The FCA has warned that many scammers are using bogus emails, letters and phone calls purporting to be from the FCA to target authorised firms and consumers.
With scams on the rise, the regulator has issued a detailed warning this week about the methods scammers are using and advised people to check details carefully before doing anything.
The FCA says its genuine FCA emails are sent from these addresses:
- @fca.org.uk
- @fcanewsletters.org.uk
- @fcamail.org.uk
However some scammers are ‘spoofing’ or copying these address and using other techniques to cheat people. The FCA says it has put in place measures in place to prevent fraudsters ‘spoofing’ its email addresses but says some fraudsters are using similar email addresses to make their emails appear genuine.
The FCA has also received recent reports of fake emails from several domains, including:
- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
These email addresses do not match any FCA employees but are being sent by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The top 3 subject lines in these fake emails are, “Project Loan”, “Project Seking”, and “Project Seking Loan”
- Other potential scam email addresses being used include:
- @secure-fca.org.uk: potential scam email to firms using this email address (July 2022)
- @gabriel-FCA.org.uk
- @opbas.net and @opbas.uk
- @fca-eu.com
- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (this email asks recipients to complete a survey on our conduct rules and Coronavirus)
- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (a fake email sent to firms regarding a due diligence request. This email is a clone address and should not be opened.)
- fake emails claiming to be from RegData (data collection platform) with the domains rdc-fca.com and rdc-fca.org.uk
- @fca.com – Emails are being spoofed so falsely appear to come from this address (January 2022)
The FCA says people should always delete suspicious emails without opening them.
The watchdog has also urged people to beware of fake versions of its websites which can include copies altered information, including changed warnings pages so it looks like scam firms are authorised by the FCA.
It says: “These cloned websites can be very convincing, with links and contact information copied from our website. You can make sure our website is genuine by checking the website address that appears in the address bar at the top of the webpage. It should always begin with: www.fca.org.uk or register.fca.org.uk/s/ for the FS Register.”
Some fraudsters are also running fake websites or domains with names near to FCA official names to make them look similar, eg ‘register-fca.org.uk’ instead of the real website ‘register.fca.org.uk’).
The FCA’s online systems for firms have web addresses that start with:
FCA social media accounts
The FCA is also warning about fake phone calls. Scammers can make the FCA’s correct switchboard numbers – 020 7066 1000, 0300 500 8082 and 0800 111 6768 – appear in the caller ID.
Anyone with suspicions is advised to not give out any personal information following an incoming call and do not call people back using the contact details they have received.
Consumers are sometimes called in connection with FCA investigations and can check they are speaking to a genuine FCA employee here: consumer helpline.
• Further help: Ofcom’s guide on how to avoid ‘caller ID spoofing’.
Protect yourself from fake FCA communications
Report a scam or unauthorised firm
Contact the FCA Consumer helpline via our webform or call 0800 111 6768.
