote that as many as 183 people were part of a FB group full of people who had booked either that cruise, or another one to Hawaii. However, by late May they had not received booking information.
After their online requests for refunds were deleted, the victims started reporting the situation to law enforcement.
According to court records, Graf is currently on community supervision, for 013 guilty plea on charges including forgery, and credit card abuse.
A Carnival Cruise Lines' representative said the company was aware of the case, and currently cooperating with law enforcement.