How We Were Scammed by Nikole Read from Antillia Agency London: A Warning for Entrepreneurs

Introduction: A Costly Lesson in Trust

Running a business comes with many challenges, but one we didn’t expect was being scammed out of nearly £92,000. Unfortunately, we fell victim not just to one scammer, but two: Farhan Farhan and his co-conspirator Nikole Read. This blog is dedicated to sharing our story and exposing the fraudulent companies they operate—Thyreality Ltd and Antillia Agency—so that others can avoid falling into the same trap.

Both individuals used their companies and personal connections to build a web of lies and deceit, which cost us dearly.
We want to ensure that no one else becomes a victim of their scam.

Our Background: Rent-to-Rent Business in London

Since 2022, my partner and I have been running a rent-to-rent business in London, handling property rentals. In May 2024, we decided to implement a payment system to streamline our operations, choosing Stripe as our provider. Unfortunately, Stripe blocked our account due to the nature of our business, which they deemed "high risk." This blockage led us to search for alternative solutions, which is when Nikole Read entered the picture.

Behind the Scenes: Nikole Read’s Role in the Deception

What we later realized was that Nikole Read wasn’t just an innocent introducer—she was a key part of the scam. She vouched for Farhan every step of the way, helping to cover up his fraudulent activities. Whether as his "friend" or more than that, Nikole played a central role in gaining our trust, only to vanish when things started to fall apart.

The Introduction: How Nikole Read Led Us into the Scam

Through a mutual contact, we were introduced to Nikole Read, who presented herself as the owner of Antillia Agency, a property company that supposedly specialized in high-end sales. Nikole Read claimed to be well-connected in both the property and financial industries, but in reality, she had no professional website, no trackable history of successful property deals, and no verifiable credentials.

Nikole Read came across as professional and trustworthy, and we took her word when she introduced us to Farhan Farhan, the co-founder of Thyreality Ltd. Nikole portrayed him as a seasoned entrepreneur with millions in funding and extensive experience in IT systems. She assured us that Farhan could solve our payment problems with Stripe and smooth out our operations. Little did we know that Nikole and Farhan were working together from day one to lure us into a sophisticated scam.

The Scam Unfolds: A Disastrous 7 Days

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We started to get first payment from guests on the 22 of May and for the first 7 days, things seemed to be working. Transactions worth around £116,000 flowed into ThyReality’s Stripe account, and payouts amounting to £92,000 went directly to ThyReality Lloyds Bank. Then, suddenly, Thyreality’s Stripe account was blocked—just like ours had been.

This is when Mr. Farhan’s narrative started to fall apart. He blamed us for the block, claiming it was due to issues with our Booking.com accounts. He said that Booking.com had sued Stripe and caused his account to be frozen. Conveniently, he provided no evidence to back these claims, and our money—nearly £92,000 minus his 5% fee—was never returned.

The Scam Unfolds: False Promises and Disappearing Funds

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In May 2024, following Nikole's recommendation, we signed a contract with Thyreality Ltd, believing that Farhan and his team would use their Stripe account to handle payments from our guests. Initially, things appeared to work smoothly—transactions totaling £121,000 flowed into Thyreality’s Stripe account, with £92,000 in payouts promised to us minus all potential chargebacks.
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But within 10 days, the entire situation collapsed. Thyreality’s Stripe account was blocked, just as ours had been. Farhan then began spinning lies, claiming that our own mismanagement of Booking.com accounts had led to Stripe freezing their account. He conveniently avoided sharing any proof and never returned the remaining £92,000 he owed us.
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When we confronted Nikole Read about Farhan's dishonesty and the missing funds, she, too, became evasive. It became clear that she was not just a third party but was actively covering for Farhan. Her involvement from the very beginning was essential in getting us to trust Thyreality and sign the contract. In fact, Antilia Agency was just a shell company—without a legitimate online presence or trackable record of success, it was created as a facade to make her look credible while working with Farhan in his scam.

Here, you can view all transactions made through ThyReality's Stripe account, along with the corresponding payouts deposited into their bank account, up until the account was blocked on May 30th

The Aftermath: Endless Excuses and Disappearing Acts

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Once the Stripe account was blocked and the money was gone, both Farhan and Nikole Read became nearly impossible to contact. Farhan, true to his manipulative nature, offered excuses upon excuses. He claimed to be waiting on Stripe, blamed our dealings with Booking.com, and even mentioned lawyers and contracts that never materialized. Each promise to pay us back turned into more lies, and eventually, he stopped answering calls and messages.

Meanwhile, Nikole Read disappeared just as swiftly. The person who initially vouched for Farhan was nowhere to be found when we tried to confront her about the situation. Both Nikole and Farhan had played their roles well, weaving a fraudulent scheme that left us with nothing but stress and financial loss.

Who Are Farhan Farhan and Nikole Read?

Farhan Farhan: Not even his real name, Farhan has a history of bankruptcies in the UK and changed his identity to open Thyreality Ltd. He claims to be an IT expert, but in reality, he has no qualifications and has scammed multiple businesses with false promises of partnerships and funds.
Nikole Read: The owner of Antillia Agency, Nikole presents herself as a property agent, but her company has no professional website, no track record, and no legitimate business dealings. She played a crucial role in this scam, using her false credentials to introduce victims to Farhan and gain their trust before disappearing with the money.

Protect Yourself: Key Lessons to Avoid Scams

Verify the Credentials of Introducers:

We trusted Nikole’s recommendation of Farhan without doing our own research into her company, Antillia Agency. Always verify the legitimacy of the person or company making the introduction, especially if they have no online presence or track record.
Don’t Ignore Gut Feelings:

From the beginning, we had minor concerns about the credibility of both Nikole and Farhan, but we chose to ignore them. Trust your instincts when something doesn’t feel right.

Research the Companies Involved:

Neither Antillia Agency nor Thyreality Ltd had the proper infrastructure of a real business—no professional website, no reviews, and no proven history of success. If a company lacks basic professional credentials, it's a major red flag.

Conclusion: Protect Yourself from Future Scams

This story is not just about our experience, but about protecting others from falling victim to these fraudsters. If you come across Nikole Read, Antillia Agency, or Thyreality Ltd, be extremely cautious. They prey on small businesses and investors, making promises they never intend to keep, and disappearing with your money.

Our Background: Rent-to-Rent Business in London

Behind the Scenes: Nikole Read’s Role in the Deception

The Scam Unfolds: A Disastrous 7 Days

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The Scam Unfolds: False Promises and Disappearing Funds

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The Aftermath: Endless Excuses and Disappearing Acts

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Protect Yourself: Key Lessons to Avoid Scams

Verify the Credentials of Introducers:

Don’t Ignore Gut Feelings:

Research the Companies Involved:

Conclusion: Protect Yourself from Future Scams

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