Four people were tricked into losing their hard-earned cash after investing in what has turned out to be a money-making scam.

They responded to a billboard and online advertisement in which Agri Smart Investments (ASI) promised investors huge returns in poultry farming.

Complainants said the company has moved from its Pretoria offices without leaving a forwarding address.

Gugulethu Zwane, 29, of Soweto, is repaying a loan of R250000 after he bought a 5% share in a chicken farm from Agri Smart.

Zwane said he responded to its billboard advertisement in October last year. He said he was invited to a presentation before ASI took him to its chicken farm in Pretoria. Everything looked legit and he was promised a R11000 monthly return, he said.

Zwane said he was not paid in December - the first time his income was due, but in January, Agri Smart paid him double.

He was paid regularly until April. Since then, he said, Agri Smart has been telling him lies.

David Moerane and his wife are also victims. They paid R50000 for a mini chicken house and 500 chickens, which they were promised in June. Moerane said he wanted to take early retirement and searched for investments in farming. Upon inquiry, he was told that Agri Smart specialised in agricultural business opportunities and farming solutions, especially in poultry production. He also attended a presentation at ASI where he was offered a contract of R50000 as he already had a plot where he could house the chickens.

"I was also told they were setting up farms on the eastern side of Pretoria and other parts of South Africa, and had secured contracts to supply over 300000 chickens per month," he said.

Moerane said he was also taken to the chicken farm was promised a weekly profit of R16000.

Agri Smart went to Moerane's plot, took measurements and promised to build the chicken run within two weeks and deliver the chickens. This never happened.

Santi Murray, a pastor's wife from Pretoria, said she attended a financial seminar where Agri Smart did a presentation.

"Pastors don't earn much, so we saw an opportunity to earn a salary," Murray said. The Murrays opted for slaughtered chickens, which they would collect and sell.

The first time they bought 100 chickens for R35 each and sold them at a lucrative profit, she said. They did not receive their second supply after depositing R4000 in March.

Bafana Sithole said he wanted to take early retirement, so he persuaded his wife to invest R50000 in a chicken farm.

"My wife has been retrenched, so she used her retrenchment money to clinch that deal. You can imagine how she feels now."

They were promised R16000 a week, but a month later Agri Smart had not delivered their chickens and mini house.

"They no longer take our calls," Sithole said.

Kallie Kurz, the chief executive of ASI, said the company would not comment unless evidence of wrongdoing was provided.

"ASI will surely take the needed legal steps should any newspaper or media source falsely publish any info without evidence that could result in negative exposure to our company," Kurz said.

He said his abattoir was not closed and the company had not moved offices. Kurz said he did not know who Pastor Murray was, and told Consumer Line they are proud to have only five unhappy clients out of 600.

Kurz failed to respond when presented with proof of payment and copies of contracts.