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“On Monday last week we saw an advertisement in a local newspaper indicating that a two-bedroomed flat was on offer at $300 per month. We responded to the advertisement and a man who identified himself as Mr Mufambisi told us that the flat had been occupied. He, however, sent a message on Thursday referring us to a Mr Ncube, saying he had a vacant two-bedroomed flat,” said a home seeker, who identified himself as Mr Mlalazi.
“Mr Ncube confirmed that the flat was available and he told us that we could view his neighbour’s apartment, which is similar to his, as he was not in town. While we were there we met two other couples who had come to view the apartment.”
Mr Mlalazi said when they phoned Ncube after viewing the apartment, he told them to deposit $150 in his Kingdom Bank account number 3009194205401 to secure the apartment.
“He told us to deposit the money if we did not want to be disappointed, of which we did on Friday. After that he was nowhere to be seen and his mobile phone was not reachable. He then phoned on Sunday using a different number and told us to meet him at the flat.
“He did not turn up for the appointment and has never communicated again. We then discovered that three other couples had deposited $150 each in the same account, while another woman was made to pay $50 to view the apartment. We then reported the matter at Bulawayo Central Police Station on Monday,” he said.
Mr Mlalazi said they later found out that the apartment in question belonged to a doctor who was renovating it.
“We were told by some people that the apartment had just been bought by one Dr Ndlovu and he was renovating it. These bogus agents had all the information about the flat and they decided to make money out of it.
“We are no longer interested in dealing with those people. All we want is our money back from these bogus agents. We hope the law will catch up with them,” he said.
Another home seeker, Ms Noleen Sibanda said she deposited the required money and waited for Ncube to arrive but he never did.
When she tried to call him, his mobile phone was not reachable and she realised that she had been duped.
She said she found out that Ncube placed an advertisement using the name Godfrey Gora and the address was Lateral Investments, 24 Main Street, Gweru.
Contacted for comment, registered estate agents urged members of the public to be on the lookout for bogus operators.
An official from one of the agents in the city who preferred anonymity said they do not ask their clients to deposit any money in their accounts.
“We charge our clients $10 for registration, which includes viewing the rooms on offer. The amount of money a client pays for the accommodation is determined by the landlord,” said the official.
“Members of the public should be wary of people asking them to deposit money into their accounts because such people are bogus.”
Other bogus agents who advertise in the newspapers daily make people pay non refundable fees ranging from $20 to $50 to view a property of their choice from a list that they claim is available.
Once a person pays they might find the house, flat, or cottage taken or the purported landlords, who are suspected to be working in cahoots with the bogus agents, might set unreasonable conditions.
When the home seekers go back to the agents’ offices they are told to keep checking with them or are promised that they will be phoned once the agents get something.
The agents will never phone and seem to take advantage of the fact that when the home seekers pay the fees they are made to sign a contract which says the fee is non-refundable and that even if they do not get their desired place, the agents will keep searching a place for them, which they never do. The bogus agents have sprouted all over town where they rent offices.
Online Reporter