THE DIZZEE RASCALS AT THE FCA: My exasperation and disgust at the FCA’s incompetence has for years been very profound. However, learning that Andrew Bailey – CEO of the FCA – gets paid 18% more than the whole whistleblowing team of 12, has made me feel two things: Enormous respect for the gentlemanly and (IMHO) […]
FCA boss £589,000 – Whistleblowing team £500,000 Read More »
April 2019 sees the battle between Store First and the Insolvency Service. On April 15th, the High Court proceedings will kick off. As a result, the Store First v Insolvency Service will determine how many people will lose their pensions permanently. Two sets of very expensive lawyers – DWF and Eversheds Sutherland – will battle
Store First v Insolvency Service Battle Read More »
In the run up to the High Court proceedings to hear the Insolvency Service’s petition to wind up Store First, here is some background. This is an abridged version of the Insolvency Service’s witness statement regarding the Store First pension investment scam. It involved two bogus occupational pension schemes set up and administered by Stephen
Store First v Insolvency Service Battle – the Insolvency Service’s Witness Statement Read More »
I read an interesting article recently which has prompted this blog, written by Blair duQuesnay, CFA®, CFP® – an investment adviser at Ritholtz Wealth Management, LLC. Blair suggests that the most important change needed in the financial industry is qualifications. Poorly qualified advisers give poor investment advice. Bad investments advice leads to loss of funds. Blair has
Raising standards – financial advisers and qualifications Read More »
In every pension scam there is one beginning, lots of middles, and always a wretched ending for the victim and a profitable ending for the scammers. The beginning is always a negligent, lazy, box-ticking transfer by a ceding provider – the worst of which always tend to be the likes of Standard Life, Prudential, Scottish
Who killed the pension? Scammers; ceding providers; introducers; HMRC? Read More »
Another high-risk investment fund goes belly up. London Capital & Finance (LCF) has gone into administration, not long after taking a whopping £236m of investments – much of which was from first-time investors. It is thought that 12,000 investors have been financially ruined. This tragic news comes as plans are being drawn up to take
London Capital & Finance collapses Read More »
The mis-selling of life assurance policies and long-term savings plans has been a regular topic in our blogs. Many victims of pension scams see their funds mis-invested into life assurance policies. These life assurance policies do little more than drain the fund value with their expensive fees and costs. Generali has for years been aggressively
Generali – jumping ship to avoid new regulations? Read More »
Pension Life is now submitting complaints to the Pensions Ombudsman against ceding pension trustees who handed over members’ pension funds to scams and scammers. These negligent transfers have ruined thousands of lives and cost victims hundreds of millions of pounds’ worth of losses. Some victims have already died and others are contemplating suicide. Complaints against negligent
PENSION OMBUDSMAN COMPLAINTS AGAINST NEGLIGENT CEDING TRUSTEES Read More »
20% Black Hole in Blackmore Global It is no secret that we have little confidence in the Blackmore Global Group run by Phillip Nunn and Patrick McCreesh – two of the scammers who promoted Capita Oak and earned nearly £1 million from providing “leads” for the cold callers. Capita Oak is now under investigation by
20% Black Hole in Blackmore Global Read More »
Ten Essential Standards For Pension Advice: The ongoing war against pension scammers continues with no sign that the end is near. The authorities stand idly by – facilitating mis-selling and outright fraud. HMRC happily registers pension scam after scam after scam (followed by tax demands). Prosecutions are few and far between. The only conclusive way to
Ten Essential Standards For Pension Advice Read More »
When we buy certain products, they have a warning on them. Cigarette packets, for instance, state that smoking is bad for your health. The wrappers show hideous images of what might happen to you if you use tobacco. However, when it comes to investments, the ‘advisers’ selling dangerous investments are able to disguise the risks
Hidden charges that destroy your pension funds Read More »
The recent PSIG (Pension Scams Industry Group) Scams Survey Pilot 2018 has identified seven “key” findings in their survey. As scam watchers, we are well aware of these points and are, of course, glad they have been highlighted. PSIG’s key finding are set out below. So let us admit one key fact: ALL PENSION SCAMS START WITH A
Time for all pension providers to wake up and stop pension scams Read More »
