cold called by Avacade offering free pension review

dunstonh

Are Avacade & Pension Report Service linked

There are many scams operating in this area at the moment. The process is the same/similar.

Their website says that they will put people in touch with FCA approved IFA's. I presume these are the type of leads that we (as an IFA) are frequently being offered for sale.

Some are genuine lead generators. However, in those cases, the review is carried out by the IFA and a fee charged. The generator gets a cut of the fee or is paid of the lead.

Some will use an IFA to sign off on the SIPP but that is all. A limited scope area. nothing more.

The whole thing stinks and is so unethical. No wonder the industry has such a bad name.

Dont blame the industry. It is trying to get rid of these cold calling scammers. These are unregulated people scamming.

shumicat

I'm not blaming the financial services industry - I'm part of it! It's these cold callers under the guise of a legitimate adviser that annoy and worry me. I'm generally savvy enough to see them off.
Just out of interest dunstonh, have you ever purchased a genuine useful lead? In my experience the only one that gains is the generator!! Any suggestions who I should complain too?

dunstonh

Just out of interest dunstonh, have you ever purchased a genuine useful lead?

I have never purchased a lead and never will. Plus, my compliance company have banned us purchasing leads from these sources as well as they know what the problems are.

I am just a small adviser firm in rural Norfolk. Yet i have made two financial crime reports this year involving cold calling pension companies. One after the event (and a complaint was rejected by the IFA firm that was used to transact the SIPP but not the purchases and is now with the FOS) and other before the event which we caught in time. Interestingly, Aviva also had that firm on their financial crime blacklist too. it was nice to know they were taking it seriously.

In my case, I put in a complaint to the firms (to follow up with the FOS) on post sale and I made a financial crime report and sent a copy to Aviva (the existing plan provider as they were building a file on the company).

poppellerant

I missed a call which came from the number 0843 6546689. So I phoned the number back and an automated message played back offering a call back or to remove my number from their marketing list - naturally I chose option 9, to remove myself from their marketing list.

greenglide

naturally I chose option 9, to remove myself from their marketing list.

Do you believe this will actually cause you to be removed? I tend not to believe this .....

firefox1956

No I dont either.....I tells them that your number is active.
Probably get more calls from them & lots of other people when they sell your name on & on & on & on...........

poppellerant

1) I can change my number at any time, albeit at a cost.

2) I can block numbers on my phone, if they use caller ID.

3) If they withhold their number, the anonymous caller rejection option I have on my phone will stop withheld numbers.