As part of a national call to action, entitled The Devil’s in Their Details, Action Fraud has teamed up with industry bodies including Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK), and regulators including the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to raise awareness amongst those at greatest risk of investment fraud.
Every year, £1.2 billion is lost to investment scams in the UK, with share sales, wine investments, land banking and carbon credits commonly used by fraudsters to target potential:
- Investors. Anyone can become a victim of investment fraud, but you can reduce your risk if you follow this advice:
- Never be rushed into an offer and always be on your guard against anyone trying to push you into a deal.
- If you get a call out of the blue, be wary; if in doubt don’t be polite, just hang up.
- Take the time to seek independent legal or financial advice before making a decision.
- Always check the credentials of the company you’re dealing with. Check for known fraudulent organisations at the FCA.
- Additional advice from Action Fraud can be found here.
The campaign message is clear – if you don’t take simple steps to check the details of who you’re investing with, you’re taking too big a risk.