Agoda took the money. They won't give it back.
Card charged the instant you book. Service fails (host no-show, room unavailable, host claims illness). Support tells you a refund was 'processed' weeks ago. Your bank sees nothing. You're stuck in a loop between Agoda saying 'ask your bank' and your bank saying 'nothing was sent.' Meanwhile they hold your money — sometimes for months, sometimes forever.
A Canadian traveler booked accommodation in Vietnam through Agoda's Canadian site. The card was charged immediately and in full. On arrival, the host failed to provide the room — claiming illness and that they had fallen asleep — leaving the traveler without lodging. Agoda's support told the customer the refund had been 'processed 30 days ago.' The traveler's bank confirmed no refund had ever been received, in any amount, on any date. Agoda continued to insist the refund was complete. The money is still held. No human at Agoda will produce a transaction reference, an ARN (Acquirer Reference Number), or a written confirmation from the payment processor.
Refund within 14 days when a booking is not honored. A written reason — signed by a named human, including the ARN (Acquirer Reference Number) — when any refund is delayed past that date. End the practice of telling customers a refund was 'processed' when no funds were ever transmitted.
Statute by statute.
Telling a customer 'your refund was processed 30 days ago' when no refund was in fact transmitted is a representation to the public that is false or misleading in a material respect. Agoda markets and contracts with Canadians via agoda.ca, which brings the conduct squarely under the Act.
Knowingly or recklessly making a false or misleading representation to the public for the purpose of promoting a business interest (including a payment outcome) is a criminal offence under s. 52, not just a civil one.
A false, misleading, or deceptive representation — including about the status of a refund — is an unfair practice. Consumers can rescind and sue for damages, and the Ministry can order compliance.
s. 219 prohibits any false or misleading representation by a merchant. s. 228 prohibits failing to mention an important fact. Telling a Quebec consumer the refund is done — when it isn't — engages both.
When the merchant fails to deliver the booked service, the cardholder has a contractual right under the network rules to dispute. The window is typically 120 days from the expected service date. This isn't a law, but it's the path most likely to actually return your money.
Hit them from every direction.
File with all of these. They're independent. The chargeback is the one most likely to actually return your money — the regulators are how you make sure this doesn't happen to the next person.
File under 'Deceptive marketing practices.' Cite s. 74.01(1)(a) and s. 52. The specific representation is the support agent telling you the refund was 'processed' on a date when no funds were transmitted.
CBC's national consumer investigations team. OTA refund-stalling is a recurring beat for them. Include screenshots of Agoda's 'refund processed' message and your bank statement showing no credit.
If you live in Ontario. File under unfair practices, Consumer Protection Act 2002, s. 14. They can investigate and order compliance.
If you live in Quebec. Cite ss. 219 & 228 of the Consumer Protection Act.
- Step 5Consumer Protection BC ↗
If you live in BC. File under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act — deceptive acts and practices.
Other province? This is the federal directory of every provincial consumer affairs office in Canada.
The most likely path to actually get your money back. Call your card issuer. Use reason code 13.1 — 'Services Not Provided.' You typically have 120 days from the expected service date. Bring: your booking confirmation, screenshots of Agoda's 'refund processed' messages, and your bank statement showing no credit was ever received.
Pick "Agoda" as the platform and "Travel booking / OTA" as the account type. Done in 30 seconds.
Public count of people who want a 14-day refund window and a named human on every delay.