Travel World Sydney under investigation after allegedly taking over $200,000 from customers in holiday ruse

A travel agency in Sydneysouth suburbs of is under investigation after allegedly defrauding dozens of customers out of their holiday funds.

Travel World Sydney, with a now-closed store on Firth St, Arncliffe, is said to have taken $234,534 from customers over the past 17 months but failed to make any real bookings.

There have been 28 formal complaints about the business’ alleged conduct since January 2023.

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The physical agency has been abandoned and phone lines are down, but the Travel World Sydney website remains online.

“We don’t just plan trips, we create adventures that will be just for you,” the website says.

“We’ll walk you through the visa process, translate those confusing menus and make sure you have all the insider tips to avoid the tourist traps and experience the real culture.”

While victims of the alleged fraud may have been able to request refunds from card issuers after noticing that their bookings appeared to be inauthentic, claims are usually required to be filed within a certain period of time after being charged.

This usually ranges from 45 to 120 days – and NSW Fair Trading, which investigated the 28 complaints, confirmed most consumers would be outside that time frame.

NSW Police are also investigating the case.

“A number of people have come forward to report that they had made travel arrangements with the agency and those bookings were not honoured,” NSW Police told 7NEWS.com.au.

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann said: “This type of dishonest behaviour, if proven, is unacceptable and harms consumers and the market.

“NSW Fair Trading is committed to protecting consumers from this illegal behaviour.

“Under the Australian Consumer Law, businesses must not accept payment for products or services if they do not intend to deliver the product or service.

“Penalties for a violation are up to $50 million for a corporation and $2.5 million for an individual.”

7NEWS.com.au has contacted Travel World Sydney for comment.