Fraud Warning

Established brands are often targeted by fraudsters to add the appearance of legitimacy to their crimes. This can take many forms but often fraudsters will impersonate representatives of the company. They will frequently use falsified or copied material (documentation, email addresses, websites etc.) that uses the branding and intellectual property of the company as a tool for such impersonation.

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What to look out for

There are many types of investment fraud, aiming to part you with your savings. You should be aware that Marlborough Investment Management Ltd (‘MIM’) is not authorised to hold client money or assets. We will not ask you to send us investment monies (only payments in respect of legitimate invoices we have issued) and you should not do so if you are asked by someone purporting to be a MIM staff member.

You can check if a financial services firm is authorised by the FCA, by checking on https://register.fca.org.uk

• To verify the identity of an authorised firm, ask for its Firm Reference Number (‘FRN’ and contact details, but always call them back on the switchboard number given on the FCA Register.

• You should access the FCA Register directly from https://register.fca.org.uk rather than through links in emails or on the website of a firm offering you an investment.

Also, check the address of the website is correct and that there are not subtle changes that could mean it is a fake.

If you deal with an unauthorised firm then you will have no protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme if something goes wrong. Remember, if an investment sounds too good to be true it probably is! For more information on investment fraud visit the FCA’s ScamSmart website.

Red Flags

Below are the types of things that members of the public should be alert for, as signs that an investment may be fraudulent.

What are the warning signs?	How do I protect myself?
Unexpected contact, or repeated calls	If you get cold-called, the safest thing to do is to hang up. If you get unexpectedly contacted by email, you should send the email, as an attachment, to our Compliance Team or ignore it.
Requesting your PIN or password	A genuine firm or bank will never ask for these types of personal details. Never give them if prompted.
Requesting personal details or financial information	Never give them if it is not for a service you want.
Tempting returns that sound too good to be true	If an investment sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Trust your instinct and do not proceed.
Offering reassurance about the risks involved	If you are told not to worry about the risks and that the investment is safe, don’t simply accept that it is true.
Exclusive offers	If you are told the offer is only available to you, or you are asked not to tell anyone else about the opportunity, this is a sign it’s not genuine. Do not engage in any further communication.
Unnecessary pressure	If you are told it is a time-limited offer, or are offered a bonus or discount if you invest before a set date, don’t be pressured into acting quickly – a genuine bank or investment firm won’t mind giving you time to think.
Fraudsters are persistent and will often try to form a relationship with you in an effort to build your trust	Beware of anyone who calls you repeatedly and/or anyone who tries to keep you on the phone for long periods of time.
Receiving a ‘clone’ email that seems to be from a real firm	If unsure, always use the contact details on the FCA Register, not the details the firm gives you. The FCA’s Warning List is a list of firms and individuals that the FCA knows are operating without its authorisation. It also notes the risks associated with a particular investment opportunity. You should also check the firm’s details with directory enquiries or Companies House to make sure they’re the same.
Some companies that run frauds are based overseas in order to avoid regulatory requirements	Be cautious if a company that is based overseas contacts you with investment opportunities.
Unrecognisable email address	If you get an email, expand the pane at the top to see exactly who it has come from – if it’s a fraud, the sender’s email address may include random numbers or be misspelled. Below is a list of MIM’s legitimate contact email addresses. If you have been contacted by someone you do not recognise using any variation of these addresses, which is not on the list; or if you have any other security concerns, please forward the email to compliance@marlboroughgroup.com
Unconfirmed changes on your account	If you have any doubts at all about what you are being asked to do, check with your provider. Always use contact details you can trust, for example the phone number on your bank statement or policy documentation.
Fraudsters are known to re-target those previously targeted, claiming that they can recover lost money	You might be asked to pay an upfront fee but these companies will not get your money back.

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How to stay safe and protect yourself when online Marlborough

Get the web address from official correspondence you have with Marlborough and type it in yourself, rather than clicking on a link sent via email or text.

Please verify the validity of the website you are visiting to make sure it is www.marlboroughgroup.com by clicking on the padlock in the address bar in your browser (Google Chrome as an example), selecting certificate, then details and ensuring the subject is “marlboroughgroup.com”:

Identity Theft

Identity theft is a widespread crime where fraudsters use someone else’s personal information to impersonate them for financial gain.

Victims are often only alerted when they receive a demand for payment, are unexpectedly refused for credit, or when they try and make a withdrawal from a bank account that has already been emptied.

To reduce the risks of becoming a victim, it is important to take steps to keep your information secure.

• Report any suspicions you have;
• Keep your online passwords safe, make them complex and change them frequently;
• Be cautious about giving out personal information;
• Don’t publish personal details on social media;
• Carefully check all statements and valuations you receive;
• Safely store and destroy any personal documents you no longer need – invest in a shredder!

Protecting your Personal Information – Keep Up to Date With Common Online Threats

Protect yourself online – The internet is now an integral part of our lives and it is important to understand how to stay safe whilst using it. The foundation of online safety is knowing how to protect your PC and your personal data from fraudulent scams and online threats. By understanding the risks and following a set of simple security steps, you can help protect yourself in most situations.

• Keylogging – whereby all the keystrokes made by a computer user are recorded. Keylogging software can be found in emails, fake websites and viruses. Once a file is executed it records your keystrokes and emails them to the criminal. To protect yourself do not access personal information from public computers. On your home computer install anti-virus, a firewall and anti-spyware.
• Typosquatting – this relies on typing a website address with a minor typing error which may divert you to a spoof website where your personal details may be stolen. To protect yourself always check the website addresses you are entering.
• Phishing and similar scams – Phishing scams operate by email, instant messaging (IM) or text (SMS) with the purpose of getting you to click on a fake link which may be used to steal your personal details. To protect yourself do not click on embedded links – type in website address details for yourself. Install spam-filtering software on your home computer. If you receive a suspicious email do not respond to it. Forward it instead to the company concerned using their publicly listed contact details.
• Wi-fi eavesdropping – Wi-fi signals may be intercepted. To protect yourself do not disclose personal information on public wi-fi networks. Consider disabling the auto connect feature of your laptop or portable device so that you only connect to networks when you want to. On your home computer make sure your router’s firewall is turned on and that you also run firewalls on all computers and devices connected to the router. Use a strong password for the wireless access point. Ensure appropriate Wi-Fi encryption is applied to the network. Make the network less visible by switching off SSID broadcast (broadcasting of the network name over the air at regular intervals). Contact your Internet Service Provider for further guidance on the above.
• Viruses, trojan horses and works – These can be used to infect your computer’s files in order to steal your personal details or to launch a denial of service attack. To protect yourself avoid free software and install good anti-virus software, a firewall and anti-spyware. Always keep up with your software updates.
• Spyware – records your actions and movements on the internet. To protect yourself install good anti-virus software, a firewall and anti-spyware. Always keep up with your software updates.

Other Considerations

The National Crime Agency mantra of Stop, Challenge, Protect is important

Stop: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.

Challenge: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

Protect: Contact your investment manager immediately if you think you’ve been defrauded and report it to ActionFraud. Speak to your bank as soon as possible if you believe you have transferred money to a criminal.

Useful Links External links that could help

Econsumer.gov (for non-UK frauds): https://econsumer.gov

Cifas: https://www.cifas.org.uk/

Experian: https://www.experian.co.uk/

Equifax: https://www.equifax.co.uk/

TransUnion: https://www.transunion.co.uk/

FCA’s ScamSmart website – https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart

Check the Financial Services Register https://register.fca.org.uk/s/

Get more information on unauthorised firms overseas https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/unauthorised-firms-individuals

The FCA also have a warning list https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/warning-list

Useful information to help protect the public from fraudsters can be found on The Pensions Regulator website https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/pension-scams

Fraud emails can be reported to the NCSC https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/report-suspicious-emails?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4IKB96nw6gIVh7PtCh1F7getEAAYASAAEgKHSfD_BwE by forwarding it to: report@phishing.gov.uk

They also have a page of information on how to stay safe online https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/top-tips-for-staying-secure-online

The UK consumer group ‘Which?’ has also published simple, straightforward advice on their website regarding how to spot a scam https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-spot-a-scam

Fraudsters take advantage of current events to steal, so check a trusted source, like the Money Advice Service – https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/types-of-scam regularly to stay a step ahead of the latest frauds. Right now, look out for people and organisations you don’t know asking for contributions towards COVID19 relief

You can find out more about how to protect yourself from investment fraud on the Take Five website – https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/

If you have concerns regarding the legitimacy of any communication with someone purporting to represent Marlborough please call us immediately on 0808 145 2500 or email us at compliance@marlboroughgroup.com or at enquiries@marlboroughgroup.com