Guidance to shareholders
Recently within the market a number of companies have been contacted by shareholders who have received unsolicited phone calls or correspondence concerning investment matters
While some communications may be genuine, others may be an example of a ‘boiler room fraud’ specifically designed to elicit monies from investors by convincing them to buy overpriced, un-tradable or non-existent shares.
Further information on the operation of boiler room frauds is available on the FCA website:
The FCA provides a list of regulated firms that must adhere to certain standards through which it is recommended to deal. These firms are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service complaints procedure and may provide access to compensation schemes.
If you choose to deal with an unregistered firm then you won’t have access to these procedures.
Visit the FCA website to access the register of regulated firms and their agents:
Reduce the risk
- Be very wary of any unsolicited advice
- If you are buying or selling shares, only deal with brokers registered in the UK
- Ensure all your certificates are kept in a safe place
- Keep all correspondence from the Registrars which contain your shareholder reference number in a safe place
- Destroy correspondence by shredding
- If you change your address inform the Registrars. If you receive a letter from the Registrars regarding a change of address and have not recently moved house, please contact them immediately. You may be the victim of identity theft
- Know, if dividends are due, when dividends are paid. Consider having any investment dividends paid directly into your bank to reduce the risk of cheques being intercepted or lost in the post. If you change your bank account, inform the Registrar of the details of your new account
- Respond to any letters the Registrars sends you about this
Useful contacts
For further help you may contact Computershare Investor Services:
Tel: 0870 707 1340
