WARNING - Integrated Investment Group (IIG)

jamiex

I had a phone call a while ago from this company, from a person called Pete Barraclough, if that's his real name.

They were recommending a stock to me and trying to get me to invest with them, offering the shares at below the market price (as they'd "bought them on industrial placement" or something - load of rubbish anyway)

It's basically a boiler room. The shares they were recommending were legitimate huge companies, but obviously the minute you send them money to buy these shares, you never see it again.

I just thought posting it might help anyone who searching for Integrated Investment Group or IIG before they get scammed.

The guy told me they'd been in business 25 years.
Their website is https://www.integratedinvestmentgroup.com

If they've been in business 25 years then why was the website only registered 6 months ago and why doesn't their head office exist (google street view!)
I didn't really need to do any of those checks since it was obviously too good to be true anyway.

I called Action Fraud who won't do anything unless I've actually been scammed. They just referred me to the FSA.

Anyway hopefully this helps someone.

Regards,
Jamie

magpiecottage

Well done.

The FSA is the right authority to report this to.

Reaper

Nice to see the person targeted doing the research for a change. Usually the post is from somebody convinced it's real and we have to try to persuade them with WhoIs searches and Google maps that is all a scam.

The other thing to check is whether they are registered with the FSA. Naturally they are not.

Lokolo

I like the way their website they have no UK office, but the contact numbers are all UK..... Ha.

benykeny

I've had calls from these guys for the last couple of years too. Asked several times to never be called again, yet time after time I get some obnoxious tw*t phoning up.

That web site is a joke too, registered in the bahamas - total fly by night cowboys

Loughton_Monkey

I love the Shanghai address. Simply 'Jin Mao Tower'. That building has almost 100 floors!

pmsorhaindo

Hey guys,

I invested in Prestige Property Portfolio via IIG, after speaking to Pete Barraclough. Certificates came through on the 7th of July 2011. But I have been able to find out how I am able to cash the share certificates I have received. I have already got in touch with the FSA and they informed me that it appears to be legitimate.

However you have been unable to contact them, and am wondering if anyone else has been able to contact them either, or if any other information is known about IIG or Prestige Property Portfolio?

Thanks!

PlutoinCapricorn

This thread is more than one year old. I see that there is now a Brussels contact address on the PPP website, but the details of the CEO were last updated in 2010 - not very professional.

There have been other cases on MSE where people have tried and failed to sell shares bought from such companies.

Reaper

pmsorhaindo wrote: »

I invested in Prestige Property Portfolio via IIG, after speaking to Pete Barraclough. Certificates came through on the 7th of July 2011. But I have been able to find out how I am able to cash the share certificates I have received. I have already got in touch with the FSA and they informed me that it appears to be legitimate.

I would be extremely surprised if the FSA told you it was legitimate.

From a quick Google search I see Prestige Property Portfolio is considered fraudulent by the authorities in Belgium:
http://www.fsma.be/en/Consumers/press2011/Article/press/warnfsma/2011/2011-06-10_prestige.aspx

The Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) warns the public against the activities of Prestige Property Portfolio, which claims to offer investment funds from premises at Wethouderstraat /rue du Magistrat 29, 1050 Brussels.
Prestige Property Portfolio does not have the authorization necessary to offer investment funds in or from Belgium. Moreover, it is not situated at the address provided.

pmsorhaindo

My apologies. I presented the certificates at my local police station. They said that the share certificates that they had given me appear to be legitimate, however they told me to contact the FSA.

Reaper

Then you will have to write off the money. You have been scammed.

There are some very simple rules to follow to stop this happening:
1) Never buy an investment from a cold call. Genuine investment companies and not allowed to cold call you.
2) Check if the company is registered with the FSA (though beware scam companies using almost identical names to real ones):
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/home.do

Incidentally the FSA already know about Integrated Investment Group, they are on its warning list:
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/doing/regulated/law/alerts/unauthorised-firms