Is this too good to be true?

Zweitaktmotor

What communication did you receive from FDI?
When did you last speak to them?
When did you receive your money back?
How was it repaid?
Did it include your "valuation fee"?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but it seems not everyone had such a good experience. We need to collect as much data as possible.

not_loaded

They will open up with another look-alike name fairly soon, don’t worry.

They’ve done it before. :rolleyes:

My guess is: “Hi! We are Brown Stuff Investments. We have stepped in to rescue the disappointed First Direct Investments customers. Luckily we are able to offer similar if not better deals to those of you who were so regrettably let down. We are very pleased to say that the hedge fund investors are still super keen to put their money into a dead loss falling market. Please simply email all of your personal details, card information, NI number, PINs, passwords etc to the following address: brownstuff@backside.com Thanks for your continuing good faith. (aka stupidity) We are looking forward to building your wealth and bringing you happiness beyond your wildest dreams.”

Zweitaktmotor

You may be right, but it doesn't make sense: Talking people into doing stupid things (like paying a "finder's fee") is one thing, but using credit card details without consent is quite another. Once you've crossed that line, there is no way back with your "customers".

charliee_3

davcar wrote: »

It doesn't work out commercially. If I was going to take a risk of these proportions and mess people around like this I would want to be walking away with much more than a few hundred quid per deal.

i'm no scam expert but i'd say that was the BEST way to do it.. people are much more likely to chalk £99 down to experience, even maybe £900 if it means not losing face and admitting they got duped...

and it only takes 100 people to fall for the valuation fee alone before you have 10 grand...

im sorry to anyone who got caught out, but this thread was brilliant, i only read it today but i LOVED the bits with suzi and whats his face and all the other little cameos of new members and their first posts.... left you guessing.. are they real or are they the SCAMMERS.. so exciting! :T
priceless entertainment... real edge of your seat stuff... thanks!

davcar

The last communication we had was last week with one of their people saying the investor had fired his solicitors and he wanted to meet up to go through the deal. My stepfather went to London for the meeting yesterday and the offices were empty with notice saying broadly the same as the website says now.

However, this morning the money was returned to the credit cards from the First Direct account. This is what doesn't make any sense to me, if this was a scam then where's their money coming from.

The only thing I can think is if they have taken a fee from an investor but in that case why not just fulfill the term of the deal.

Even if they kept half of the money I still don't get how it could be profitable, the overheads would be significant.

davcar

charliee wrote: »

i'm no scam expert but i'd say that was the BEST way to do it.. people are much more likely to chalk £99 down to experience, even maybe £900 if it means not losing face and admitting they got duped...
QUOTE]

Not very good at scmming if they give you your money back though

tek-monkey

Profit = people suckered x fee charged - amount retuned

I suspect that most people will not have their money returned, many will put it down to experience or not want to lose face as mentioned before. Your step dad is out of pocket a trip to London too, so he's def not won.

No offence meant to you, but as charliee says you can't really trust a new poster who only comes on to praise a company. It'd be like trusting a solicitor recommended by your builder.

davcar

Profit = People Suckered x fee charged - amount returned (100% of people I know involved) - overheads

You do the maths.

I spoke to these people on the phone, they are intelligent people who work long hours and would easily make more money than this in a legit job.

Has anybody else had their money returned?

tek-monkey

How many people in this thread are owed money still? How did they pay? Maybe they'll return money paid by CC as the CC companies will chase them more than the debit card companies?

Why didn't they tell your stepfather not to travel to London?

Zweitaktmotor

Thanks, devcar, for your info.

But forgive me for still being skeptical: Where exactly did your stepfather go? He could not have been at their offices because ... they are NOT in London.