To:

 

ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents)

Civil Aviation Authority (UK)

Goa Police

Maharashtra Police

MET Police (UK)

Ministry of External Affairs of India

Mumbai Police 

Portugal Embassy in India

UK Trading Standards

 

As a concerned citizen, I hereby submit/support this formal request for urgent action against fraudulent travel agents and their business partners involved in the "UK2GoaAirlineTicketScam".

Numerous Goan individuals have fallen victim to fraudulent airline ticket sales schemes, suffering significant financial and emotional losses.

Many Goans in the UK planned to travel to Goa (India) for the decennial exposition of St. Francis Xavier, the state's revered patron saint, between November 2024 and January 2025.

The "UK2GoaAirlineTicketScam" involved fraudulent travel agents who promised victims airline tickets to Goa. However, either no tickets were ever issued, or the tickets provided were ultimately found to be invalid, leaving victims stranded at the airport. These agents allegedly became unresponsive to all communication attempts from their victims.

These scams often involve deceptive online platforms, third-party sellers, and even fraudulent travel agents.

A concerning element of this issue is the alleged involvement of the administrator of the  "UK GOAN GROUP FOR JOB ,RENT AND HELP" Facebook group. The group's administrator, Michael Bevan Dsilva, a Goan influencer, of using his platform to promote the services of fraudulent travel agents.

An active movement is currently underway by the group’s administrator on Facebook to close this group, potentially aiming to erase evidence of these scams.

Victims of these scams face significant challenges in obtaining refunds, recovering their losses, and seeking justice. The lack of adequate consumer protection measures and the ineffective enforcement of existing regulations have contributed to the proliferation of these fraudulent activities.

It is alleged that some of these travel agents and their alleged business partners, including Glen Moraes, Viola Savia Fernandes, Mahesh, and Michael Bevan, are operating without the necessary ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licensing) and are not affiliated with any trade bodies like ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents).

Therefore, we, the undersigned, demand that:

1. All individuals associated with the "UK2GoaAirlineTicketScam" be investigated.
2. UK authorities (MET Police, ABTA, and Trading Standards) should collaborate with Maharashtra Police and Goa Police (and vice versa). Also, Coordinate with the Portugal Embassy if any accused have connections to Portuguese citizenship or residency.
3. Depending on the perpetrators' citizenship and the international scope of the potential crime, relevant provisions from Indian, Portuguese, and UK legislation will be invoked. This includes sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (India), the UK's Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Fraud Act 2006, and applicable Portuguese laws."
4. Group litigation be pursued by victims with similar claims against these fraudulent travel agents to collectively seek justice.
5. Assets, both in the UK and India, of individuals involved in the scam be frozen to assist in compensating victims for their losses.
6. Strict sentencing be imposed on perpetrators to deter future occurrences of such scams.

We urge the authorities to take immediate and coordinated action to prevent further victimisation, bring the perpetrators to justice, and ensure appropriate compensation for all victims.

Yours sincerely,

The Goans 

(and all Goans across the Globe)

P.S. 

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