WESTRIDGE residents are resorting to various measures to recover their hard earned money after they were apparently “conned out of their earnings” by a debt collecting company.

The locals, who are struggling financially and are all under debt review, say they paid money to the company with the assurance that it would make arrangements for payment and compensate debtors on their behalf.

People’s Post was alerted to this by Joe Cruywagen, a pensioner from Blackberry Street.

He says he was referred to the company by a neighbour.

The company in question, Debt Out Debt Counselling, claims to be registered with the National Credit Regulator (NCR) with the registration number NCRDC 1976. Their offices are in Ottery.

The owners are Yasmeen and Sieraaj Abderof, who claim to be registered debt counsellors.

The person who collected money from the Westridge residents was apparently Debt Out employee Tasmyn Pasquallie.

“I was in arrears with my bond payments and other debt. I called the company and they were willing to assist me. I was placed under debt review and the company and debt counsellor promised to assist me by paying my debtors on my behalf every month,” says Cruywagen.

He started with payments on 31 March 2011, amounting to R16500 to date.

“Tasmyn came to collect the money from us on a monthly basis, and she even gave us a receipt as proof of payment. It was only after my bank contacted me recently about my bond arrears that I was informed. My bond had not been paid for the last seven months and they were about to repossess my home.

“I confronted the owners and Tasmyn, who denied that this was a scam. I have lodged a complaint with the Credit Ombudsman,” he says.

Resident Trevor Golding tells People’s Post that he was unaware of the debt collector’s actions.

He lost his job last year and was unable to pay his debts. He was forced to go under debt review and was also referred to the company by a friend.

Golding says: “I was alerted by Mr Cruywagen and soon I was also called by my creditors demanding money as they were going to hand me over to their lawyers.

“When I enquired about my status at the bank I was informed that my bond and my other debt was never paid.”

He added that he now owes the bank more money than he did initially.

“If we had made arrangements ourselves with our creditors things would have been different. We are now in a position where we are about to lose our home.”

It’s understood that a criminal investigation has been launched into the company, yet they are still operating as an entity. The investigating allegedly relates to theft under false pretences.

A case of theft under false pretences is currently being investigated by Grassy Park Police station.

People’s Post sent an enquiry to the station, and according to Warrant Officer Wynita Kleinsmith, the spokesperson for Grassy Park Police station, the matter was “being investigated”.

Kleinsmith could not elaborate on the investigation, saying the investigation is a “sensitive matter and at a crucial stage with arrests to follow”.

She did however respond that anyone with queries in the Grassy Park area can address it with the investigating officer Constable Jodamis on (021)7003927.

Cruywagen added that no one has responded to him or the other victims about recovering their money.

“We are being given the run-around and everytime we call the owners or the counsellor they don’t answer their phones. I have lost lots of money. It’s not as if it a small amount it’s thousands of rands ,” he says.

He added that all those affected are at their wits’ end as all doors are being closed and “no one seems to have any answers”.

Lebogang Selibi, media relations officer for the National Credit Regulator, says that in terms of Section 44 of the National Credit Regulator (NCA), only persons and not companies may register as debt counsellors.

Selebi says Yasmeen Abderof is indeed registered with the National Credit Regulator as a debt counsellor.

The NCR has received some complaints against Yasmeen, she continues, and the matters were receiving the necessary attention.

“According to the information at our disposal, the alleged criminal investigation is against Mr Abderof’s employee and not him or his company.”

She added that people who find themselves in a similar position can lodge a complaint with their office or open a criminal case.

People’s Post sent an emailed media enquiry to the owners of the company two weeks and tried to contact them for comment.

At the time of going to print, a response was not forthcoming.

People’s Post also tried calling Pasquallie to get her side of the story. Calls were not answered as her cellphone was off.

If consumers are not getting assistance from their debt counsellors, they should report the matter to the Credit Ombudsman on 0861662837 or the National Credit Regulator on 0860627627.

See page 2 for more information from the National Credit Regulator (NCR) for consumers on what to do prior to entering debt counselling.