Rachid, the operator of Travel World Sydney based in Arncliffe, was arrested following customer reports of fake itineraries. She appeared on Nine’s A Current Affair last month, where devastated customers recounted their experiences with the agency, claiming they had booked trips only to receive counterfeit confirmations.
In response, officers from the St George Police Area Command in Sydney’s south formed Strike Force Bail to investigate the allegations. Yesterday, New South Wales police released footage of Rachid’s arrest at a complex on Mashman Ave in Kingsgrove. The 53-year-old was taken to Kogarah Police Station and charged with 16 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception. She was initially denied bail before appearing at Sutherland Local Court, where she was granted strict conditional bail. Rachid is set to return to court on July 1.
One customer, Nicole Vris, claimed she was swindled out of an astounding $160,000 by Rachid. Vris had booked a holiday to Greece for 35 family members through Travel World Sydney. “Planning this holiday takes a long time, from taking time off work to saving money for tickets and spending,” she explained to A Current Affair.
After paying the full amount, the family discovered that their booking confirmations were fraudulent. “We called Emirates directly, and they informed us that the numbers on the itinerary didn’t exist; we were not in their system,” a visibly distressed Vris stated. She added that many families would now miss the planned reunion, saying, “A lot of families will never recover from this financially; it’s a disaster.”
Another victim, Fatima Awada, booked a trip to Germany through the agency and realized something was amiss when she learned the agency had shut down. After contacting the airline, she found out her trip had been canceled. “It’s a big hit, not just for me, but for my sisters, my mum, and her kids as well,” Awada said, noting they lost nearly $10,000, contributing to a total of about $15,000 in losses for their group.
