Louisiana cruise passenger tracks down alleged $1,100 scammer who used funds for luxury trip: ‘Where’s my money?”
She was cruising for revenge.
A Louisiana cruise passenger was allegedly scammed out of nearly $1,100 for her Caribbean getaway before she tracked down the man she blames and confronted him aboard the same ship.
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Vanessa Phillips planned to sail aboard the MSC Seascape on a Western Caribbean cruise from Galveston, Texas, on Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, with Armonte Domious Wilson, an associate she met on a cruise in December 2025.
Phillips claimed that Wilson asked her for $1,100 to secure her spot on the luxury megaship. However, she alleged Wilson cut off all communication near the sailing date and learned that the alleged con man spent $524 for the cruise and excluded Phillips from the reservation.
Phillips then purchased a separate ticket to confront Wilson with the “intention to get him to confess.”
“You thought I wasn’t going to get on here? You took my $1,100. You thought I wasn’t going to make it? Where my money at?” Phillips scolded Wilson in a video posted to Facebook Sept. 5.
Wilson, who was found seated in a jacuzzi aboard the vessel, initially claimed he had her money, but when Phillips asked if he had it on him then, he said no.
“It’s OK for you to take my $1,100 and you on a cruise … Where’s my money?” Phillips continued.
Wilson then denied taking her money and said he had not removed her from the reservation. He called security as Phillips followed him away from the jacuzzi.
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In a message accompanying the video on Facebook, Phillips explained Wilson had been looking for someone to sail with when she reached out to him about the trip.
“I reached out to [him] and we made plans, plans that included a FAKE itinerary, FAKE AGENT BOOKING NUMBERS, INVOICES and payments sent totaling near $1100,” she wrote.
MSC Seascape’s seven-day Western Caribbean cruise package takes travelers from Texas to Mexico and Honduras before returning to the Lone Star State.
Travel packages aboard the vessel, which was awarded Forbes’ “Best Cruise for Families Overall,” next year start at $524 per person — half of what Phillips claimed she paid Wilson for her trip.
Wilson later denied trying to scam Phillips, saying he removed her from the booking after learning she had allegedly disputed Venmo payments she sent him.
“Please consider the facts and documentation provided rather than relying solely on portions of the live conversation,” Wilson wrote on Instagram Tuesday.
“Regarding the money that was sent, the transactions have been disputed through Venmo. I understand that Venmo may ultimately rule in her favor because I was unable to respond within the required timeframe.”
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“At this point, I am waiting to see how that process is resolved,” he added.