Scammer Cancels California Family's Luxurious Cruise Just Days Before Ship Sets Sail

"We noticed here that you have an outstanding balance on your upcoming cruise for $294," she said the so-called rep told her, "and you will not be able to board if that's not taken care of." Paine ended up paying the deck fee. However, upon hanging up, she called Carnival and realized she had been conned. Carnival didn't have any deck fee.

Mother Scammed Out Of Cruise

"She said, 'No, ma'am, that was a scam,'" Paine told NBC 4 LA this week. "'We wouldn't have charged you a deck fee. Go ahead and dispute that with your bank.'" Fortunately, she was able to dispute the charge and get her money back. But the scammer had the last laugh.

"I get an email alert that pops up on my phone. It says, 'Your cruise has been canceled.' And my heart sank," the devastated mom recalled to the station. Apparently, someone had access to her count and canceled her trip. She thinks it was the scammer getting retalliation against her.

"I was in tears. I said, 'Please, this is Mother's Day weekend with my kids,'" she said. Unfortunately, Carnival couldn't help her. They had already rebooked her room to someone else. The company also refused to give her a refund as the cancellation was within 15 days of the cruise date. However, Carnival changed their tune and offered a refund after media drew attention to the issue.

"To come up with $900 for a trip for my kids, it was only feasible by making payments and taking out a loan. So it was a lot of money for me," she told the local station.

"Unfortunately scammers target travelers," a company rep also said in a statement to NBC 4. The mother is planning to take another cruise later this summer.

"Nobody is safe from these scams. And they get better and better," she said.