# General Business Category > Scam Alert Forum >  SCAMMER - Robbie Van Der Merwe <vdmrobbie@gmail.com>

## Dragon

Hi

I guess we all fall for a scammer's at least once with the hope of finding something we want... Well i got scammed by someone and thought i would help everyone out there to catch him before he scams you.

A guy by the name of Robbie Van Der Merwe <vdmrobbie@gmail.com> contacted me to my request for a number of pets. he had an invoice. answered all the emails up and until payment was made. then it stopped. Thats how i found out it was a scam.

All prices was on a list he sent out (im assuming he found out prices from a whole seller) and all seemed legit. he would even suggest you buy few items now see how the quality is then buy more. 

his account number is : 
Banking Details				
Credit Card No *removed*				
Discovery Card				

I am giving this number as he might be widely spread trying to con anyone in any way possible. 

Regards

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## HR Solutions

Dragon - I think its a bit harsh that you are a newbie here - you come on and have a total moan about someone AND give out account details.  We don't know who you are or who he is, therefore we don't even know who is scamming who !!!  Perhaps you have a grudge against this guy for whatever reason.  Personally I think before you post anything you should have introduced yourself and created some credibility !!

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## adrianh

> Dragon - I think its a bit harsh that you are a newbie here - you come on and have a total moan about someone AND give out account details.  We don't know who you are or who he is, therefore we don't even know who is scamming who !!!  Perhaps you have a grudge against this guy for whatever reason.  Personally I think before you post anything you should have introduced yourself and created some credibility !!


Well said!

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## Houses4Rent

I think there is nothing wrong with warning others about a scammer. One does not have to believe it blindly, but be at least aware when coming accross the alleged scammer.  Imagine you get scammed by Robbie too, but could have been warned... and avoided it.

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## adrianh

How come you've got his credit card details if he scammed you?

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## Dragon

My appologies if i upset you but i believe if i can help the next person...i will... i got scammed... and i learnt from this... but i lost money and i dont see why should i let this happen to someone else when i csn do the right thing and help someone else before they loose money too... 

In this instance,i made payment. With the intent of recieving stock. Yes perhaps i was not thinking clearly when receiving an invoive to check every detail... thus lost out on alot of cash... 

I see no harm on helping the next person from this scam...

I hope this acc no... will notify you next time you have to put money in it..you will see its a sscammers acc..

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## adrianh

No problem.

How much money did you lose?

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## HR Solutions

> I think there is nothing wrong with warning others about a scammer. One does not have to believe it blindly, but be at least aware when coming accross the alleged scammer.  Imagine you get scammed by Robbie too, but could have been warned... and avoided it.



There are many OTHER scammers out there that are just busting to get a persons account details.  He has just provided it !  Do you really think he has the right to do this and advertise a persons account details to the whole world ?  
I certainly don't have a problem to name and shame from someone who we all know what kind of a person he is, but not this !
its like him coming onto the site and saying "xyz is a BIG ripoff !!! And this on his first post !

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## Dave A

Would everyone be a bit more comfortable with the OP if I removed the card details...

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## adrianh

> Would everyone be a bit more comfortable with the OP if I removed the card details...


Yes, I fully agree.

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## HR Solutions

Just as a matter of interest Dragon ... Is this guy around 30 and lives on the East Rand ??

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## Houses4Rent

> I certainly don't have a problem to name and shame from someone who we all know what kind of a person he is, but not this !
> its like him coming onto the site and saying "*xyz is a BIG ripoff* !!! And this on his first post !


Ha, I hope google does not find this phrase now...

Maybe just remove the last 4 digits of the credit card number. I would never pay into a credit card anyway. Can't even explain why, but it just does not sound right for legitimate business.

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## HR Solutions

> Ha, I hope google does not find this phrase now...
> 
> Maybe just remove the last 4 digits of the credit card number. I would never pay into a credit card anyway. Can't even explain why, but it just does not sound right for legitimate business.


Well at least u don't have a problem with it.

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## Dragon

Quite alot hey

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## adrianh

> Quite alot hey


We by and sell on Bid or Buy, Gumtree and Ebay. It' always risky when you buy stuff from people far away. There is always a possibly of getting scammed. I sold some stuff to a guy and I sent it off. He parcel wasn't insured and he claimed that he never received it. Did I get scammed, maybe, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and replaced everything free of charge because he is a long standing wealthy custmer and I thought that on the balance of probability that it's not something that he would do.  Must say that I would be very sceptical when it comes to a first time customer.

So yes, I can understand how you got scammed and how you feel. It is unfortunate that people do this sort of thing because it makes you weary of dealing with the 99% of people who are legit.

I must admit that I got taken for R400 at my own front door a couple of months ago, so I've alo become very weary....you jut simply can't tell whether people are legit.

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## HR Solutions

Dragon - you haven't answered my question ?

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## pmbguy

> I must admit that I got taken for R400 at my own front door a couple of months ago, so I've alo become very weary....you jut simply can't tell whether people are legit.


What happened?

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## adrianh

I was working at home one night at about 11pm. My house is very close to the N1 highway. A guy knocked and explained to me that he had broken down in his bakkie and that he managed to find somebody who would tow him to the harbour so that he could deliver his fish and he would then leave the bakkie there and the guy would then take him home. He needed R200 and promised high and low that he would bring the money back the following day. He was white and really looked the part. He wasn't drinking and he didn't have the usual tik-kop apperance (their faces deteriorate very quickly). Anyhow, I gave him the money and he left. He came back about an hour later and said that the guy arrived and that the guy said that it was R200 one way and that the guy would only help him for a further R200. Like I said, he was very convincing. I scratched around and found another R200 and gave it to him. When I went to bed I told my wife about it and she immediately told me that I got scammed. I said that maybe she was right and I hope that he brings the money back but that I was willing to take the loss because I felt that it was the right thing to do. Ne never returned.

If I were to do it over again I suppose I would probably do the same. I have a soft spot for people in trouble and I try to help when I am able to. My aunt taught me something many years ago and it is this: you do what you feel is right whether other people appreciate it or not. The fact that you got scammed by one person doesn't mean that you should stop caring, it just means that you should consider your help to be a gift to them rather than a loan.

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## pmbguy

Jeez Adrian you sound like a old church granny

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## pmbguy

Just saying...I mean I would have been extremely angry that I got scammed...I certainly would not have thought of it as a gift to him.

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## Justloadit

Its about getting over the negative thinking, lets you get on with your day, and allows you to still trust humanity.

It could very well be that the intention was to return the money, but he may not have the means to do so, or alternatively, he could not find the house in the daytime, or to be very dramatic, he died on the way to you with your money in his hand  :Smile: .

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## pmbguy

I prefer to think that he died tragically saving a child from being run over. The money then flouted down a stream and was found by a homeless man that was about to commit suicide, he changed his mind thinking that God must be looking out for him. He intern started going to church. One day the church caught fire and he noticed it in time as he was given lodging in a outbuilding. The church was saved and ..........(Many more beautiful things)

I would probably also have been caught by his scam. I think that its good to help people even if it means you get screwed sometimes. But I would still be angry at the chap and pray that he gets syphilis - if indeed he was a scamster

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Dragon (18-Jul-14)

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## adrianh

> Its about getting over the negative thinking, lets you get on with your day, and allows you to still trust humanity.
> 
> It could very well be that the intention was to return the money, but he may not have the means to do so, or alternatively, he could not find the house in the daytime, or to be very dramatic, he died on the way to you with your money in his hand .


Exactly. 

It's not that I want to sound like an old granny, it is that I do not wish to waste mental energy on being angry or dwelling on the subject. I knowingly took a risk and I lost...it's just like playing poker, you can't be sour with your opponents if you bet and lost, nobody forced you to.

The reason people feel terribly done in when they get scammed is because they feel stupid for getting duped. That feeling is expressed by making the other person look bad. 

I suppose that I see things in an arse about face way because I see the ingenuity in the scams and how gullible we actually are. People lose millions because they get scammed by all sorts of business deals and investments, why, because of their own naivety. I got screwed over and screwed myself over so many times that I lost count long ago, but hey, it taught me not to gamble with money I can't afford to lose.

This is why I say f*ck it, I risked R400 and I lost it, I could have lost it playing poker, it's simply my own stupidity and my own gullibility.

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## Houses4Rent

"XYZ is a BIG ripoff !!!"

I do not have a problem with it as it was just an example. But if it appears all over google without context I wil have a problem with it.

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## Houses4Rent

I would not open my door/gate at 23h00 to a stranger. Was the alleged backkie and tower in sight?

What a cheek to come back for more. Why did he not simply sell some fish to pay the return trip?

When he said 'fish' you should have taken the cue that something is fishy...

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## adrianh

> I would not open my door/gate at 23h00 to a stranger. Was the alleged backkie and tower in sight?
> 
> What a cheek to come back for more. Why did he not simply sell some fish to pay the return trip?
> 
> When he said 'fish' you should have taken the cue that something is fishy...


hmmm....interesting observations....

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## Dragon

i think so.

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## Dragon

HI
 Adrianh

yes that is exactly how i feel... so weary to trust, in this case i was a huge fool as i went souly on trust, and i can say that this would be the last i buy online... I am glad you now understand where i come from, 

and the person that scammed you, sould you not agree that if you can help the next person avoid being scammed by that person you should warm ppl out there..?

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## Dragon

perhaps but i am 100% sure it was a plain scammer. 

and i am one of those people that would rather warn everyone so that they can save themselves where i did not. 

since i do not do online banking, i did not know one should not do eft's to credit accounts...

owe;l lesson well learnt...  :Smile:

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## Dragon

i think im more upset with myself, my stupidity allowed myself to trust him, 

but yes, if i can prevent someone from getting scammed, that matters now,

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## Dragon

that is how i feel... its my stupidity that lead to this... but as you said....we learn from this...

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## HR Solutions

And u have still not answered my question Dragon ........ Why is that ?

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## vieome

67 minutes is a lifetime if you dont have a purpose.

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## adrianh

Karma is a beach on the coast of hell.

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## Houses4Rent

> Too late! Google is very hard working program


ADMINISTRATOR: In that case can you please remove that phrase or part of it or just replace 'Houses4Rent' with 'XYZ' please?
Alternatively can HR Solutions and others who quoted it please edit the posts?

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## pmbguy

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## HR Solutions

> ADMINISTRATOR: In that case can you please remove that phrase or part of it or just replace 'Houses4Rent' with 'XYZ' please?
> Alternatively can HR Solutions and others who quoted it please edit the posts?


So it sounds like you changing your tune ?  :Wink: 

I cant edit - it seems only admin can now do it.

Dragon - you have STILL not answered my question .................... It is at this point that one now begins to wonder what your intentions were exactly by foul mouthing someone with your very first post on a forum !!!

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## Houses4Rent

pmbguy, do you think that will work? :-)
What the heck I almost always get all my clients from referals and I have pretty much reached my capacity anyway. I am actually contemplating of downscalling as my single employee is just annoying me too regularly now and I know the next one will just do the same. l am just not suitbale to have people reporting to me it seems.

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## Houses4Rent

HR Solutions, yeah, I could not edit some of mine either and the Administrator did not respond.  Lessons learnt: pick your examples wisely...

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## pmbguy

> pmbguy, do you think that will work? :-)


What do you mean? After people read my post they will know you are the best letting agent in SA, I said it so many times they can't possibly have any doubts

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## flaker

> Dragon - you have STILL not answered my question .................... It is at this point that one now begins to wonder what your intentions were exactly by foul mouthing someone with your very first post on a forum !!!


Mr HR, perhaps Dragon has moved to another site. you probably scared the shit out of him. Poor guy.

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## adrianh

> Mr HR, perhaps Dragon has moved to another site. you probably scared the shit out of him. Poor guy.


Lol

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## IanF

> ADMINISTRATOR: In that case can you please remove that phrase or part of it or just replace 'Houses4Rent' with 'XYZ' please?
> Alternatively can HR Solutions and others who quoted it please edit the posts?


done lets see if it helps

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## Dragon

Hi what question have i not answered?

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## Dave A

> HR Solutions, yeah, I could not edit some of mine either and the Administrator did not respond.


Only got to your post now and I see Ian's sorted it out already. (Thanks IanF).

Could I ask you check the search result you posted a link to in about two days time and let me know if there hasn't been a change in the result (just in case resolving the issue is going to need some extra steps).

Just to expand on edit permissions quickly - With the exception of the real newbies, edit permissions are set to expire 24 hours after you make a post. After that it needs the intervention of a member of the Admin Team. It's to try to keep a fair measure of reliability in the content in place.

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## HR Solutions

I agree Dave - hopefully Dragon also takes note.

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## pmbguy

Just to ease things along




> Hi what question have i not answered?





> Just as a matter of interest Dragon ... Is this guy around 30 and lives on the East Rand ??

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## Houses4Rent

Thanks DaveA and IanF, will do.

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## Houses4Rent

> What do you mean? After people read my post they will know you are the best letting agent in SA, I said it so many times they can't possibly have any doubts


Good, so I can start hiring more people from all that new business coming my way :-)

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## pmbguy

That's correct, you can finally get that beautiful PA you've been dreaming about  :Zyfingerdance:

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## Houses4Rent

Nah, I do not dream about (beautiful) PA's. In fact I prefer to have as little staff as possible. And I am married...

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## pmbguy

> And I am married...


Stop complaining 


I have been married for so long that I have come to terms with my incarceration.

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## Houses4Rent

I was not complaining, you implied that. In December it will be 15y for me.

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## Dragon

Hi i have answered that question... he does live in east rand.... i did not ask his age... so cant be 100%... 

Could be could not be ...

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