I PAID SPI SERVICES R28,000.00, + SPI’S FORENSIC SPECIALIST R7,500.00, + Many Other ASSOCIATED EXPENSES OF R7,500.00 = R43,000.00 ALTOGETHER – For “DARK WEB” (******) iPhone Data Recovery – But got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BACK AT ALL, after more than 3 months

Starting on 28 July 2024, I contacted SPI SERVICES in Queensburgh KZN – The Owner told me he could easily recover all the lost info+data of my ****** iPhone, via the DARK WEB. (Phone ******: 19 July) But the next day, 29 July; SPI’S Owner WhatsApp “BLOCKED” me - because I asked him too many questions about data recovery & the high R16,000.00 cost thereof. The R16K cost comprised an initial R2,5K “consultation” + the R13,5K “data recovery fee.” Being instantly “BLOCKED” by SPI worried me, but I was desperate to recover my important ******|lost info. (iPhone wasn’t backed up on iCloud: This was my ******** mistake.) So, on 14 August, I apologised to SPI Services, before being able to actually meet the Owner of SPI; having driven down from JHB to DBN. I first had to prepay his R2,5K “initial consult”- before even meeting him. Then I was told that the data recovery cost will now be increased by R12K – From R13,5K to R25,5K – BUT HIS “FORENSIC DEPARTMENT” WOULD DEFINITELY RECOVER ALL MY LOST-****** iPhone DATA – “100%, FOR SURE.” So, on 15 August, I paid the sharply increased R25.5K, so with the R2,5K – I’d now paid R28K to SPI - but was emphatically told I definitely should get back all my ******|lost iPhone data back – by 5 September 2024, in 3 weeks. But then, in early September, SPI Services told me that using my 2nd iPhone, if I did I SIM SWAP–a DARK WEB Data Recovery my 1st ****** iPhone; would be much easier. But I’d now have to send my 2nd iPhone to a DARK WEB “FORENSIC SPECIALIST” IN THE NORTHERN CAPE. Having already invested R28K, & still convinced by SPI SERVICES’ CONSTANT REASSURANCES–I couriered my 2nd iPhone to SPI Services’ “FORENSIC SPECIALIST.” The FORENSIC SPECIALIST got my phone on 12 Sept, & initially said he could recover all my data with 80% cer*****y. However, then, on 22 Sept, he said he’d now need an extra R4,700.00 to buy “Special Apps & Software” to “DEFINITELY EXTRACT & RECOVER” all my LOST iPHONE DATA OFF THE “DARK WEB” – with 100% cer*****y. Because I returned to Canada on 12 Sept, I’d also have to pay him R2,600.00 to courier my 2nd iPhone from SA back to Canada, + R200.00 for a Data USB Data – All these costs added up to R7,5K; which I paid to SPI’s FORENSIC SPECIALIST by International EFT, on Fri 27 Sept. But as soon as I paid him this money, which he received on Fri 4 Oct, the FORENSIC SPECIALIST suddenly would NOT answer any of my Landline + WhatsApp Phone Calls,or Text Messages, or E-Mails for 5 agonising days; until Tue 8 October. When I reverted back to SPI Services about this, SPI told me – “Hire A Lawyer” – Absurd advice, because this would be fruitless. Then the FORENSIC SPECIALIST eventually confirmed he’d received the R7,5K; but only when I got a friend to call him, because he’d ignored all my attempts to communicate with him for 5 days – SPI SERVICES then told me that he would be unavailable till further notice, because he was having heart bypass surgery. I then had to wait 3 more weeks with ZERO COMMS, until 29 Oct, with the FORENSIC SPECIALIST – who also told me he now also had serious medical problems, & could not talk to me or anyone. This FORENSIC SPECIALIST then only eventually spoke to me again, after 3 agonising weeks, from 8 to 29 Oct; only when I used my brother-in-law’s phone to call him. Then SPI Services reverted to me, saying that now; he no longer needed a bypass op; & when I told him his FORENSIC SPECIALIST HAD ALL MY MONEY – + MY 2ND PHONE TOO – + HE NOW SAID THAT HE COULD NOT RECOVER ANY OF MY DATA AT ALL – Plus the FORENSIC SPECIALIST now also suddenly had a life-threatening illness: early stage lung cancer – Plus he was being kicked out of his home + also urgently needed “emergency financial help” to pay his outstanding R4,985.00 rent – & would I help by sending him money “immediately.” When I phoned SPI SERVICES to tell him all this – SPI SERVICES SIMPLY TOLD ME THAT HIS “FORENSIC SPECIALIST” WAS A ***** AND **** – HE ALSO THAT I WOULD NEVER, EVER GET MY 2nd iPHONE BACK – BECAUSE THIS “FORENSIC SPECIALIST” HAD ALSO ****** & NOT RETURNED ANOTHER CLIENT’S LAPTOP – AND LIKE THE FORENSIC SPECIALIST, HE SAID THAT THEY HAD JUST HAD A FALLOUT. (I think this “FALLOUT” was primarily to DEFLECT MY ATTENTION; because I suspect that SPI & the “FORENSIC GUY” were always working together.) However, then between 29 Oct & 13 Nov – by miracle, & only by promising to send SPI SERVICES “FORENSIC SPECIALIST” MORE MONEY, WITH OR WITHOUT DATA RECOVERY – Did I manage to get my 2nd iPhone fetched from him, in the N-Cape, and couriered back to my friend in KZN, South Africa. On 8 + 9 November, when I reverted to SPI SERVICES to see if he could still help me to recover the data – for which I had now paid R43K (R28K to SPI – Plus R7,5K to FORENSIC SPECIALIST – Plus R7,5 for a wide array of associated costs) – --- SPI SERVICES Now Refused to give me – Either an EXACT or APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE – To try to “Recover or Extract” my last data, which he had repeatedly PROMISED ME that he would recover for me – “100%, FOR SURE” – --- SPI SERVICES then said that I must 1st SEND HIM MY 2nd iPHONE, for him to see what he could recover from iCLOUD – & when I reminded him that NO BACK-UP WAS EVER MADE TO iCLOUD, which was why I had approached him in the 1st place – --- Because he’d repeatedly promised with 100% cer*****y; that he could definitely recover all this info from the “DARK WEB” – --- SPI SERVICES then said all “DARK WEB” WORK IS FOR his “FORENSIC DEPARTMENT,” & his FORENSIC DEPT is the SAME FORENSIC SPECIALIST IN THE N-CAPE, who, with SPI’s Direct Referral, Approval & Encouragement - Had just put me through the above 2½ month nightmare! ----- To summarise: SPI’s attitude only ever nice and polite, only when I PAYING OR HAD JUST PAID HIM MONEY – But as soon as I asked him any pertinent, common-sense questions – he always instantly became bullying and nasty. SPI SERVICES has just given what was easily the most horrible, unforgettably unpleasant and scary consumer experience that I have ever, ever had in my life.

Most Importantly: I have just been told – By 3 forensic data recovery specialists; TECLEO in JHB SA, and FLASH FIXERS in the USA, & EVERYTHING MOBILE in Canada – That all this DARK WEB iPHONE DATA RECOVERY – Is ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE – So all of SPI SERVICES’ PROMISES APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TOTALLY *****ULENT AND UNTRUE, RIGHT FROM THE START. However, even if SPI actually really could’ve done a DARK WEB extraction | recovery – I still paid R43,000.00 to SPI & his FORENSIC SPECIALIST, plus also – all my other expenses – but I got absolutely nothing back from SPI or his FORENSIC SPECIALIST, after more than 3 awful months.