Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

SIB warns of boom in post-recession investment scams

Peter Rodgers Financial Editor
Friday 31 January 1997 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The Securities and Investments Board said yesterday that there was a possibility of a "post-recession boom" in investment scams in the coming year.

One area the senior financial services regulator will investigate further is the rapid development of the use of the Internet for investment business.

New scams are likely to involve new and more complex forms of unauthorised collective investment, and also an increase in suspect schemes originating overseas.

There is evidence that firms and individuals who have been prevented from doing business in the UK may set up elsewhere in the European Union, said SIB.

If such firms gain authorisation in another EU state, they acquire a "passport "under the EU's Investment Services Directive to do business across national borders with UK investors. SIB said that when this happened it liaised closely with regulators in other member states to "share our understanding of standards of fitness and properness".

The warning came in SIB's annual planning document which said that during the coming year it would continue inquiries into firms and people involved in selling unauthorised foreign exchange investment schemes in the UK, as well as looking into the use of the Internet for selling investments.

Examples of unauthorised investment schemes tackled recently are ostrich farming and greyhound syndicates.

SIB's budget for the coming year is pounds 21.955m, compared with pounds 21.594m in the 1996-97 financial year and pounds 20.4m the previous year. SIB also published a consultative paper on proposals to strengthen the investors' compensation scheme.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in