In the past, some of our shareholders have received unsolicited telephone calls or correspondence concerning investment matters from organisations or persons claiming or implying that they have some connection with the Company. These are typically from overseas based “brokers” who target UK shareholders offering to sell them what often turn out to be worthless or high-risk shares in UK or overseas investments.
Shareholders are advised to be very wary of any unsolicited advice, offers to buy shares at a discount or offers of free reports into the Company. These approaches are operated out of what is more commonly known as a “boiler room”. You may also be approached by brokers offering to purchase your shares for an upfront payment in the form of a broker fee, tax payment or de-restriction fee. This is a common secondary scam operated by the boiler rooms.
If you receive any unsolicited investment advice:
- Always ensure the firm is on the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) Register and is allowed to give financial advice before handing over your money. You can check at the Financial Conduct Authority's website here.
- Double-check the caller is from the firm they say they are – ask for their name and telephone number and say you will call them back. Check their identity by calling the firm using the contact number listed on the FCA Register. If there are no contact details on the FCA Register or you are told that they are out of date, or if you have any other doubts, call the FCA Consumer Helpline on 0800 111 6778
- Check the FCA’s list of known unauthorised overseas firms at www.fca.org.uk/consumers/unauthorised-firms-individuals. However, these firms change names regularly, so even if a firm is not listed, it does not mean they are legitimate. Always check that they are listed on the FCA Register
- If you are approached about a share scam, you should inform the FCA, which you can do here. On the FCA’s website you can find out about the latest investment scams. If you use an unauthorised firm to buy or sell shares or other investments, you will not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service or be eligible to receive payment under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go wrong
- You should also report any approach to Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud reporting centre, at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.