Seen On

Call Kurtis: Learning On Location Scam

Students Out Thousands After Company Cancels Trip

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ― Learning on Location, a Salt Lake City based company that booked trips for students shut down.  Following our original story in 2006, the owner agreed to pay back customers around the country, including some Sacramento students. But that deal has taken a very different turn.

Fourteen drama students, three adults, from El Camino Fundamental High School paid $15,000 for a fill on educational trip to Los Angeles.

Between tickets, concessions and coupon books, the kids raised nearly $2800.

"I was in all four shows this year, just so I could go," says one student.

But four days before their trip, their instructor Sheryl Lee got this email:

"Learning on Location is cancelling all upcoming trips."

"You have no place to stay, you have no Disney tickets, no Universal tickets, nothing basically," says Sheryl.

"They worked so had, and you let them down by telling them it's not going to happen, that's very disappointing for them," Sheryl says sadly.

Shortly after the cancellation, we sent a camera to the offices of Larry Webb and his travel agency Learning on Location, only to find the doors locked and the lights off.

The kids were understandably upset about their trip together.

"You got to be kidding me. This can't be right, we spent all this money. You're joking right," says a puzzled student.

More than 20 schools from California to Utah to Texas and Calgary, Canada had similar stories with Learning on Location.

Many like this group in Oregon raised the money all over again. Larry Webb settled with the Utah Attorney General's Office paying back 488 people for trips they never got.

"Webb had a year to do it or face penalties. But more than a year and a half has gone by. According to the State of Utah, Webb hasn't paid back one red cent," says an official.

The Utah Department of Consumer Protection tells us Webb now faces an administrative order, which will pull his ability to stay in business.

By violating this order, he faces a felony charge and could go to prison. He'll have to pay fines of more than a million dollars.

And the Attorney General of Utah has gotten a judgment against Larry Webb.

As for the kids, it was never about the money.

"Get him to say sorry to all of us. And really mean it. And not an "I'm sorry" sappy kind of thing I want it to be sincere," says one student.

And that apology never came. We talked with parents and El Camino Fundamental's drama teacher, Sheryl Lee, who says they may chalk this up to life experience.

The lesson: Check every travel agency's background and make sure you have all the tickets and itinerary in advance.

As for Larry Webb, he seems to have disappeared. Authorities are looking for him.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)