Fraud Charges Against “Cycle Tour Operator”

[Vetplant]

3 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

wrong handle. @T_Boss is what he was using last year, and was last seen viewing this thread on Friday, but not commenting.

I guess he could still logged out and viewing anonymously.

@Nick we have potential fraudster here, le hub going to block him as he's still trading?

Apologies to @Tbossthen, my bad.

I concur with Shebeen on this Nick. Please look into the history of this individual and whether you want to grant him a platform to continue conning people.

[The Ouzo]

4 minutes ago, Vetplant said:

Apologies to @Tbossthen, my bad.

I concur with Shebeen on this Nick. Please look into the history of this individual and whether you want to grant him a platform to continue conning people.

I've got a different take on this, ban him from the classifieds, but let him still use the forums. That way we still have a channel to communicate with him and take him out 

[Nick]

38 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

wrong handle. @T_Boss is what he was using last year, and was last seen viewing this thread on Friday, but not commenting.

I guess he could still logged out and viewing anonymously.

@Nick we have potential fraudster here, le hub going to block him as he's still trading?

 

also under this tour he's listed as a BikeHub sponsor 

 

Matt suspended the account last week.

[Vetplant]

11 minutes ago, Nick said:

Matt suspended the account last week.

Thanks for the confirmation.

[Shebeen]

52 minutes ago, Nick said:

Matt suspended the account last week.

you sure? looks like he's still checking us out.

 

[Bomberman]

Hi DeniseD. Please pm when you can, I know of people who have also paid and are now worried about their money.

 

[Vetplant]

14 minutes ago, Bomberman said:

Hi DeniseD. Please pm when you can, I know of people who have also paid and are now worried about their money.

 

@DeniseD

I just tagged her directly

[DJR]

I hope that scamsters like this won't affect the really good guys who arrange rides, rentals and tours and who have done a fantastic job for years. I know that they have had a hard time the past year with a lot of their business that dried up together with the tourist drought. There are a couple of longstanding Hubbers in that category. People who have been good, honest and brought great cycling fun to many of their clients. I won't name names here, because I don't even want their good names on a thread like this, but if you consider getting someone organize a ride for you in the Western Cape, feel free to ask and many of us will share the names of the good guys freely. 

[Bicycle Yard WESTERN CAPE]

On 6/12/2021 at 10:58 AM, Patchelicious said:

Sorry to hear, this is kuk. 

 

Please report to the police.

This is part of our civic duty to protect others from the same fate.

 

Far too many of us get scammed with far too little consequence for the scamsters. 

have you ever heard about anyone that was scammed where the scammer was ever caught or faced charges of any sort ? It makes me so mad, but also even if we get mad, nothing is done because our law system will cost you more than the item, event or investment opportunity you tried and.

We always/mostly just accept it because who has 20 hours to stand in lines and who has days to set apart to even try and accuse  someone ?

So I am also totally for the justification of scammers but we will need some other method of approaching/addressing the issue of scammers. 

and this situation sounds horrid with the oak leaving a team in the middle of nowhere and afterwards still running and getting other people afterwards. 

 

[Patchelicious]

54 minutes ago, Zarras said:

have you ever heard about anyone that was scammed where the scammer was ever caught or faced charges of any sort ? It makes me so mad, but also even if we get mad, nothing is done because our law system will cost you more than the item, event or investment opportunity you tried and.

We always/mostly just accept it because who has 20 hours to stand in lines and who has days to set apart to even try and accuse  someone ?

So I am also totally for the justification of scammers but we will need some other method of approaching/addressing the issue of scammers. 

and this situation sounds horrid with the oak leaving a team in the middle of nowhere and afterwards still running and getting other people afterwards. 

 

Yes, on a few occasions when the victims laid charges and followed them through.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

1 hour ago, Patchelicious said:

Yes, on a few occasions when the victims laid charges and followed them through.

This. 

[Dibles]

3 hours ago, Zarras said:

have you ever heard about anyone that was scammed where the scammer was ever caught or faced charges of any sort ? It makes me so mad, but also even if we get mad, nothing is done because our law system will cost you more than the item, event or investment opportunity you tried and.

We always/mostly just accept it because who has 20 hours to stand in lines and who has days to set apart to even try and accuse  someone ?

So I am also totally for the justification of scammers but we will need some other method of approaching/addressing the issue of scammers. 

and this situation sounds horrid with the oak leaving a team in the middle of nowhere and afterwards still running and getting other people afterwards. 

 

I was scammed and was successful in having the scammer prosecuted. I opted to only open a criminal case. It didn't cost me a cent but it did cost a lot of my time.

The result was well worth it and part of the sentencing includes the scammer having to repay me in full or face jail time. My amount was way too big to pursue via the Small Claims Court.

DeniseD, I know you mentioned you have legal assistance already but you're welcome to contact me privately if you'd like some advice on opening a fraud case. You can open a civil as well as a criminal case.

[Hairy]

18 minutes ago, Dibles said:

I was scammed and was successful in having the scammer prosecuted. I opted to only open a criminal case. It didn't cost me a cent but it did cost a lot of my time.

The result was well worth it and part of the sentencing includes the scammer having to repay me in full or face jail time. My amount was way too big to pursue via the Small Claims Court.

DeniseD, I know you mentioned you have legal assistance already but you're welcome to contact me privately if you'd like some advice on opening a fraud case. You can open a civil as well as a criminal case.

I recall your posts from some time back, I am glad it all came right for you

[gemmerbal]

Amashova Tour anyone? ????

[DeniseD]

I posted a while back about an individual active in our cycling circles who is defrauding people by taking money for trips away, then cancelling or making excuses and thereafter promising refunds which never happen. My attorney has confirmed that such conduct satisfies all the elements of the criminal offence of fraud. A fraud charge has been laid against him and we may also approach the Special Commercial Crimes Unit as his conduct appears quite widespread.

I would like to say a big thank you for the overwhelming response to my last post. I have put together a long list of complainants whose details are being shared with the SAPS. If there are others out there who wish to lay their own criminal charges against this operator, my attorney has offered her assistance on a pro bono basis to guide you in the process. If it’s happened to you, you will know who I am referring to.

I am aware that there were individuals, just like myself, who were promised refunds by 24 June 2021. Unsurprisingly, those payments never happened. If there are more of you out there, please let me know and I will be happy to add you to the growing list of witnesses. From the information I have, it appears clear that this modus operandi has been going on for years now under different business names and astonishingly, it is STILL ongoing.

He is still taking bookings, still taking money and still defrauding.

[bertusras]

56 minutes ago, DeniseD said:

He is still taking bookings, still taking money and still defrauding.

What the actual f***???