Warning to shareholders – investment scams
Smiths is aware that a small number of shareholders have received unsolicited telephone calls concerning their investment in the Company.
Investment scams or share fraud includes instances where investors are offered shares that often turn out to be worthless or non-existent, or offered an inflated price for shares that investors already own. These calls come from fraudsters operating in 'boiler rooms' that are mostly based abroad.
Spot the warning signs
Have you been:
- Contacted out of the blue - “cold called”?
- Promised tempting returns and told the investment is safe?
- Called repeatedly?
- Told the offer is only available for a limited time and/or to a limited number of shareholders?
If so, you might have been contacted by fraudsters.
What to do
If you receive an unsolicited telephone call you should take these steps before handing over any money or personal details:
- Treat any call with extreme caution – the safest thing to do is hang-up
- Find out the name of the person and organisation contacting you
- Check if they are on the FCA Warning List at www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/warning-list
- Check they are authorised at www.fca.org.uk/register and contact them using the FCA contact details. If there are no details, you can call the FCA Consumer Helpline on 0800 111 6768.
- Seek impartial advice
- Look up unauthorised firms and individuals on the FCA website. Some boiler rooms use the registration details for regulated firms so always check the details and company name carefully
If you are approached about a share scam you should tell the FCA using the share fraud reporting form at www.fca.org.uk/consumers/scams/report-scam. You can also call the Consumer Helpline on 0800 111 6768.
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 Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go wrong.
If you have lost money to investment fraud you should report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online at www.actionfraud.police.uk
Find out more at www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart
Alternatively, for further guidance regarding your shareholding please contact the Company’s share registrars Equiniti on 0371 384 2943.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
