A Dayton, Ohio area Disney Vacation Club member faces multiple charges after failing to arrange a $14,000 Thanksgiving trip to Walt Disney World.
39-year old Lisa M. Andres faces theft charges after fraudulently accepting money for a Walt Disney World Vacation. The Dayton Daily News cites a police report in which Andres told victims she could "book vacations at a discounted rate because she belonged to a Disney Vacation Club timeshare."
Andres allegedly took $14,305.80 from Kristina Martinez in exchange for accommodations at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, theme park passes, Deluxe Dining Plan and airfare over the Thanksgiving holiday. Only after departing for the airport did Martinez learn that there were no airline or hotel reservations waiting.
Another apparent victim--Pam Zale--claims to have lost $5,000 in a similar scam. Zale arrived in Florida to find accommodations different than what was promised, no meal plan and no park tickets.
In both cases, Andres promised to make restitution but only repaid a fraction of the cash. Zale claims Andres has scammed at least 50 others.
Renting Disney Vacation Club points is a popular method of securing Disney at reduced prices. The DVC owner uses timeshare points to make a reservation in the name of a non-member, and the parties agree upon a price for the transaction. The Walt Disney Company typically does not accept any liability in these private transactions since the owner retains full control of the reservation.
Prior to her arrest on the theft charges, Andres was in court to plead guilty to four counts of forgery related to cash withdrawls from a disabled relative's Social Security benefits account.
Andres has been arraigned on the theft charges with bail set at $25,000. The Butler County Prosecutor's Office continues to meet with victims and assess the extent of her crimes.
Source: Dayton Daily News
