A Florida couple has been arrested over defrauding people of more than $200,000.
For scamming people, they booked fake Royal Cruise bookings and luxury watches that were never delivered.
The fraudsters are 65-year-old Antonio Diaz and 64-year-old Maria Blasco Diaz. Couple were arrested on April 7 and is now facing felony charges.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office reported that the couple collected around $200,259.85 in three years by scamming people.
The couple used to scam people by claiming that they could secure special discounts through a friend who worked for Royal Caribbean. They also used to lure people by offering exclusive packages, room upgrades, drink packages, and travel insurance for Royal Caribbean.
One of the victims even paid the couple $44,910 for a family booking for Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas scheduled for July 9, 2023.
However, till date, she has never received any updates. Responding to her repeated requests, Blasco Diaz came up with several excuses, eventually claiming her friend had been fired.
Upon direct contact with Royal Caribbean, they established that although the reservation was valid, it was not for her nor any of her family members. The payments written by the couple for their partial refund failed due to a lack of sufficient funds.
The couple is said to have received close to $139,000 as deposits for 16 Rolex watches and one Patek Philippe watch, owing to a claimed 50 percent discount on account of Antonio Diaz working in a jewelry shop.
Blasco initially confessed to the crime and made a statement that her husband “had nothing to do with it.”
For now, the couple has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they can face up to 30 years in prison.
How to avoid Royal Caribbean booking scams?
Officials have requested users to confirm the booking number immediately on the Royal Caribbean website or app to ensure it exists. Moreover, never pay upfront, and use the phone number directly from the official Royal Caribbean site for authentic contact.
