Its gonna be a long post. But I thought I should relate my experience with CS travel to create awareness and cautious the public.
I am not sure how many victims out there, but what I heard from my case, is that I am not the only one.
After my experience with CS Travel, I googled for this agency reviews and chanced upon that this agency was in Straits Times for the wrong reason in year 2016.
Title: Tour agency CS Travel's licence suspended by Singapore Tourism Board over complaints
Link:
I got cheated by an employee of CS Travel at the point of transactions. After the scheme was revealed and police report, there is insufficient support and updates from CS Travel as well.
On 2 Mar 2019. I have booked a Korea trip for Dec 2019 for 7pax. At their shop in Chinatown, we were served by a travel agent, Michael Chua and another agent whom I have not gotten his name. I have expressed that i would like to have an extension. However we were told that such extension cannot be done on the spot. The appointed agent in my case, Michael Chua will let us know the actual top up for extension once they cfm. I went ahead to pay my pkg deposit.
On 12 Mar, Michael contacted me via WhatsApp informing me the actual price for top up. If we are agreeable to the price, he will make a booking for us. I am comfortable with the price as I have also checked with other travel agency in regards to extension top up. I asked for PayNow mode as I am not able to go to their shop to make pymt immediately. He mentioned that CS Travel do not have such service and that I can pay via Internet banking to CS Travel. I proceeded to transfer a total of $2200.
On 26 July. I received a call from a CS Travel agent named MTH. He wanted to verify my balance payment. I do not agree with the balance and told him about my extension and it was handled by Michael. MTH said my extension was not recorded in the system and he will check with Michael and requested me to send my Internet banking evidence to him. I proceeded to send to MTH.
2 days later, 28 july, I texted MTH asking for updates. He said he will check with Michael tomorrow.
7 days later, 4 Aug, I texted MTH to get an updates. He never replied.
2 days later, 6 Aug, I texted MTH again. No response again.
2 days later, 8 Aug, I received another message from another CS Travel agent named AD asking to pay my balance amount to CS Travel via Internet banking. The account given is different from what was given by Michael in Mar19. This time I started to sense something is wrong. I decide not to reply the message and I called CS Travel directly. I told the operator my scenario and my call was Diverted to AD. I relate my scenario again and was told that Michael was terminated and the $2200 that I have transfer to Michael is not CS Travel account. It belongs to his personal account and confirmed that CS Travel did not receive this money. I should make a police report with reference to CS Travel police report number. I obliged. I have also sent all the evidence to AD as well via WhatsApp. I requested to help settle my extension ASAP as I have already booked my own accommodation for my extension. I made a police report on 9 Aug and sent the report to AD.
16aug - text her for updates.
17aug-replied that extension not so fast. They are monitoring with the airlines. But did not indicate roughly when will I know my extension confirmation.
14sep-texted her. No reply
22sep-texted again And still no reply.
I am getting impatient at this moment after all these series of no updates from 2 new agents!
I called CS Travel on 24sep. Somehow my call was directed to MTH.
I asked him:
Me: why are there no updates as to how to settle my extension issues despite my msg to them. Nobody responded.
MTH: he only intend to call me in Oct. He said they are not able to help as I have transacted with Michael on my own accord. And Michael is no longer CS Travel employee.
Me: but I was served by Michael at your shop and I was given his name card and was told that he is my appointed agent. Anything can liaise with him. I wanted to settle my extension on the spot, but the agents told me this is not the practise. I trust that they are legal employees of CS Travel and proceeded.
MTH: I can only give u 2 option. 1) Cancel the trip and CS Travel will only refund the deposit which I paid in Mar19 at their shop. 2) Continue with CS Travel and they only out of goodwill refund 50% of what I have personal transacted to Michael.
Me: Meaning I have to top up extra for my extension once again???!! I am left with not much choices as I have already paid my personal accommodation for my extension and now I have to top up for the whole extension again? Why is CS Travel not bearing the full responsibility when I have dealt with Michael whom is your employee at that point of time?
MTH: CS Travel also victim. He emphasized again that most importantly Michael is no longer our staff and they don't take such responsibility for non staff's action.
I was overall very disappointed with MTH attitude and how CS Travel have dealt with such case. I requested to speak to his superior. He refused and said that he is fully in-charge of this matter and said the higher management will never call you. I then says this will be ugly if it goes to media. He then gave me 2 names and said that 1 of them will be calling me by Friday (27 sep).
I understand that this is their first such case, I do not want to be too pressing with the agency. As above timeline, I gave them ample of time to sort this out. I think I am already very patient with their super slow response by MTH and AD. But I remained my cool until now. This is such a bad experience for me a first timer to book tour package from a local tour agency.
Both agent, Michael and AD requested via Whatsapp to pay via Internet banking. I told AD, I got cheated by Michael whom also claimed that he had given me the correct CS Travel account. Now, how do you expect me to also trust your words? Both are agents from CS Travel at the point of transact. She laughed. This is ridiculous!
I would expect that such well known agency should have a better way of dealing such situation. I have expect the agency to absorb this $2200 which I transfer to Michael given account claiming belongs to CS Travel and proceed with my extension without having me to top up again.
26 Sep, I leave a FB message to CS Travel and just got a reply at 7.34am: Hi good morning. Our customer service manager MTH will be solely in charge of the matter. Kindly liaise with him on the matter. Good day ahead.
I am not sure how many victims out there, but what I heard from my case, is that I am not the only one.
After my experience with CS Travel, I googled for this agency reviews and chanced upon that this agency was in Straits Times for the wrong reason in year 2016.
Title: Tour agency CS Travel's licence suspended by Singapore Tourism Board over complaints
Link:
I got cheated by an employee of CS Travel at the point of transactions. After the scheme was revealed and police report, there is insufficient support and updates from CS Travel as well.
On 2 Mar 2019. I have booked a Korea trip for Dec 2019 for 7pax. At their shop in Chinatown, we were served by a travel agent, Michael Chua and another agent whom I have not gotten his name. I have expressed that i would like to have an extension. However we were told that such extension cannot be done on the spot. The appointed agent in my case, Michael Chua will let us know the actual top up for extension once they cfm. I went ahead to pay my pkg deposit.
On 12 Mar, Michael contacted me via WhatsApp informing me the actual price for top up. If we are agreeable to the price, he will make a booking for us. I am comfortable with the price as I have also checked with other travel agency in regards to extension top up. I asked for PayNow mode as I am not able to go to their shop to make pymt immediately. He mentioned that CS Travel do not have such service and that I can pay via Internet banking to CS Travel. I proceeded to transfer a total of $2200.
On 26 July. I received a call from a CS Travel agent named MTH. He wanted to verify my balance payment. I do not agree with the balance and told him about my extension and it was handled by Michael. MTH said my extension was not recorded in the system and he will check with Michael and requested me to send my Internet banking evidence to him. I proceeded to send to MTH.
2 days later, 28 july, I texted MTH asking for updates. He said he will check with Michael tomorrow.
7 days later, 4 Aug, I texted MTH to get an updates. He never replied.
2 days later, 6 Aug, I texted MTH again. No response again.
2 days later, 8 Aug, I received another message from another CS Travel agent named AD asking to pay my balance amount to CS Travel via Internet banking. The account given is different from what was given by Michael in Mar19. This time I started to sense something is wrong. I decide not to reply the message and I called CS Travel directly. I told the operator my scenario and my call was Diverted to AD. I relate my scenario again and was told that Michael was terminated and the $2200 that I have transfer to Michael is not CS Travel account. It belongs to his personal account and confirmed that CS Travel did not receive this money. I should make a police report with reference to CS Travel police report number. I obliged. I have also sent all the evidence to AD as well via WhatsApp. I requested to help settle my extension ASAP as I have already booked my own accommodation for my extension. I made a police report on 9 Aug and sent the report to AD.
16aug - text her for updates.
17aug-replied that extension not so fast. They are monitoring with the airlines. But did not indicate roughly when will I know my extension confirmation.
14sep-texted her. No reply
22sep-texted again And still no reply.
I am getting impatient at this moment after all these series of no updates from 2 new agents!
I called CS Travel on 24sep. Somehow my call was directed to MTH.
I asked him:
Me: why are there no updates as to how to settle my extension issues despite my msg to them. Nobody responded.
MTH: he only intend to call me in Oct. He said they are not able to help as I have transacted with Michael on my own accord. And Michael is no longer CS Travel employee.
Me: but I was served by Michael at your shop and I was given his name card and was told that he is my appointed agent. Anything can liaise with him. I wanted to settle my extension on the spot, but the agents told me this is not the practise. I trust that they are legal employees of CS Travel and proceeded.
MTH: I can only give u 2 option. 1) Cancel the trip and CS Travel will only refund the deposit which I paid in Mar19 at their shop. 2) Continue with CS Travel and they only out of goodwill refund 50% of what I have personal transacted to Michael.
Me: Meaning I have to top up extra for my extension once again???!! I am left with not much choices as I have already paid my personal accommodation for my extension and now I have to top up for the whole extension again? Why is CS Travel not bearing the full responsibility when I have dealt with Michael whom is your employee at that point of time?
MTH: CS Travel also victim. He emphasized again that most importantly Michael is no longer our staff and they don't take such responsibility for non staff's action.
I was overall very disappointed with MTH attitude and how CS Travel have dealt with such case. I requested to speak to his superior. He refused and said that he is fully in-charge of this matter and said the higher management will never call you. I then says this will be ugly if it goes to media. He then gave me 2 names and said that 1 of them will be calling me by Friday (27 sep).
I understand that this is their first such case, I do not want to be too pressing with the agency. As above timeline, I gave them ample of time to sort this out. I think I am already very patient with their super slow response by MTH and AD. But I remained my cool until now. This is such a bad experience for me a first timer to book tour package from a local tour agency.
Both agent, Michael and AD requested via Whatsapp to pay via Internet banking. I told AD, I got cheated by Michael whom also claimed that he had given me the correct CS Travel account. Now, how do you expect me to also trust your words? Both are agents from CS Travel at the point of transact. She laughed. This is ridiculous!
I would expect that such well known agency should have a better way of dealing such situation. I have expect the agency to absorb this $2200 which I transfer to Michael given account claiming belongs to CS Travel and proceed with my extension without having me to top up again.
26 Sep, I leave a FB message to CS Travel and just got a reply at 7.34am: Hi good morning. Our customer service manager MTH will be solely in charge of the matter. Kindly liaise with him on the matter. Good day ahead.
