I got scammed twice

Anonymous writes:

I have been scammed twice by alleged private property owners in Midrand.

The first time was in 2012 [when] I tried to rent a property in Carlswald through a private owner and after viewing the place, I did what one must never do, I paid a deposit to the so-called owner but days later he sent me a message saying he has given the place to someone else, but deposit is non-refundable. I was devastated [as] I had been looking forward to moving out on my own. Last year, I tried to move again to another complex in Midrand and discovered that the deposit I paid was never going to come back. I had also discovered that I was not the only one who paid the so-called owner a deposit.

These scammers take people’s hard-earned money and vanish. I just want to warn residents in Midrand to be careful when trying to rent a property. Don’t put down a deposit, you are probably not the only one putting down a payment in the hope of securing the place. Rather use a reputable property agency.

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