A British couple who tried to claim more than $26,000 from their travel agent over their all-inclusive vacation in Spain now has far worse accommodations. After making fake Food Poisoning claims for two separate vacations in Mallorca, they are both behind bars for fraud.

It was recently reported that Spain had busted a British group behind a $72 million food poisoning scam. Under the scam tourists would enjoy a vacation in Spain and then get their money back and more by falsely claiming gastric illnesses while away. The couple in question was among many culprits who have been caught out while defrauding their travel agent.

All-inclusive vacations with benefits by claiming food poisoning

It was recently reported that an ongoing scam is seeing tour operators hit with huge claims from their customers. The Fake Food poisoning claims arose as tourists, lured by certain unscrupulous U.K. insurance firms and touts hanging around resorts in the Mediterranean, claiming they had suffered severe gastric illnesses during their all-inclusive vacations in Spain.

That dishonesty doesn’t pay, however, as Paul Roberts, 43, and his partner, Deborah Briton, 53, are now behind bars for a fake food poisoning claim.

According to a report by the Euro Weekly News, Roberts and Briton had traveled with their two children to Mallorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands in both 2015 and 2016, staying at the Globales America Hotel.

On their return home from both vacations, they hit their tour operator, Thomas Cook, with claims of gastric illness during their time on vacation.

Caught out by social media post about ‘fab’ vacation

However, they got caught out by posts made on social media which said they had safely arrived home after enjoying two weeks in the sun, with much laughter and fun.

They went on to say they had a great time with their friends, who had made their vacation “fab.” They also wrote of the anticipation of taking a similar vacation the following year.

When sentencing the pair in the Liverpool Crown Court, the judge said the couple’s claims were a “complete and utter sham.” Judge David Aubrey said both their claims had been bogus from the start while claiming illness on two separate vacations.

Going on to say the illness claims obviously required both pre-planning and premeditation, he called their actions “pure greed,” saying they were trying to get something for nothing.

Fake food poisoning claims will lead to similar sentences

Roberts received a 15-month sentence on four counts of fraud, while Briton is facing nine months behind bars on the same charges. After sentencing, the judge went on to warn others making similar false food poisoning claims in future can expect a similar jail term.

A spokesman for Thomas Cook said the sentences received by the couple go to show how serious the fraudulent illness claim issue has become. They said this particular case reveals what is happening across the U.K. travel industry, adding they had to take a stand to protect their business and their more honest customers from the minority who choose to cheat the system.
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