An act of kindness has become one of the most costly decisions that she has made.

Lisa Davis believes she fell victim to an elaborate scam when she conducted business with iGO Brand Advancement Services Limited in 2015.

The UK resident told the Jamaica Observer that in a bid to assist unemployed relatives in Jamaica she was tricked into handing over millions for job placement opportunities. Her relatives have not been placed neither has she received a reimbursement of the monies spent.

She said she was introduced to the “opportunity” by the same relatives whom she believes were also duped by the company.

“They asked me for help in Jamaica and they told me they knew of this thing that people provide you with employment abroad and I needed to pay some money for like police records, the boarding when they go abroad, and all of this,” she said.

After doing checks, she said she was convinced that it was a legitimate venture and began the process to help her relatives.

“They’re not doing anything in Jamaica and I thought that this was an opportunity to get them to help themselves,” Davis admitted. “There is not much opportunity so I saw this as an opportunity for them”.

“So I paid the money and I told the lady I’ve got like seven of my relatives not doing anything and I want to help them,” she told the Sunday Observer.

“Later on I found out that I wanted my money back because she said they would have gone by [a particular] date and they didn’t go by such date,” she continued. “So I said I want my money back to actually let them learn a skill in Jamaica and she refused to give me my money back basically, so I am now in a position where I have taken her to court.”

She said the woman initially agreed to repay the money but has not kept her promise.

According to Davis, over $2 million was transferred to the company’s representative between September 2015 and January 2016 through Western Union.

A letter from the money link company in April outlines that Davis made six payments, all more than 1,000 pounds during the period.

The payments, as outlined in a receipt branded iGO Brand Advancement Services Limited, were for: registration $201,250; iGO processing, $161,000; H2B programme $1, 448, 940; passport processing for two individuals, $16,000; IELTS-P — an English test for four individuals, $12,000; IELTS-T, $32,000; customer service training for two persons $50,000; two birth certificates $3,000; H2B programme $246,000; and one driver’s licence for $21,500.

Davis’ attorney Abi-Gaye White-Thomas told the Sunday Observer that the court matter ended in August when Davis received a default judgement, as neither the company nor a representative showed for court.

A copy of the judgement stated that “…it is this day adjudged that the claimant recovers against the defendant the sum of $2,416,122.24 plus interest from the date of judgement until debt is satisfied”. It noted that no acknowledgement of service or defence was filed on behalf of the defendants.

“It is ridiculous when you think about it now. When I think back, I think I was a bit stupid to let this girl scam me like this, but I just thought it was an opportunity. She sent me references to say these are the people who have gone before and it was all a lie. I’m not a naive person but boy, I just didn’t expect her to tell so much lies,” Davis stated.

The Sunday Observer was reliably informed that the representative who Davis spoke with was ousted from the company by a newly instated director. According to a source, the ousted individual held a high-ranking position in the company up to the time of his departure.

When the Sunday Observer rang the number that the company had placed on its website, someone answered and said that it was the wrong number, adding that no such company used the number quoted.