The case of a Kenyan travel agent who has been reported and debated at KSB in connection with swindling travelers has eventually been covered by Stockholm City newspaper, the biggest morning newspaper in Stockholm. The following is an excerpt of the web version of today’s story and the link is provided below. The story has been translated into English for KSB readers.
In September, George Neaime bought two plane tickets to Manila, Philippines. George paid 17,800 kronor to Saanda travels directly through the owner and got the tickets. On Travel day, George phoned him up for a luggage case. He got the same message as many others had:
“He said that the tickets were invalid and that there was no point to travel to the airport. I stood there and my wife with our pre-packed bags”, says George Neaime.
The owner promised George money back for the first tickets if he bought two new ones. The couple was “desperate to get on their way to the family”. They borrowed together 18 000 SEK and eventually travelled. Back home again, George has neither seen the money nor Saanda owners. George Neaime is sad, offended and angry. He has notified police.
“I want my money back but do not know what to do when he cannot be reached”, he said.
Mikael Hellmyrs
About the Author
The paper version of “Stockholm City” has made a deeper coverage of Saanda’s fraudulent operations. It has done as much as KSB fans did by going to the Internet and finding numerous complaints entered in various travel agency-related websites.
Saanda has defrauded customers to the tune of tens of thousands of kronor (10000-tals kronor). Mike Hellmyrs, a correspondent of “City”, got details concerning Saanda from Mr. Torsten Palm of the Swedish General Complaints Agency (Allmänna Reklamationsnämden). The story cites Saanda’s website that claims to offer low prices with the highest quality service, but once customers buy their tickets, their dream journeys end up as nightmares. The owner, who operates alone, has lured people out of very large sums of money.
According to “City”, some have paid but have not received their flight tickets, while others have been hit by abrupt price hikes of 20,000 kronor upwards. Others have been abandoned without boarding flights in Kenya or Havanna because Saanda provided fake tickets.
The General Complaints Agency still gets people complaining that Saanda has ignored their order to pay them back their money after faulty bookings. According to Torsten who is responsible for information at the Agency, all serious businesses follow their rules, yet Saanda has been ignoring them many times and never repays customers their losses.
One complainant went to Saanda and threatened to report the owner but in return was literally kicked out of the office and into the street. The complainant said that the owner came out as a very angry person.
“City” went to an address in Fridhemsgatan where the Saanda office should be located. There is an African hair salon at the ground floor, but did not meet the owner. Saanda has got five “remarks/comments” (anmärkningar) and is registered as a “Partnership” (handelsbolag) at a private address in Huddinge where the 41 year-old owner resides.
After so many unanswered phone calls by “City” to the owner, they received an email saying: “The company has been hit hard by the financial crisis so we are currently searching for money abroad. We are so sorry that out customers have been affected. I shall do all I can to repay their money”.
why you dont look to what you are doing man wacha bishara kama uwezi ndungu this week it is not for kenyans wapapa asema why are you doing this leave that job if you can not fixe sisemi kwaubaye brother nimimi wana wapapa…. kwaheri
The owner of Saanda is a usual suspect; a blood-sucking, cheap pest well-known in Kenya-Stockholm. When KSB first raised the alarm concerning his fraudulent deals, some were skeptic blaming KSB for nosing around to bad-mouth this person. Now that the story has appeared in the City Newspaper, it confirms everything some of us already knew.
It is just a matter of time before this evil owner is caught and put inside the place he belongs, which is jail.
Flera anmälningar mot Saanda Travel
10 mars 2009 kl 12:50
Reseföretaget Saanda Travel lockar resenärer med billiga flygresor och flygpaket. Men flera som har köpt resor har blivit lurade. Företaget är nu svartlistat.
George Neaime är inte ensam om att ha haft trassel vid bokning med Saanda Travel. Biljetten för flygresan man har betalat för, blir ogiltiga precis innan avgång och man går miste om tusentals kronor. Resenären har helt enkelt inte en flygstol när hon eller han kliver på planet.
Saanda Travel har anmälts till Allmänna reklamationsnämnden (ARN) sju gånger sedan 2007 av upprörda resenärer, enligt Stefan Larsson, avdelningsansvarig på ARN. Anmälningar som kommer in till ARN rör både paketresor och flygbiljetter.
Företaget är en internetresebyrå som grundades 2001 och har sedan dess erbjudit reguljära flygbiljetter, hyrbil och hotell världen över. Saanda Travel lovar på sin sajt att hålla kostnaderna på resor världen över på en minimal nivå. Men efter flera anmälningar mot företaget, bör man alltså se upp.
Saanda Travel finns med på svarta listan, som ställs samman av tidskriften Råd & Rön två gånger per år. Där hamnar företag som inte följer ARN:s beslut om hur tvister med kunder ska lösas.
Saanda Travel har inte heller ställt resegaranti hos Kammarkollegiet – något man är tvungen att göra om man säljer paketresor ifrån Sverige.
Vagabond har sökt företagsägaren, men inte fått tag på honom.
Text: Isabelle Öblom
http://www.vagabond.se/Resa/Nyheter/?news=111680
onsdag 4 mars 13:58
Mammas man skulle till Cuba idag och vara där en månad. Han har åkt dit några år nu och stannat ett tag. När han kom till Arlanda visade det sig att biljetten han köpt var bluff. Allt såg rätt ut och flighten fanns men inte hans namn i listorna vid incheckningen. Till slut fick han åka hem igen och inse han blivit blåst på resan.
Köpte biljetten via nätet men såg att det fanns ett kontor till resebyrån och var även där och kollade så det kändes säkert. Nu däremot kunde man se varningar på nätet om just den byrån. Saanda Travel hette den tror jag. Taskigt att behöva vända när man står på Arlanda och känner sig blåst. Han var helt förtvivlad stackarn, vilket jag förstår.
http://www.finest.se/userBlog/?uid=31416&beid=1086112
2009-03-08
Oseriös företagare. Tar betalt men luras med ogiltiga biljetter. Bedrägerier. Anmäld till Polis och ARN. VARNING!!
http://www.reco.se/saanda-hb
10 Mars 2009 kl 11:19
Det hände min mamma också. Hon gick till Saanda Travel och köpte en biljett som sen visade sig vara falsk och ogiltig.
Hon har flera gånger kontaktat ägaren och krävt om att få tillbaks sina pengar, men utan resultat.
Polisanmälde händelsen men fallet las ner på grund av otillräckligt med bevis.
Nu plötsligt har fallet återupptagits eftersom polisen har fått in fler anmälan.
http://malmolund.city.se/nyheter/2009/03/06/_Resebyran___blaser_alla_/
Saanda Handelsbolag
Verksamhet: Resebyråer
Org.nummer: 969677-0248 Bolagsform: Handelsbolag
Bolagsman: XXX
Registreringsår: 2001
F-Skatt: Registrerad läs mer
Telefon: 073-9876630
BESÖKSADRESS
Fridhemsg. 38
112 40 Stockholm
Stockholms län
Visa på karta
UTDELNINGSADRESS
Terapiv. 18 C
141 56 Huddinge
Stockholms län
Antal anställda: 1-4
Omsättning: 1000 – 4999 tkr
http://www.allabolag.se/9696770248
Saanda Travel svartlistat hos Råd & Rön. På Råd & Röns Svarta lista hamnar företag som inte följer Allmänna Reklamationsnämndens (ARN) beslut.
Ärenden februari 2009:
Ombokningar vid flygresa Stockholm–Nairobi. Företaget rekommenderas att betala 10 000 kronor.
http://www.radron.se/templates/Artikel.aspx?id=41
Hoppas han sys in, precis som Aer Olympics ägare häromåret. Att blåsa kunder på sina hårt förvärvade pengar och sköna resedrömmar ska svida. Två år på kåken är ett rimligt straff!
Huyu mjinga mwenye Saanda Travel amekuwa akijigamba eti ana hela na huku twaona mapato yake yasema elfu 1000-4999 kr. Hii pia ni uwongo ili wanasheria wakianza kumufuata waone hana mapato ya juu. Mwanzoni aliandika eti mapato yake ni karibu krona milioni nne. Jambazi kabisa huyu jamaa.
Nakumbuka akisema ana mamilioni ya krona na maisha mazuri. Bure sana na natumaini wanasheria watamkamata nakumuweke korokoroni kwa kuwafanyia wateja wake madhara na kuwaiba pesa. Yeye Shetani mkuu ambaye hana heshima kwa watu.
Polis utreder resebluffen
Snaran dras åt kring nätresebyrån Saanda travel. Polisen utreder – ägaren riskerar fängelse. – Det verkar handla om bedrägeribrott, säger Stig Sandgren, bedrägerisamordnare på Citypolisen.
I måndagstidningen berättade City om nätresebyrån Saanda travel som lurat resenärer via bland annat falska biljetter. Efter rapporteringen har fler lurade människor hört av sig till City och polisen – som nu återupptar nedlagda utredningar mot Saanda travel.
– Ja det har ringt under morgonen och det finns ett tiotal anmälningar just nu. Folk har blivit av med en hel del pengar i vad som verkar vara bedrägeribrott, säger Stig Sandgren, bedrägerisamordnare vid Citypolisen.
Straffet vid bedrägeribrott är normalt böter och upp till två års fängelse, i grova fall sex års fängelse.
– Men jag törs inte svara på om drabbade resenärer kommer att få några pengar tillbaka. Det bästa man kan göra är att kolla om resebyrån innefattas av statliga resegarantin.
– Resebyråer som erbjuder paketresor måste ställa resegaranti till Kammarkollegiet vilket kan innebära pengar tillbaka för resenärer vid problem. Men det har Saanda travel inte gjort.
– Nej, trots att de verkar bedriva garantipliktig verksamhet har de faktiskt inte det. Vi kommer troligen att granska och höra av oss till dem nu, säger Markus Andersson, handläggare på Kammarkollegiet. För George Neaime och många andra som lurats på 10 000 tals kronor ser det mörkt ut.
– Jag har fortfarande inte hört ett ord av ägaren, suckar George.
City har förgäves sökt Saanda travels ägare.
Mikael Hellmyrs
Senast ändrad: Onsdag 11 Mars 2009 kl 09:53
Publicerad: Onsdag 11 Mars 2009 kl 09:49
http://stockholm.city.se/nyheter/2009/03/11/Polis_utreder_resebluffen/
I lost so much money because of the lies I got from the Saanda owner who had promised quality service for my trip to Kenya in 2007.
This person informed me while I was in Kenya that the Airline I had bought my ticket from had suddenly charged more money for my return ticket. I was shocked saying that it was impossible but insisted that I had to add 10,000 kronor on top of the 20,000 I had paid for the trip with my family.
When I checked with the airline in Nairobi, I was informed that I did not have a return flight; the Saanda owner had lied to me. I called him back but he refused to answer so I had to pay the money. In short, I had lost because without a return trip to Sweden I was doomed.
I later went to Saanda office but the owner only said that I was a fool who did not understand that prices change. I then took my case to the police who said I should be paid for not having been told the truth from the beginning. I am now waiting for justice.
Saanda Travel svartlistad
Reseföretaget Saanda Travel lockar resenärer med billiga flygresor och flygpaket. Men flera som har köpt resor har blivit lurade. Företaget är nu svartlistat.
http://www2.unt.se/avd/1,1826,MC=56-AV_ID=878340,00.html
The owner of Saanda Travel is selling his apartment probably to raise money. His conmanship has caught up with him and soon the Swedish authorities wil begin choking him slowly until he becomes penniless.
http://www.blocket.se/vi/19913577.htm?ca=23_3_s
I laughed out when I rechecked http://www.blocket.se that the Saanda owner used to announce the sale of his apartment and found that he took it off. So he reads KSB after all and is aware that such a link might be used to track him down. We know his intentions and it is a matter of time before the big boys come for him.
Saanda Travel is still registered and am sure he continues to squeeze money from customers who are not aware of his conning character.
KSB: Larry, it looks like you are really following the Saanda developments. Were you a victim or are you just trying to be a good Samaritan? Give us more links.
The Saanda owner who used to hunt people’s money dubiously is now being hunted. He has hurt so many people due to his greed. Am only being a good Samaritan so that potential customers don’t lose their hard-earned money.
KSB: Sawa. And keep us posted in case of any new developments.
Well done Larry!what this guy seems to be doing is trying to hide his assets before kronofogden gets in. Hope the guys he owes money could get proper legal advice and with speed, they can salvage some money by blocking his assets from being sold and money hidden before its too late. Unfortunately, crooks are always one step ahead!
The Saanda owner is a pathetic thief. Larry is right to mention the truth. Justice, I say RESPECT!
For the Saanda owner, moral or legal accountability don’t matter sincw he is only interested in profits. To hell with him!
Hej! vad skönt att höra att fler blivit lurade, inte för att jag missunnar dig att resa men jag har precis varit med om samma sak.
2006 i dec. skulle min familj på 7 personer åka till thailand över jul o nyår, den rackaren chockhöjde resan med nästan 5000 / person. Vi bor i umeå men åkte faktiskt ner til stockholm till SAANDA.
en stor svart man som har ett pytte kontor ovanpå en barbershop nästan hopplöst att hitta. jag ringde malaysia airlines och dom hade inte höjt nån skatt. vi bokade av, fick faktiskt igen handpenning och reste med ving istället- jag skrev detta på reseguiden då och hoppas innerligt att nån sätter dit denna man.
Mvh/ pelle
ANTONY ADIWA IS A THIEF
THE SWEDISH POLICE A BIG JOKE! HAVNT DONE ANYTHING IN ORDER TO STOP SAANDA DURING YEARS FROM ROBBING AND CHEATING!
I HAVE REPORTED HIS FRAUD MORE THAN ONE YEAR AGO!
HE SHOULD BE IN JAIL BY NOW IF THE POLICE HAVE DONE WHAT WE ARE EXPECTING AND PAYING THE TO DO!
THIS IS A SCANDAL!
KSB: You could make your point better by writing in lower case. KSB discourages commentators from writing in upper case because it amounts to “screaming”. The case of Saanda continues to disturb many people who have allegedly lost money.
The Saanda Travel owner managed to use a proxy to open another travel agency to ease the scandal he created. This business never took off but is registered in Sweden under the name of WALINAN.
This guy had become so desperate having accumulated a huge debt at the tax office which he might not be able to pay back in his life time. He will end up living as a pauper if he ever returns to Sweden and get jailed for suspected theft from many clients.
KSB: This story continues to amaze many people.
I saw the Saanda owner in Stockholm recently. The conman is very much around and has not left Sweden as many thought. He is simply hiding from those he conned at his fake travel agency, hoping the whole nightmare will end. I agree with Chango that the Swedish police are dragging with his case, but time will tell.
Saanda Travel is one of the companies blacklisted in 2009.
Reason:
Changes in the flight between Stockholm and Nairobi. The company is recommended to pay 10 000 SEK
http://www.svartlista.se/svartlista-2009-forts.html
KSB: What is not understandable here is why the amount of fine is very small compared to the numerous charges of fraud that have been doing the rounds in the net. Could it be that misunderstandings may have been converted into rip-offs by customers because logically, a fine of this amount could only cover one or two customers at the most.
I think such penalties are lodged by organizations aimed at checking service delivery from companies to customers. The criminal charges bear heavier fines dealing with the massive fraud counts on the Net. The guy is so shallow that his best response to the Stockholm City newspaper was that his firm had suffered huge losses due to the ongoing recession. Ripping-off thousands of kroner from customers has got nothing to do with the recession except pure theft on his part.
KSB: Sawa.
Jag och en kompis köpte biljetter till uganda och betalade via bank till hans konto. Dagen innan vi skulle åka fick vi ett mail att det blev ett annat flygbolag än det vi hade bokat men det kostade lite mera (7.800 kr) och tog mycket längre tid (23 timmar) istället för 11 timmar med BA. han kom med olika förklaringar som vi inte förstod, men vi kom iväg och faktiskt hem också. men det var mycket strul och löften som inte hölls. och mycket dyrare än den första bokningen. Han förlorade oss som kunder. Bokar numera direkt på flygbolaget hemsida istället och betalar med kort. Mycket säkrare och du får vad du bokat utan strul.
The Swedish police must be dragging themselves because the Saanda owner belongs in jail. I see him sometimes in Stockholm and he doesn’t look comfortable or confident like he was before this scandal. He is one guy who has no mercy for his clients and therefore deserves to be punished heavily.