Mixed responses to UK pension scam consultation
The UK government’s consultation on tackling pension scams received mixed responses, as it acknowledged that the pension freedoms may have contributed to the rise in scams.
Scams
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UK bans directors of £1m carbon credit scam
The UK High Court has banned three directors who sold worthless carbon credits as part of a £1m ($1.25m, €1.17m) scam.
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Scam risk higher for small and overseas pension schemes
Overseas pensions and small self-administered schemes (Ssas) “present the greatest risk of being used as vehicles for scams”, the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) has said.
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Ex-boss of £6m S. African scam fund loses ban appeal
South Africa’s financial services regulator has dismissed an appeal to overturn the ban of the former boss of collapsed asset manager Interneuron, which swindled investors out of R100m (£5.9m, $7.4m, €6.9m).
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Billionaires caught up in ‘Hamilton’ Ponzi scheme
A billionaire asset management company founder, a billionaire investor, and an executive at an alternative asset management firm all invested in a Ponzi scheme promising high returns by buying and selling tickets to high-demand shows, including Broadway smash musical Hamilton.
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US adviser stole $5m for private jet service and Vegas house
A former Morgan Stanley investment adviser has been charged with stealing around $5m (£4m, €4.6m) from clients to rent a home in Las Vegas, pay for country club membership, and a private jet service.
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Ex-adviser jailed for Cambodian biofuel scam faces SFO action
A former financial adviser currently serving six years in a UK prison for his part in a collapsed biofuel investment scam, is facing further enforcement action by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) after missing the deadline to pay a confiscation order.
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Zurich partners with pension advice service for scam helpline
Zurich UK Life has teamed up with The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) to pilot a pension scam helpline, offering impartial guidance to customers looking to transfer their savings into schemes that the life insurer has identified as suspicious.
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UK investigates overseas pension transfers in scam crackdown
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK’s financial services regulator, is currently investigating overseas pension transfers as part of a move to tackle widespread investment fraud, according to Paul Davies, director of advisory firm bdhSterling.
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Cold calling continues to rise despite proposed ban
In spite of warnings from government and the pensions industry, 7% of UK adults said they had released some or all of their pension savings as cash after being cold contacted, research from Phoenix Group has found.
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UK financial compensation scheme issues phishing email alert
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has warned consumers to be on their guard against an email scam promising a $5.7m (£4.5m, €5.3m) payment to encourage people to provide personal information.
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Pension scammers are getting smarter, FCA warns advisers
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned financial advisers, DFMs and pension scheme operators that scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in developing products to defeat due diligence efforts.