More readers grounded by Immigration Unit

May 3 2009

I knew I was opening a can of worms when I exposed the Immigration Unit last week.

I have received a stream of complaints from readers out of pocket by up to £6000 each.

I told how builder Derek Stevenson paid £4900 to the firm, run by Johannes

Kroonenburg, to process his visa to Australia. But when he pulled out, his cash was not refunded.

William Garrick and Manish Upadhyay also lost £4400 each.

Now five more readers have contacted me with similar tales.

Thomas Preston, 28, of Cumbernauld, forked out £6000 to move his family to Australia.

Morag and Donald O'Halloran, both 47, of Irvine, paid £5800 to emigrate to Canada.

Thomas said: "They promised we'd be in Australia in six months. One year on we're still in Cumbernauld." Morag said: "They were so convincing. It's horrendous."

The firm is a trading name of Immigration Consultants Ltd, who are about to be struck off.

I collared Dutchman Kroonenburg, who claimed refunds were made on a case-by-case basis. I've passed a dossier to Trading Standards' scambusters team, who are investigating..