SS Express review: Deposit not returned 86

My first contact with Shane Hicks from SS Express Freight was on 8/11/2012 and were quoted $1800 for 15 cubic metres of storage from Sydney to Perth. He requested a 30% deposit to make the booking for pick up 8/2/2013 which I paid and after many phone calls, text messages and emails I was sent an invoice. I was told at the time the delay was due to him installing a new computer system which he explained was also why my invoice number was IV00000001.

I had my suspicions when he was difficult to contact - not answering calls or texts or emails, his voicemail box always being full, seemingly answering calls more quickly if it was from a private number but he kept reassuring me everything was fine.

He promised to arrive at 8am this morning to collect our belongings to drive them to Perth over the next week. It is now 10.30am and he has not arrived, has not contacted us, will not answer calls or text messages. We have now come to the conclusion (backed up by the other complaints we have just found) that he has robbed us of our $600 deposit and will not be shipping our goods.

We will be taking this matter as far as need be to get compensation for the stress and money this has cost and suggest no-one else trust this lying thief.

I am in the exact same situation! Need advice about how to proceed further with this matter. Please contact me privately :(

I have been continuously lied to over the last 2 months of dealing with this thief. I went to the Banff st address and there is no such office. It's a block of units in the middle of the suburbs. Then apparently they had conveniently "move" the week before.

Who should I speak to about following up on Shane Michael hicks ABN : [protected]

Looks like I am also in a similar situation.
Had pedestal shipped from Sydney early January for Geelong.
Has not been delivered. Supposedly sitting in his depot at Thomastown. The usual no reply to phone calls or message bank full.
When I do get him on the phone I get some sort of a spiel: eg. been away on holidays, will drop it off today after I attend a meeting this morning, waiting for a truck to arrive from Albury, asked one of the drivers to deliver but he didn't. Even offered to drive down and pick it up. Phone calls don't last long either as they cut out, no doubt him hanging up. Deciding what to do next, the problem is finding where he is.

Also having this problem - but he has taken $900!
New address to check out is 11 59-61 Miller St Epping VIC 3073. Let me know if youfind him. Police on way to take statement. Make sure you charge him too!

If anyone would like to discuss this privately with me, please email me on rashaalo@hotmail.com

I am building a case for prosecution and have lodged a complaint with Consumer Affairs.

Strangely I received an email from Shane today with another sob story excuse - did anyone else receive this?

Cheers, Shaal

Hi Took my stuff mid last month, syd to perth, 17 jan should have taken 7-10 days
took deposit $800, and $1500 after pick up, and my furniture, computer files, tools, everything ...hasnt been delivered ...Just a wheely bin full of excuses, cant find him does anyone know where he is..?

G'day there, unfortunately I found this page too late, because I have also been shafted by this dog! I have paid him $1, 600 for a household removal which was all my savings; and all i received in return was endless amount of excuses and lies! He even had me believed that if I deposited some monies into his TAB account my furniture would be picked up that evening. It is people like Shane that need to be stopped from ripping innocent people off and getting away with it.
If need be, a visit to the Lalor cricket club where he plays is in order. A Current Affair have been contacted and are keen to run the story of this rogue man!

I am more than willing to discuss this with A Current Affair as well Lou and I have private messaged you as well. Cheers, Rashaal

Hello again everyone, to my knowledge tthere are (sadly) at least 8 of us now. I have lodged a detailed complaint with Consumer Affairs, and I am aware of at least 1 more complaint lodged. Apparently ACA have been contacted and other legal action has been taken by other victims. Hopefully if we band together we can catch him!

Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss further. Private message me and I'll give you my contact details.

Regards, Rashaal

hi there, another victim, am in the same situation, have lodged complaint with consumer affairs
please help on how to proceed further.
Regards
Raj

Hi Raj, I'm sorry to hear this also happened to you. I'm compiling evidence of everyone's situations should we need to go to court or even for ACA or Today Tonight so I would appreciate finding out some information from you if you don't mind. Please private message me at rashaalo@hotmail.com and I will get some information from you offline.
Cheers, Rashaal

Hi Allan, I have contacted A Current Affair but had no response so I will be approaching Today Tonight as well. I hope everyone that has fallen victim to Shane (9 of us that I know of so far) will be willing to be involved in their investigation.

Cheers, Rashaal

Hi everyone,
We too have been impacted by Shane Hicks & lost our $250 deposit.
He was due to collect out items in on 11 January 2013 & we waited around from 9am until 7:30pm for him to arrive. I have kept all of our communications in the event we took this further. Rashaal I'll email you now my details.
Cheers
Therese

Hello again everyone, apparently we all need to lodge our claim individually with the VACT (http://www.vcat.vic.gov.au) as per advice from Consumer Affairs. I will be doing so this week and will keep everyone informed.

Unfortunately I have had no luck with A Current Affair but will be contacting Today Tonight to see if they are interested in the story.

To date I have a record of NINE victims and there are more and more appearing every day, so I do believe that as a united front we may have the best option of making him pay for his crimes.

Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions or to give me any updates on your situation for the case I'm building for us all. I appreciate all your assistance.

Cheers, Rashaal

I am another victim of Shane Hicks he took $800 bond and over 10, 000 worth of furniture that hasn't been delivered. He picked it up from Gold Coast on 17th, November 2013 and was supposed to dropped off to Canberra within the week but never came. My partner and I have tried contacting him on many occasions but with no luck. I am interested in pursuing this further and seeking justice against this thief.
Rashaal I will lodge my case this week also. Please email me the details of how to do so if you can.
Thanks, Blake

Hi Blake I am so sorry to hear of what has happened to you. I was speaking with Consumer Affairs last Thursday and they have had no luck either. She was lovely and advised that our best option is to contact the Magistrate with a complete case we have built from all eleven victims and present that to convert this into a legal matter and not just a civil one. I am advising all victims however to also lodge their individual claims with the Dept of Fair Trading in their state (in Sydney it is the CTTT - www.cttt.nsw.gov.au/). There is a small fee for this, and a tribunal hearing date will be set. Shane has not yet appeared at any of these tribunal hearings but each time he doesn't it goes towards building our case.

I would like to obtain some more information from you about your individual situation so it would be best if you contact me directly instead of posting on the board. My personal email address is shaalster@yahoo.com.au or rashaalo@hotmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you Blake.

Regards, Rashaal

hi everyone, this shane guy had my partner working for him and he sent him to QLD from melbourne and kepy promsinig to pay some monmey in his account for fuel so because he kept not paying it my partner had to arrange money and sleep in the truck and was stuck for 6 days with no food or anywhere to sleep except hs truck. his owes us $4000 for other job we had for him too and i am applying to VCAT. this happened in October at the end of october 2012.

please anyone contact me we need to do something about this guy he cant keep doing this... we need to all get together and do something!

sehbeh_87@yahoo.com.au

does anyone know his address? im applying to vcat and apparently banff street isnt where he lives?

i know he uses a strorage place in thomastown all the time, thats where he use to get my partner to drop and pick up

As far as I know the reservoir street property is vacant as well as the banff one - last I heard anyway. Not sure if anyone knows where he actually is unfortunately. Hopefully someone will find him though, so we can all get our money and belongings back.
If you have the address in Thomastown, maybe try that too.
Cheers, Rashaal

Shane got me too, for around $1600. I have been down the fair trading route and applied to QCAT. I am interested in any legal proceedings against this thief. My email is anthonyhunter77@gmail.com if anyone has any further info, thanks

13th August 2013
I am just sitting here shaking my head in disbelief. Add me to the list of disgruntled customers. I first came into contact with this horrible man after I posted an ad in The Gumtree asking for a removalist to take my belongings from Melbourne to Hobart. He contacted me the next day and spun me the hard luck story that he lost his livelihood in the Black Saturday fires and had started again from scratch. I was quoted $2500 for 25 cubic metres and asked for the 30% deposit - $850. I became suspicious of him within days when his voice mail box was constantly full, he made excuse after excuse about not dropping past and doing the inventory and leaving packaging materials. Eventually I got on to him and requested my deposit back... that was 18.1.13 . His best friend had apparently just had a brain haemorrhage and he wasn't able to attend to matters - if he does have a best friend out there - these are the sorts of stories he is telling and I can only hope that Karma comes back to bite him. If I had read these comments earlier, I wouldn't have wasted another $50 in application fees and my time and effort attending VCAT last month ( July 16th). I had to make a special trip from Hobart to Melbourne to attend . Of course he didn't show - of course I was awarded the $850 deposit back and of course he hasn't paid me. I was just about to pay another $200 and take it through the Magistrate's Court but this site has saved me another $200. Please contact me on suzannecharkas@optusnet.com.au and include me in whatever is going on. That man caused me so much stress and time and effort - finding another removalist to take our household on the ferry was so incredibly difficult . My husband was left in a rented house for 6 days without any furniture or belongings ... it was a nightmare. suzannecharkas@optusnet.com.au

I am another victim of his fraud, please let me know if anyone is still pursuing legal actions against him as I would like to contribute and I can help please msg me and I will provide my contact details

Shane Hicks

Shane Hicks is now located in Wollert Vic. He has had many different business names since SS Express in 2013. He's now supposedly doing landscaping-taking deposits, but not following through with the work. His 30% deposit covers his costs if he decides to do the work. Anything else is profit. The phone number no longer applies, but look up address details on yellow pages on the following link (Northern Turf and Landscapes)

https://www.yellowpages.com.au/search/listings?clue=northern+turf+and+landscapes&locationClue=3+Dawson+Rd%2C+Wollert+VIC+3750&lat=&lon=

He has apparently registered another new business, something in construction finding subbies to do work for him then not paying them. #1 for Dodgy

Shane Hicks scammed my dad in July 2014, took $1500 deposit saying he was from Northern Turf and Landscapes as a deposit to do a job and never showed. Will post later with any more information.

Mob [protected]
Home [protected]

I've known this ### since 11/7/14. I ordered some turf of him when he was operating Northern landscaping. He came that night to pick up the fee of $270. Then I laid seeds because he didn't pull through. I then worked with him for approx 3 months without getting paid. He then owed me aporox $4000. I have received $2400. I have sent him in excess of 5000 msgs trying to chase what is owed to me. Do NOT use Shane Hicks for anything. It'll lead to heartache. He is a scammer and a con man. I wish you all luck

Hi all- wish I'd found this earlier. I can add myself to the unfortunate list, having contracted an interstate removal service with him, where I was left without my things for 5 days after many lies and excuses about his 'friend passing away'. My vehicle was also to be moved by him, and i was constantly told it would be arriving 'soon' and was in transit- it never was I found out so I luckilly arranged for him not to go anywhere near it before he had- he is yet to return the money owing. I am now out of pocket by a calculated almost 2000 in expenses. Please anyone who has any leverage in proceedings contact me at icym88@hotmail.com. Is it worth me pursuing through VCAT? Currently i can't serve him papers as I only have bogus addresses for him.

Possibly contact his partner and mother of his child.
Sherrie thorn
Accountant finance dept.
La Trobe unniversitity
Bundoora
Victoria

Perhaps La Trobe University ought to have somebody check their own books and ensure that they are all in order. What a pathetic couple - what a hypocrite working in Finance Dept and sitting back watching your partner steal from decent working folk. I recently had some correspondence from another man who miraculously received all his money in return after he threatened Shane in some way or other - imagine he was willing to go to La Trobe Univ Finance Dept or wait outside Mill Park Heights School.

Anybody wanting to contact his partner by telephone or email :

Miss Sheree Thorn
Assistant Accountant
Office of CFO
DMW|03

T: [protected]
E: s.thorn@latrobe.edu.au

Hi, looks like this guy is still at it. Has anyone had any luck w VCAT ect? Shans did move my stuff but has not delivered everything and there was plenty that was damaged. Lost if excuses...marriage breakup, uncle dies and so on. I hope his wife is enjoying my clothes and shoes they still have!

Please be advised that Shane Hicks DOES not work for Water Features Direct! If he says he does he does Not...If he says that he can supply product please contact us as it may be stolen.

Shane Hicks is still using Northern Constructions (VIC) Pty Ltd to quote for jobs on Gumtree. He took a deposit of $1200 for landscaping work for me and has disappeared with the money. I have lodged a complaint with Consumer Affairs Victoria, and I am happy to co-ordinate with anyone else who want to pursue legal action (I am investigating this possibility). Please contact me on vinay@totalcaos.com to get in touch with me.

Hi there.
The man himself apparently visits this very site and reads about himself
As I to have been a victim of his greed and about 20+ others and counting
I suggest you contact the police then seek a legal rep for advise even through legal aid in effect he
Is robbing us all of all our possessions .
I'm surprise to learn he is still doing it actually And getting away it so I do urge you to seek legal advise as a matter of urgency .
It's not normal a practice where you rob people of furniture money and nothing is done and one calls it a civil listing .
Robbing stealing from people is a criminal activity .
Obviously as it appears the person has possibly an addiction of some description. Such as gambling substance abuse or simply greed .
Nothing surer he needs help before someone takes the law in their own hands.
please. Seek a legal rep advise .

I have also come across same issue where he has grabbed my money and never returned back, I don't know what to do

Same here. He grabbed $1650 of us and just vanished into thin air. Wont provide landscaping service or refund the money. Planning to lodge a VCAT order today. Have also notified the local police stations

Name: Shane Hicks
Company Name: Northern Construction
Office address: 55- 57 Miller Street, Epping
ABN: [protected]

Contact number: [protected]
Email: melbturf5@gmail.com
Mob [protected]
Home [protected]
Car Rego: RFU 843
Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/shane.hicks.735?fref=ts

His partner is:
Miss Sheree Thorn
Assistant Accountant
Office of CFO
DMW|03
T: [protected]
E: s.thorn@latrobe.edu.au

Son's school. Mill park heights

Shane also plays for a local cricket club called the Lalor Warriors. Their website and Facebook page are below:
http://lalorwarriors.vic.cricket.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lalor-Warriors-Cricket-Club/139525712821744

Thanks everyone for your imput
And sound advise
it's times like this of shared experiences that band our community together whether it be good bad or indifference and while
It's terrible to be a victim in effect
Realising you have been robbed
By nothing less than a opportunist. It's refreshing at the very same time to actually know that his luck is running out .
I wish you all nothing but the best ..
Be warned !
He to reads this site .

Shane has also ripped another person off.

He is NOT northern construction. That company belongs to another man who called our office today. This other man has been dragged through the courts because of shane and was literally crying on the phone to my law firm saying this guy has ruined his business.

Shane Hicks is a snake and i hope other see this website before they give him their money.