RICO began investigating the agency, at 429 Waiakamilo Road, last week after receiving complaints from customers who either had not gotten their tickets, some for months, or had been left stranded because owner Keala Perreira had never followed through with paid reservations.
Seventeen formal complaints have been filed, although two were withdrawn after refunds were made, Sharon Leng, RICO's complaints and enforcement officer, said yesterday.
The investigation is continuing, she said.
Perreira could not be reached for comment. Last week, he told the Star-Bulletin he had gotten into trouble because of concern over his father's health, but promised he would make refunds to any disgruntled customers.
At the time, he said only about 30 people were affected.
However, the number apparently is many more than that, Leng said.
Perreira paid off some customers in cash on Sept. 17 and apparently did so again last Saturday, said one man, who asked to remain anonymous.
However, two women who were hoping to catch Perreira in his office Tuesday said they were still seeking refunds. They said they were part of a group of about 40 senior citizens who paid $310 each in August for an October Las Vegas trip, but had never received any tickets.
A spokesman for the group said yesterday that Perreira has promised to meet with them this Saturday to make cash refunds. However, he failed to show up on two previous occasions.
Still waiting for compensation was an angry Vernon Chang of Kaimuki, who showed up with his wife at Honolulu Airport Sept. 14 only to discover Perreira had failed to book him on a Las Vegas tour. Chang, who had to buy tickets with another agency for his Las Vegas trip, said Perreira promised to pay him back yesterday, but failed to show for a scheduled appointment.
Chang was demanding a refund of $578, plus added compensation.
Last week, in at least two instances, refund checks were not cashed because of insufficient funds.
Royal Hawaiian Heritage Jewelry was out $9,316 and between 17 and 34 customers - who dealt with 7-11 because of a co-promotional deal - might also be affected, said Pat Breeden, assistant to the president of the company.
One customer, like Chang, showed up last Saturday at the airport only to find there was no reservation in her name, he said, adding his company was getting more and more complaints about 7-11.
(The company was offering to give $100 gift certificates to some customers to make up for the problems with the promotion.)
Breeden tried immediately to cash the refund checks Perreira gave him but was told there was not enough money to cover them, he said. Repeated calls to Perreira have not been returned, he said.
Alex Sias of Aina Haina also said his refund check bounced several times since he received it from Perreira Sept. 17. Sias bought wedding rings from Royal Hawaiian Heritage and, as part of the promotion, paid 7-11 $310 in July for a Las Vegas trip in December. A companion ticket was supposed to be free.
He was never given any tickets despite repeated promises, Sias said.