Beware of Kayode Fagbenro - Cotonou “Clearing Agent”, “Car Dealer”


Nairaland has been a helpful community for me, so I want to help others. Many of us here view this as a community and therefore tend to trust others implicitly, assuming they have the Nairaland seal of approval. Obviously this is a poor assumption to make, indeed a reckless one to make, as I have bitterly and painfully found out.

To be clear, I wish to VERY FIRMLY WARN all Nairalanders to beware of Kayode Fagbenro, a supposed Cotonou clearing agent and car dealer. His Nairaland aliases are “Kaymed” and “Kaymedd”.
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His profile is found here:

https://www.nairaland.com/kaymed

and here:

https://www.nairaland.com/kaymedd

He posts virtually everyday on his two or so threads – constantly soliciting for more business.

https://www.nairaland.com/468052/buy-clear-cars-cotonuo-reasonable/80

https://www.nairaland.com/455653/import-car-through-cotonuos-port/67

You will note that his threads while 67 - 80 pages long consist primarily of him speaking to himself, soliciting for business, there are few if any independent references or testimonials.

He is a fraudulent, dishonest, wicked person.


I spent many months discussing with him about clearing a car form Cotonu & Seme and delivering to Lagos. His repeated assurances and promises via email were a moving target. Day 1, he would quote NGN X for a transaction, Day 10 he would quote NGN 2X for the same transaction forgetting he had previously quoted a lower price. He could not keep track of his own lies. When you confront him, he gets enraged. He is very reassuring, a smooth talker and like the typical “con-man” is quite skilled in getting you to trust him, to believe him, to gain his “confidence”. As soon as the deal is consummated, and you make your first monetary deposit and cash extends hands, he converts from the gentle, trustworthy Kayode, to a full-fledged fraud, tout and con-man.

In my case, within three hours of my paying him over 90% of the agreed fee, he called me to increase the fee by 25% citing a spurious reason of a sudden increase in clearing costs. How clearing costs would suddenly increase between 6pm and 945 pm on the same day, I do not know?!

The next day, being somewhat desperate I confess, to conclude the transaction after many arguments, I reluctantly agreed to this undue, injust sudden increase of 25%. Just as I was agreeing to that new price, he immediately without skipping a beat, increased the fee by another 25%. At that point, I went livid and demanded a refund of my funds. Of course, I could not get a full refund and had to incur losses. My saga did not end there. After many appeals to him, to enable us conclude the transaction at the agreed price, when I asked him aaain, what it would it take to conclude the clearing transaction, he again increased the bill for the third time citing two other new fees. It was a nightmare. I honestly believe he was determined to squeeze me ad infinitum. These guys have no conscience.

It was strictly a miracle of the God I serve and love that I was able to extract myself from Kayode’s greedy, fraudulent, wicked hands. I suffered, physically, emotionally and financially.

I could easily move on and thank God that my losses were not total as they very easily could have been…but I think I would do the Nairaland community a grave injustice if I do not warn them about Kayode Fagbenro (Kaymed).

I WARN ALL NAIRALANDERS DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE CONDUCT ANY BUSINESS WITH KAYODE FAGBENRO aka KAYMED aka KAYMEDD.
I REPEAT RUN FROM HIM, PURSUE NO BUSINESS WITH HIM.


I also warn all Nairalanders to be very wary of a lot of the Cotonou clearing agents and car dealers; most of them from my experience are touts…indeed in private they will confess to you that they are indeed touts. I suggest dealing only with Clearing Agents who have verifiable offices, who are currently licensed and can provide evidence of same, who can provide performance bonds or guarantees for any deposits you make to them and who can provide numerous verifiable independent references. I also suggest that before there is any exchange of funds, there is a written agreement summarizing the terms of the transaction. These are all basic business principles but sometimes, when dealing with Nairalanders we fall into the false comfort that we are dealing with “friends or family members” and waive some of these basic principles only to get burnt.

ONCE AGAIN, BEWARE OF KAYODE FAGBENRO. NEVER engage in any business transaction with him

Hello Inspired,

I really do not want to go into precise details here.

The following will suffice to achieve my main aim: informing and warning others that Kayode Fagbenro (Kaymed) is a crook, a fraud and all NAIRALANDERS should RUN from him. Frankly, Mr. Inspired as a moderator you and the nairaland team should ban him and his Intenret IP addresses nairaland forum as that is the only way to fully rid the forum of this cancer.

1. The total transction cost (the initially agreed figure) was a seven figure sum

2. The first increase was exactly 23.07%

3. The second increase was exactly 25.0%..at this point, the new cost was almost double the initlaly agreed cost. I also note that during our conversation he actually increased the cost he initally quoted to me by 8.33%. I ultimately agreed to this increased cost because to be frank, I lost track of the initial quote. It was only upon reviewing all the discussions that I discovered this.

4. The third and final increase was another 6.75%. The increases were constant and non-stop.

5. I lost at least NGN300000 from my calculations; this does not include the incredible emotional torture and turmoil I went through.

6. Worse, he also in connivance with his Cotonou & Seme crooks attempted to prevent me from extricating myself from his grip. The aim was to hold me tight and squeeze me, squeeze me, extort me non-stop until I was dry. It was a classic "bait and switch", extortion and being held to ransom scam.

7. The car in question was for a new luxury SUV.

8. Discussions with Kayode continued for over two months. Final agreement was made and deposits were made in mid May. My painful saga commenced immediately after making the deposit in mid May.


BEWARE OF KAYODE FAGBENRO aka Kaymed aka Kaymedd!!!!!

inspired_m: @ AENAIJA,

Can you be More Specific On the details of the Transaction ? i.e the Make and Model of Vehicle ?

The Specific Amount Agreed and the Subsequent Increase.

Kindly state the Exact Details and Dates oif Possible to Substantiate these allegations.

Thanks.

@ Kaymed,

We will Appreciate your response (if Any ) to these allegations within the Next 24 Hours.

Uhn.Very instructive how u av quickly reacted to this thread(1st to comment& within minutes),but it took mr.Inspired 4good pages& only after his nl user name was mentioned as having endorsed a car which turned out to b nothing but a salvaged scam,that u responded to d thread on a damola selling a defective car to a certain alhaji.
@topic,more details nid to b given& how did d transaction finally end

The transaction finaly ended by me having to tactfully extricate myself from Kayode by obtaining a partial refund and securing the services of another party to clear my car - I still had to pay two further fees before I could even extricate myself from him. It truly was a mess: wasted time, lost money, emotional and physical stress.

There is not much more to add, bottom line:

Kayode Fagbenro (Kaymed) cannot be trusted. Do not engage in any business transaction with him.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!!

we are waiting for him

I wont buy my car again from this forum no marrer what any body says to convince me!

tpacalipse: I wont buy my car again from this forum no marrer what any body says to convince me!

I hear by second the motion all most all the car saler on nairaland forum are thief's

Why do cases like this in ths forum always take the for it would take with the Nigerian police.
Will the aggrieved guy just want to pain the accused blcck?
Na wah o!

i can never advise someone to buy a car in this nairaland cos most car dealers here are thieves and con men!

@AENAIJA. Kindly state d cost of d car and d amount he asked for clearing including d value of exchange rate @ d point of transaction. Dis will enable d house to guide u properly b4 u criticise. Stop quoting percentages, quote figures. ,naira or Cfa.

princely83: i can never advise someone to buy a car in this nairaland cos most car dealers here are thieves and con men!

Hmmm! i dont completely agree with you on that sir. in as much as they have dubious car dealers here, they also have credible car dealers here also. lets not give a dog a bad name in other to hang it.

I'm really watching to see how events unfold especially how this matter is handled. Cos I'm on d verge of handing over a job to one of d listed dealers here and this would be d determining factor of such a decision. Besides i can see dat d name Kaymed is listed amongst recognised dealers and so he has a lot of answering to do A.S.A.P!

Cotonou is a good place to buy a ride it depends who you are dealing with. Not every dealer on Nairaland are cons, Its time for other car dealers to come together and kick out the bad Eggs on here. Lets deal with this together. The only person i can trust with Cotonou dealings is Femmy2010

In this post am not praising some and bringing down some. I have had some experience in this car something. I sell cars to people though I dont buy and keep. If people around me need they call me, i give them price and proceed from there. I have only bought one car from cotonou among 8 cars I have sold. Others are from Lagos, Abuja or Kano.
The one I bought from Cotonuo I discovered really that many (98%) of these cotonuo guys are ordained touts, thieves and business illitrates.
But mind u it is a big opportunity for the honest few.
Actuall I called Femi1010 for 2001 sienna full option XLE with leather seat. After our discussion he told me the very last to bring it in. I looked at what I charged discovered that if I have to go on I will put 120k from my pocket. But one thing that was unique about the guy is what he quoted initially is what he always tell me for five different times I called him. Am not saying he is best but it is a high time we sieve chaff from the main substance of our interest. Wait am coming with a gist. I called others, many do not know the difference between XLE, LE and CE all they know is leather seat and cloth seat period. I talked to about 7 others, they quoted different custom clearing fee and hence different cost of landing. I tried to inquire about real cost of original costom paper and many do not know. Each tried to convince me that he is the best tout not car dealer so to say. But my greatest weakness is that nothing to hold back on them, no office , no nothing incase. But notheless I came back to Femi1010 to convince him to accept some prices some others gave which is below his price cos he quoted second highest, he said no bros I cant do it at that price. When I got down to business finally with one I discovered he does not even know present cotonuo car price he just quoted without making findings and it is the same with many of them.
I will continue with what finally happed later let me play some commercials. Be right back dont ever touch that dial.

I had thought the dealer in question would have come up here to respond to someone openly calling him 'a thief & con man' by this time. Are u supposed to be asked to defend yourself before you do?
What is the rationale behind sending a mail to a moderator (inspired_m) when your reputation & business is at stake in an open forum?
As for the OP, I will advice you to be more explicit with details if you think there is nothing to hide from your end.
It doesn't make any sense to me at all why you are both playing hide & seek here.

This is getting interesting.

Kaymed your response is awaited.

princely83: i can never advise someone to buy a car in this nairaland cos most car dealers here are thieves and con men!

Deal with Mr. Inspired and you will never buy from anyone else again

Hmmmn, let's hear more.

Its a shame that the accused person-KAYMED could not offer any reasonable defence except by saying that 'could you be d car disappeared'. He did not explain how d car 'disappeared'.

I have a brother in the UK; That is if I need to import fromt the UK
Have a niece,brother and co-husband(girlfriend sister husband who is into cars) in Germany: If I need German Cars.

But if it would be cheaper to buy from Niaralanders, then I think I will go with the reputable ones.

On one condition: I will have to know your family house here in Nigeria and they will have to confirm the deal(I don't buy tokunboh cars).

So, if you try to fu.c.k me up, your family will be the one to call you begging you to refund my full money!!! after I must have dealth with
them, with my men and the Nigeria police in places. . . .

You can ask my guy in China if you doubt!!!!

I can only give you a deal online, if I have something to fall back to in Nigeria should incase you fu.c.k up!!!!

To cut the already long story short, I left my place but due to traffic jam on Lagos Ibadan express way I and the guy met at about 8:45pm. Seeing the guy's apperance, I dont see him as somebody to hand over a job of a million plus. I Wanted us to go to his family house but saw he wasnt comfortable with that. Ok he took me to hotel. We agreed to leave to cotonuo the next morning being monday. The game is we will search the car see it, make deposite, go and withdraw and make full payment. Two days car gets into lagos. I rightly asked him which all of them do not have answer to, What happens if I did not get to see u this two days we will not be together? he promised all promisables with still nothing to hold. Niralanders, in the early morning of that monday I wasnt comfortable, full of fears, I decided to head back to a friends place in Lagos. He call but I told him cock and bull stories. The friend I went to took me to a car dealer he knows. Explained to him what I want and being a close friend of his, he took me to Cotonuo where we got what I want and paid. The car is with my customer now. Apart from getting the car he told me a truth they will never tell u. He brought in the car sound in 2 days.

Actually this cotonuo guys I mean all no exceptional has to do more in terms of security otherwise as far as am concerned they dont have business beware of them. Otherwise it is taking a risk of 95% uncertainty.

All I have to say here is this, those who want to buy from Nairaland should buy, and those who don't want to buy should allow the ones that are interested to do their own thing period. The main problem is that some of the buyers here will always want to buy things even below the cost price.
But this two guys have something they are not telling US

GoodMorning Nairalanders,


i am here to defend the allegation laid against me by of my clients, Mr Lawrence.

Our discussion started from Febuary this year, Mr lawrence wanted to ship 2012 Benz GL450 to Nigeria and he contacted me and we agreed on a price.

Mr Lawrence said he will ship the car the following month, which is March. when i asked him about the shipping, he told me that he was having issue with the car in USA. He later told me that he want to ship it via Air cargo, from Air cargo to RORo, from RoRO to Container. He eventually ship this said vehicle on April via Container and we are expecting the vehicle to arrive Cotonuo' port on the 4th of May.

On the 22nd of April, Mr Lawrence called me that he was in Lagos and we should make an arrangement to see each other one on one and talk more better. i invited him to

badagry but he told me that he cant make it to badagry. on the 25th, I met Mr Lawrence at Lagos airport (MM1)around 8am in the morning and we talked about the way forward.


He gave me money for registration of the car that day at the airport to commence the registration of the car because he wants to insure the car before it arrives

Nigeria.i gave him my business card and sent him a mail that i received so so amount of money from him and the purpose for the money.

We agreed that day that we meet at badagry on the 6th of May so that we will go to Cotonuo's ship side to check the car and start the clearing process.I mailed Mr

lawrence on the 7th of May and he replied me that he will let me know when he will becoming to Lagos with the bill of lading. Even before the arrival of the said Vehicle, I have done the Valuation of the car at Nigerian and I have the value with me because we agent are having issues with Nigerian Custom service. I mailed Mr lawrence again on 8th and he replied me again that he will let me know when he will be coming and also promised to call me before he leaves USA to Lagos. On 10th april,around 8am in the morning, Mr lawrence called me that he is in Lagos and he will soon start coming to SEME border to meet me.Mr lawrence got to SEME border around past 2pm and he came directly to my office with one of my boy. we talked and he told me and also promised to call before he fly down to Lagos but i didnt hear from him which he apologized and I told him instantly that I have received Value for his car since last week but I have used it for another car because I taught that he cant make it to Lagos again this week again.We went to check the car at Cotonuo port side together and we commenced Cotonuo clearing instantly around 3:30pm. I left one of my boy to handle the job at cotonuo and I and Mr lawrence left cotonuo to Seme border.When we get to Seme border, i told Mr lawrence that there is issue on ground at both Tincan and Seme border. any car from 2010 model and above, there is a way we do it. if we want to pay normal duty that govt ordered us to pay, nobody can afford it but we have an agreement with NCS. If we are to pay normal duty for 2012 GL50, the bank payment alone is 3.3m NGN but there is way we do it here. Mr lawrence want to give the whole payment but i told him to wait because with the present situation on ground, I cant assured him of the exact payment until i Valued the vehicle. mr Lawrence gave me 90% of the initial agreed price and left Seme to VI in the evening and told me to let him know the Value when i have it.



I do all my paper work and eventually I was able to get the reasonable Value for the car that same day. I called Mr Lawrence around 9pm in the evening to explain the whole issues to him. Initially, there is something we called short payment, for instance, we can pay value of 2004 model vehicle for 2007 model and the car will not have issue at all on the road but with the present situation at the two border, there is a limit now and we are still fighting with NCS to return the payment to the initial Value. Mr lawrence told me that he want his car out by all means and I gave him 4 options because there is a limit in what i can do. Govt is involved and I cant risk my license because of his car.

The options I gave Mr lawrence

1, I told him that when the car arrive Seme border, I will park his car at a very secured and govt approved park. when the issues at border is calm, i will process his car document for him and bring in the vehicle to Lagos for him. He saw lots of big cars that we parked at the place waiting for clearing and he can testify to this.More than 40 cars from 2010 upwards.


2, When the car arrived border, lets fly the car to your house in Lagos and when we resolve the issue at the border, I will process your document and send it to you. flying of cars simply means bringing in the car to nigeria without custom papers and I assured him that he will seat inside the car when i will fly it in for him to be rest assured that his car did not pass through bush. its normal settlement on the road.

3, we pay the Value I have which is still reasonable and affordable compares to the normal payment. the Value was 1.6m NGN


4, its the normal duty payment of 3.3m NGN which i know that its outrageous and that is why we are dialoging with NCS. Mr lawrence saw all the big cars vehicle that was delayed because of the increment in tariff by govt.


Mr lawrence called me on 11th of May, around 10am and told me that he is coming down to Seme border to meet me. Mr lawrence got to my office around 12;30pm and he told me to refund him that he is no longer interested in doing business with me. I gave him is balance back instantly. I think when I balanced him, he was confused and calm. we have a long chat and he decided to go for the first options and we agreed.


The vehicle arrived Seme border on Monday and I called Mr Lawrence to come and see were i want to park the vehicle so that he will have rest of mind. Around 7:30pm, Mr Lawrence agreed to make payment for the custom papers the following day and we agreed but I was surprised when I received a call that Mr Lawrence came with another agent to move the car out of the park without telling me.When the vehicle arrived border, i told Mr lawrence that if he is not comfortable with me, that he should try another agent. I opened up the whole process to him. I even educate him on how to make the payment to govt account and every other things. I don't need to be telling him all these as an agent but I just want transparency and for him not to feel cheated. I made him realized that my License is at stake and I cant go against govt order until the issue was resolved. this is govt decision not my personal decision and I cant go against govt decision because i want to please him. Till date Mr lawrence did not pick my call and neither did he reply my text. I am not after your car neither am i after your money, i was just trying to please him and i gave him options. I advised him to even try another agent but I was surprised that mr Lawrence moved the car without my consent. I took him has my brother not a client. even when he was crossing the car to Nigeria at Seme border with his new agent and benin police stopped them, i sent one of my boy to go and assist him before he got there,they had release them, he may think that am not happy about his steps. when he had issue at some custom check point, i made some calls to assist. when the agent was about to hand over the car at Okoko to another driver, i called Mr Lawrence to congratulate him but till now he did not pick my call. I even text him that am not angry at him, I just want to greet him, no response.


As they normally say, Customer is always right, I agreed but in cases like this, customer too should have human feeling. All the stress I pass through because of Mr Lawrence job, I ignored most of my jobs because I want to please, I took some risky steps putting my License at stake because of Mr lawrence car, i bear some losses because of his car, normally cars dont leave Cotonuo to Lagos on Monday and everybody are aware of this but I risked everything to bring Mr Lawrence car to Seme border on MONDAY just to please him. Mr Lawrence, what else do you expect from me, should I kill myself because I want to satisfy you.?


The so called agent that he used to fly the car, I know how much the guy collected from you but I want to fly the car to Lagos for you with my personal money and do the papers for you when we resolved the issue on ground here. Seven different agent came to meet me in my office concerning your job but I did not let you know, that is why I always tell you on phone that if you exposed the Vehicle that you are going to pay normal payment. i am aware of most of your steps but I played along because your job is realy giving me headache and i just wanted it to go. i told you stylishly, that if you are to clear your car geniunly at Seme border, that i will know cos we agent know ourselves. but you dont understand me, I dont want to mentioned names of agents you called concerning the cars, even you so called agent that eventually fly, i know him very and we have been communicating on phone till your car get to Okoko. am just after the safety of the car because if I look at your dubious attitude, the car will be impounded and nothing you can do about it, but will I gain from that. ? in everything we do, we must have fear of God in mind because we are nothing before Him. If i wicked you today, am adding to my problem because what goes around comes around.


Nairalanders have been a great people to do business with. I have done businesses with lots of Nairalanders, people from PH, Calabar, Abuja, Lagos and so on. though it not all transaction that work out well perfectly, at times we have issues and we settle it. we must have issues in business because we are same people but from different environment, different ideology, different background and different mindset. Communication, transparency, commitment and maturity builds business. we are humans and the way we reason differs. Nobody is perfect, we learn everyday, if i have done you wrong Mr Lawrence, there are many ways to talk to me as your brother not trying to tarnish my image on internet. Do you know the implication of this at all, this is wicked. You have done your worst but I want to remind you that we assumed that we are brothers and you don't know the next step i may take on this issue if I want to pay you back but what will It profit me.





All in all, I accept that CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT, I TENDER MY APOLOGY. MR LAWRENCE, am very sorry for the inconvenience i might have caused you, when agents were having issues with govt, things like this occurs but i tried all my possible best to assist but it seems you don't appreciate my effort. but you should have used a suitable topic for your thread because the whole transaction was done in your presence and i did not attempt to scam you neither do i take any decision without your approval. there was transparency during the transaction. I was still surprised why you tagged me as fraudster on NL.You know my office and virtually everything about me, if you have issue with me you should have come to my office and lets resolve it.


Cheers

Kaymed, come on and clear the air!!!

kenyguy: The main problem is that some of the buyers here will always want to buy things even below the cost price.

@Kenguy Were u forced? It is business, customer has right to price 1 naira. Is it because we dont go to court here.
Say no if it is not okey for you period Pricing below cost price is not an issue here, you even do it also in things u dont sale.

Y was my post deleted by Mr.inspired d moderator of dis section yesterday& this thread hidden?I commented& will rpt my comment here dat its instructive how mr.Inspired has bn very fast to post on dis thread& has kept up his activity here,but it took him several days& 4 whole pages after, to post any comment on d allegation made by a LEKY dat he was scammed by a DAMOLA1 on a rav 4,dat turned out to b a badly repaired savage car,which was endorsed as being ok,by Mr.Inspired himself.His reaction evn only came wen his nl name was consistently mentioned as having given d rav an endorsement,whc was relied upon by d scammed buyer.But here he has bn so quick to make contributions,dat smacks of a partial moderator to me.Why did anybody av to delete my post for a story I ddnt make up.D moral is this,a moderator shd not b partisan,it casts a doubt on your dealings,particularly a biz agent moderator.

@Kaymed
From ur story I discovered that u are not a professional in this transaction u entered into. And thats typical of many cotonuo guys forget about whichever liscence u have.
You went into the business to try. Ur statement lacked lots of professionalism no matter how sweet u have presented ur story cos those of us that have tried this cotonuo thing knows u guys and many of u can paint good stories.
Am not siding Flourence but u also would have done what he did cos serious cash is involved. He might have weighed u and got to see that it is like our Nigeria police "we are on top of the situation" when they are really unaware of the situation.
Do some serious research to put in professionalism in ur service so that clients can trust u.
Mr Flourence get back to this guy, am happy for him he is hursling to make a living. U beat a child with one hand and use the other hand to bring him or her back no matter what he did.
Tommorow is still there and u still may have to meet

Carsells:

@Kenguy Were u forced? It is business, customer has right to price 1 naira. Is it because we dont go to court here.
Say no if it is not okey for you period Pricing below cost price is not an issue here, you even do it also in things u dont sale.

My brother you have the right to price even 50kobo, but the consequences of your pricing is that you will get low quality services OR goods. And when you get what you bargained for, just endure.
Peace be with you