FCA and FOS continue to dismay and disgust; CWM criminal case set to change offshore financial services; Forged dealing instructions epidemic; Offshore advisory firms without an investment license. It now emerges that on top of a failed “City Watchdog” (the Federated Consolidation of Apathy) we also have not just one, but two failed ombudsmen. The […]
Pension Life – Pension File November 2019 Read More »
I’ve been asked by a number of Park First investors to help them decide how to vote in the forthcoming vote – 25th November 2019. There are many options and decisions, with communications coming out from various related and interested parties. It is understandable that investors have some difficult choices and are being given conflicting
Normally a great fan of FT Adviser – and their excellent, independent journalists – I was horrified at the recent “Guide to Structured Products” (particularly the section on how risky they are by Craig Rickman). Noting that this article can be used towards CPD credits, I was astonished that so little attention was paid to
How risky are structured products – and fireworks? Read More »
While Dalriada Trustees and Pinsent Masons count their handsome earnings, HMRC prepare to ruin the victims with unauthorised tax charges from the Ark pension liberation scam. Dalriada Trustees were appointed by the Pensions Regulator on 31st May 2011 to take over the six Ark schemes: Cranbourne; Grosvenor, Tallton Place, Lancaster, Portman and Woodcroft. Designed, set
Dalriada Trustees – Ark Pension Liberation Scam Read More »
“Best of times. Worst of times. Age of wisdom and foolishness. Epoch of belief and incredulity. Season of light and darkness. Spring of hope; winter of despair.” You would be forgiven for thinking the above was written about the world of pensions and investments (by someone far more eloquent than me). However, it was written
A Tale of Two Investments Read More »
There is no question: Andrew Bailey has failed; he must go – the FCA has failed; it must be replaced by a proper regulator. Wednesday 6th November will see victims of failed investments – repeatedly promoted by negligent or fraudulent “advisers” or brokers – protesting outside the Bank of England from 8.30 a.m. onwards. Hopefully
Protest 6th November against FCA failures Read More »
Happy Halloween – but do watch out for scary monsters. ESPECIALLY PENSION SCAMMERS! The scariest monsters at Halloween (or, indeed, at any time of the year) are the bad guys in financial services. As my dear old Mum used to say: “It’s not the dead you should be afraid of – it’s the living”. Never
Halloween ghouls and scammers Read More »
The Kiwis were grass and England was a lawnmower. For a couple of hours we forgot Brexit and remembered our national pride. In a Week that saw an inconclusive result in the UK v Europe match (yet again), at least England taught New Zealand how to play rugby. And the battle against pension scams moved
Pension Life – Pension File October 2019 Read More »
GFS QROPS LIQUIDATION: It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to ask the GFS Superannuation Scheme 2 (Hong Kong QROPS) members to support a petition for the winding up of the scheme and the liquidation of the underlying assets. For two years, I have been waiting for due process through the courts
GFS QROPS LIQUIDATION Read More »
Jody Smart (or Bell or Kirby or whatever name she uses now) appeared in the Criminal Court in Denia on 1st October 2019. As one of the group of defendants in the fraud trial – including her former partner Darren Kirby (who didn’t turn up) – she testified about her involvement in the £100 million
Jody Smart of CWM – courting justice Read More »
When I grow up, I want to be a hairdresser. Not a care in the World other than how short/long/blonde/purple/curly/straight my clients want their Barnets. And nothing to talk about other than where they will go on holiday: Torremolinos, Benidorm or Amsterdam (wink wink…). But for now, I’m stuck in the real World – the
Money First – World First Read More »
By August 2019, one billion pounds’ worth of investments had been lost. That’s an awful lot of noughts: £1,000,000,000 (I nearly ran out of fingers). How many hours’ worth of work went into earning that huge amount? How many miles of travelling to work to earn that money? How many dreams have been shattered? How
£1 billion + investment losses in 2019 Read More »
