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Migration Advisory Service also operates as Electrician Australia, Teaching Australia, Carpenter Australia, Emigrate Australia and Violet Popsicle Media.
They are not located at either 50 Jermyn Street or 3rd Floor, 14 Hanover Street. These are virtual offices which they pay to pose as if they are based there. The receptionists are also not part of the company and answer the switch board but do not have anything to do with the company. You can not get through to any of the employees as they are always away from their desks or in a meeting.
These companies are not MARA registered agents despite what the websites claim. Migration Advisory Service is also not a UK registered company.
They promise to provide you with a Visa within 12 months. Once they have received your money, communication stops and they do not respond to emails. Whenever you call the switchboard the receptionist gives an excuse why they can not take the call.
When told that I was going to the police as the company was not legit the receptionist answered 'Ok i will pass on the message'. An employee still did not return my call!
The police are aware of this company and a fraud report is currently being looked into.
Do not use either of these companies to provide you with a visa!
This company has now gone. Please be aware that the staff members you have all been talking too are not involved in this scam and have also been ripped off by Alistair and Fiona and are now jobless and have not been paid their final salary. The last known whereabouts of Alistair and Fiona is in Sotogrande, Spain.
Hi, thanks for the updates. Will post update shortly as we've been trying to track down this alistair markham too, looks like he has been running the scams for years with a whole web of companies, addresses, directors etc. Huge web of lies by looks of it, but would recommend everyone who is having issues check their banks etc for other fraud - it looks like the fraud might not just be limited to the visa/applications etc. May be at risk for bank/cards/credit etc too linked to the same thing...better safe than sorry.
Hello everyone I'm unfortunately in the same boat as all of you I have payed them £2700 and was dealing with Nicole, I managed to speak to her 3 weeks ago and I even got upset on the phone and she swore to me all was ok and she would keep me updated more frequently she's jus been so busy in meetings and was currently on "holiday" but decided to chase my case up for me, I feel so silly For getting myself into this
I have been dealing with this company since January 2015 and have only just been struggling this week to get hold of any-one and just found these complaints yesterday :-( From Jan until July I was dealing with a lady named Emma Hamilton. I have tonnes of correspondence through e-mail with her but left her a voicemail in July and received no call back. I finally managed to get in touch with a lady named Nicole on the 4th Sept by phone who told me Emma had left and James would be taking over my case! I have spoken to both Nicole and James and continued the process right up until this week when I have finally struggled to get in touch with them. Now Nicole's e-mail is down, her direct line still has a voicemail but both hers and James's mobiles are permanently switched off.
They also gave me the following bank details back in January:
Lloyds Bank plc
Sort Code 30-66-76
Account Number [protected]
Then told me they changed banks in September (should have raised concerns with hindsight) :-(
Sort Code 40-51-78
Account Number [protected]
I have the following phone numbers for them, does any-one else's match?
Switch board [protected] (this is now a different business)!
Nicole Direct Dial [protected]
Nicole Mobile [protected]
James Mobile [protected]
I have also been dealing with this company since January this year but after struggling to get in touch with them this week, I have only just found this thread. I'm obviously as gutted as every-one else. I have paid them a considerable amount of money too. I was originally dealing with Emma Hamilton from January until July and then when I tried to chase something up in August I was told she had left and was directed to Nicole Ridgely and James too. Now Nicole's e-mail is down, the switchboard number I have is for a different business and both Nicole's and James's mobile numbers say they are switched off :-( The only thing that seems to work is Nicole's direct line but it is permanently on voicemail and no-one is getting back to me. I have just reported it to my bank this morning but would like to keep in touch with others to hopefully build a case together if any-one is up for that?
Hi, not heard about the Canary Wharf address? I lodged a complaint with the police 3 weeks ago and am waiting for a reply but HMRC are looking into Alistair Markham for me as I believe him and his wife are on their radar.
Hello, Has anyone had any luck yet with reporting to police/fraud/action fraud? I realise some of the comments are fairly recent but just in case or any update, would be grateful.
Also, has anyone tried the Bank Street, Canary Wharf address? Guessing another dummy address but its still showing listed and on google maps, yelp etc.
Thanks,
I've been in touch with Watchdog so.hopefully they'll take up the story and warn others.
No. I had 2 numbers but neither work now and emails are returned undelivered. Report them to the police it's the only way to try and stop them keep doing this to people.
Does anyone have an actual working telephone number for them?
Hi,
The bank details they provided to me were different.
Lloyds Bank Plc
The Immigration Advisory Service
Sort Code 30-66-76
Account [protected]
The bank details i have for them are
Lloyds Bank Plc.
Emigrate Australia
Sort Code: 30-16-41
Account Number - [protected]
Think I'll got to the bank and try and get my 2400 back if it listed as a fraudulent account.
We are the same. Paid them £2400 and now all numbers, website and emails are gone. Has anyone here had any luck from the police? Also people said that their bank would not allow the transfer as this was reported as a fraudulent bank account, do you have their bank details as I want to see if they are the same as the one they supplied me.
We too have been scammed and the feeling of having a dream shattered is sickening to say the least. We have only clocked on over the last few weeks and only because I duped Nicole into replying saying that I wanted to pay for a test to see if her email still worked. But when questioned what was going on no reply. We too have reported them to the Freud action. Does anybody know how or if this Alastair markham or Fiona markham is still connected to the company and what legal advise has anybody sort please? Can you proceed with a small claims court?
Have just found out -too late- about the above fraudsters. They have taken nearly £3000 from me and now refuse to answer my calls or emails. I have filled out a police fraud investigation form but don't hold out hope of getting back any money. Stay well clear of them. They still advertise as Teaching Australia on their website.
I can say categorically that we have been in contact before September! I have proof in black and white of this, we were in a position to move forward however the account details provided were not accepted by our bank as you're account had been reported to them as a scam account and also can I just say that we have now sort legal advice and would say we are happy that the case Is now closed as from speaking to other parties it is clear that it was never a viable account/case to have. I am deeply shocked and saddened that this has happened as Laura filled us with confidence ans seemed really genuine. The first payment we made I'm glad was only for £400 as paypal also tell us that it has been flagged up with them too regarding a scam and now the account has been locked down. The fact you have chosen to break client confidentiality proves to me that we have done the right thing. I'm clearly not the only person who has had this experience from the above posts.
Leanne Teeling: seen here as lou-anne33
Dear Leanne, your comments have been noted and we have taken the unusual step of replying publicly. You activated your case in Feb 2015 with a £400 payment. Your total case fee was £2, 100. We agreed after speaking with you that you could take a payment break of two months because you were in an IVA. We then did not hear from you until September 2015 at which point having returned from a holiday to Cap Verde you were once again not in a position to move forwards. We have had to take the regrettable decision to close your case.
We have been in touch since February with funnily enough Laura, Nicole and James... they seem to be the only employees! oh my god ! paid them £400 which was strangely done through paypal an now they demanding the rest of their fee of £1700. Found all this out today that this is a SCAM when I tried to make a bank transfer to them and my bank luckily wouldn't let the transaction go through as the account had been reported as a scam account. All day Saturday and Sunday I had Nicole emailing me stating that the duty accounts team had checked and the account was fine. They will not be getting another penny from us. However I am going to the police tomorrow as they do have scanned copies of all of our passports and my cv. I am completely shocked after reading all there is about this so called company, just extremely glad I found out now before id paid the full amount.
They are never available to speak to when I call receptionist just takes a message and states they are either in a meeting or in training. I always get an email response and have a few phone calls and a lengthy conversation with "Laura" about my job and were we ant to emigrate to etc. I feel sick!
I am currently using this company to process a visa for me to emigrate to australia it has worried me reading this i have had contact with staff there a girl called laura and one called Nicole also a james clarke who returned my call each time i rang please let me know if there has been any more progress
I have also had the same problem and if you look on endole.co.uk you will find that they are a virtual company. I also checked with MARA (Migrant Agent Registry Authority in Australia and they have never heard of this company. Stay well clear of this company, they are a SCAM!