Crooked travel agent, 37, funded her own luxury foreign holidays using customers’ money after being freed from jail over £10,000 scam
Rebecca Waterfall, 37, admitted using customers’ bank card details to pay for holidays abroad for herself after advertising trips on Facebook. The case matters because it involves repeat fraud against people who trusted her to arrange their accommodation, following earlier convictions for using customers’ and her employer’s money to fund trips.
A Manchester court heard that one holiday at a luxury hotel cost £3,467, another customer lost £1,136, and £3,530 was transferred to a third-party account. Waterfall was exposed after booking a trip to Antalya using a customer’s card but her own email address. She had previously been jailed after breaching a suspended sentence for an earlier fraud, and admitted seven counts of fraud and one of money laundering in the latest case; sentencing is due at Manchester Crown Court next month.
In short
- Rebecca Waterfall admitted a new holiday payment scam.
- One luxury hotel stay cost £3,467 on a customer’s card.
- She will be sentenced next month.
Explained simply
Travel agents arrange transport and accommodation for customers, who may share payment details so bookings can be made on their behalf. If an agent uses those details for personal spending, customers can lose money and may have to dispute the transactions with their bank.
Rebecca Waterfall had previously been convicted of fraud involving customers’ and an employer’s money. In the latest case, she admitted fraud and money laundering after taking money from people who responded to holiday offers she advertised on Facebook.
The case raises questions about how customers can protect payments when booking through an individual agent. The court is due to decide Waterfall’s sentence next month.