It all started with an email that was sent out by Kim Robbertse with a great offer, R7500 for return tickets and as you can expect with such a great offer the email went viral.
But, it’s this time to use the tickets, that time of the year and as the victims started contacting the airline for confirmations, check-ins and so on it set off alarm bells. The e-tickets she sent out was not confirmed so not valid even though they have all paid her for the tickets into her bank account as per instructions.
It has now emerge that she is an independent travel agent in Polokwane but not registered with International Air Transport Association (Iata). IOL reported that they have confirmed that she was able to use a company, Serendipity Tours in Durban, for issuing e-tickets and they have a long list of non-registered agents they issue tickets for. They have however not issued any fraudulent tickets to Robbertse.
FIRST CONTACT after alarms set off
When some of the victims first tried to contact her the person answering the cellphone they were told by a woman answering her cellphone that she was in a coma following a car accident involving a taxi.
IOL REPORTS:
Nicole Swanson, who lives in Cape Town, became suspicious when she could find no record of Robbertse at hospitals in Polokwane or Pretoria. She called the Polokwane Athletics Club, after a Google search showed Robbertse was a member. She spoke to someone who had just seen Robbertse – apparently in perfect health.
KNOWN RESPONSES FROM KIM ROBBERTSE
A Durbanville consumer, who asked not to be named, phoned Robbertse’s father. Shortly afterwards he got a call from Robbertse, who told him she had run into cash-flow problems and would refund him. He has yet to receive his refund.
Robberse refused to comment when contacted by the media and said she was aware of fraud charges being laid against her in the UK and South Africa and that her attorney, Elmarie Bierman, advised her not to speak to the press.
THE DAMAGE
There is a facebook group setup for and by victims “Action against KR” and the total lost by victims is likely to be in the millions of rands. One family said with their extended family they have collectively paid about R170 000 to Kim Robbertse. Other victims had to pay last minute peak season fairs costing them a lot more money. Paul Swanson living in London had to pay £4700 (R85 000) for tickets, just for two adults and a child, where he had already payd Kim Robbertse R18 000 for the tickets.
We really hope that they get their money back and damages and our only advice to all out there. DO NOT BOOK with any unregistered travel agents, verify that they are registered and DO NOT pay any money into their personal back accounts. If a deal looks to be good to be true then it’s probably not true so you have to do your research to make sure it’s genuine.
