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Has my friend been scammed?
I was asked by my friend to investigate whether he has been scammed. I think he was, but I’d like second opinion.
My friend, an entrepreneur based in Poland, received a loan offer from ~5 mln GBP from a London-based company Sky Finance Ltd.
He agreed and signed the contract which can be found here, together with insurers warranty: http://docdro.id/UNOyImk
He was informed that in order to secure the loan, he needs to pay insurance on it in the amount of 850 GBP. Sky Finance Ltd claimed the loan will be secured by Insurance Funding Ltd.
He then received this “letter of approval”: http://imgur.com/JEgqqHN
So, as instructed, he paid first installment of the “tax” in the amount of ~1500 GBP to another bank account which he was told belonged to HM Revenue Tax Department.
He then received account details on which his money was said to be deposited. He was also provided with an address where he was supposed to login and verity his bank account with funds to which he would gain access once insurance is paid:
http://www.hlgxolnb.com/home/securelogin
The website did not work, so he contacted the UK bank to confirm it, but they told him it did not exist and that he should notify authorities of a suspicion of fraud.
In the meantime, he received some assurances from Sky Finance, in the form of:
- a copy of something claimed to be a letter form a barrister: http://imgur.com/gZC9wf6
- a scan of the passport of the guy from Sky Finances Ltd he was dealing with: http://imgur.com/W75v581
(it struck me rather odd one was allowed to have such a facial expression on a passport photo)
My friend was also provided with an address where he was supposed to login and verity his bank account with funds to which he would gain access once insurance is paid:
http://www.hlgxolnb.com/home/securelogin
And now he asks me whether he should pay the remaining fees to receive the loan, or cut his losses because he has been scammed. I think he was, but would love to have your imput. And if he was - is there any way to get the money (~2500 GBP) back?
My friend, an entrepreneur based in Poland, received a loan offer from ~5 mln GBP from a London-based company Sky Finance Ltd.
He agreed and signed the contract which can be found here, together with insurers warranty: http://docdro.id/UNOyImk
He was informed that in order to secure the loan, he needs to pay insurance on it in the amount of 850 GBP. Sky Finance Ltd claimed the loan will be secured by Insurance Funding Ltd.
He then received this “letter of approval”: http://imgur.com/JEgqqHN
So, as instructed, he paid first installment of the “tax” in the amount of ~1500 GBP to another bank account which he was told belonged to HM Revenue Tax Department.
He then received account details on which his money was said to be deposited. He was also provided with an address where he was supposed to login and verity his bank account with funds to which he would gain access once insurance is paid:
http://www.hlgxolnb.com/home/securelogin
The website did not work, so he contacted the UK bank to confirm it, but they told him it did not exist and that he should notify authorities of a suspicion of fraud.
In the meantime, he received some assurances from Sky Finance, in the form of:
- a copy of something claimed to be a letter form a barrister: http://imgur.com/gZC9wf6
- a scan of the passport of the guy from Sky Finances Ltd he was dealing with: http://imgur.com/W75v581
(it struck me rather odd one was allowed to have such a facial expression on a passport photo)
My friend was also provided with an address where he was supposed to login and verity his bank account with funds to which he would gain access once insurance is paid:
http://www.hlgxolnb.com/home/securelogin
And now he asks me whether he should pay the remaining fees to receive the loan, or cut his losses because he has been scammed. I think he was, but would love to have your imput. And if he was - is there any way to get the money (~2500 GBP) back?
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Comments
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This must be a wind up.
If it's not, your friend should stop being an entrepreneur, he's not cut out for it, and cut his losses.0 -
Yes. Your friend has been scammed. There is no tax premium payable on a loan for one thing.
And the name 'Keith Franklin Mercer' produces certain 'results' on Google.0 -
Sounds like a scam to me. There are a few massive red flags:
The letters say 5m Zloty (about £879,000)...
My friend, an entrepreneur based in Poland, received a loan offer from ~5 mln GBP from a London-based company Sky Finance Ltd.
The likelihood of getting that amount without significant collateral is unlikely to say the least.
Also the letters have the loan amounts in zloty, but the interest in euro and the "insurance" in £.
The stamp over the signature says "Insurance Corporation United Kingdom" - that sounds iffy to say the least.He agreed and signed the contract which can be found here, together with insurers warranty: http://docdro.id/UNOyImk
Not buying it. The PPI repayments going on at the moment that has cost banks millions in refunds is because they forced people to take out insurance. I can't see that being remotely legit.He was informed that in order to secure the loan, he needs to pay insurance on it in the amount of 850 GBP. Sky Finance Ltd claimed the loan will be secured by Insurance Funding Ltd.
.....
I had a look at the rest of the "contract" - it's dated Nov 2015. Surely by now your friend knows he's been scammed?
This is the only piece of advice he knows has come from a reliable source - he should follow it.The website did not work, so he contacted the UK bank to confirm it, but they told him it did not exist and that he should notify authorities of a suspicion of fraud.Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?
― Sir Terry Pratchett, 1948-20150 -
Also your friend needs to stop being an entrepreneur.
And yes he's been scammed.0 -
What made your friend think it was a real loan?0
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The same that makes all people fall for those scams - sheer greed. My grandma used to say that "if it's too good to be true, it most likely is" and this is a perfect example of that.Deleted_User wrote: »What made your friend think it was a real loan?
And the easiest way to spot this scam was to just look at the email address. What sort of company, which can provide 1 milion quid loan, runs an email like: sky.finance@hlxolbk.com? Just the fact that it's not even someone@skyfinance.co.uk or anything like that is a dead give away, as scammers are generally to cheap to even get proper domains.
Edit: and some of the wording in that loan is just... amazing. Like this quote:It is AGREED by parties that time shall begin to run after the expiration of 8 months grace period on the capital.
No wonder he took it, it involved time manipulation and goes against basic laws of physics. Who wouldn't want that power.
Oh and you didn't blur out the poor victims name in the "guarantee document", it clearly shows in point 5 of that amazing read.0 -
This has to be a wind-up, surely."Facism arrives as your friend. It will restore your honour, make you feel proud, protect your house, give you a job, clean up the neighbourhood, remind you of how great you once were, clear out the venal and the corrupt, remove anything you feel is unlike you... [it] doesn't walk in saying, "our programme means militias, mass imprisonments, transportations, war and persecution."0
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I got as far as the 4th paragraph - yes, scammed0
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Right. Thanks for the answers. So the „if” question is sorted out, then. How about getting the money back? Is there wany chance/way? I already reported it to Action Fraud, but don’t know if they can do anything in this regard.0
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His lawyer. I kid you not.Deleted_User wrote: »What made your friend think it was a real loan?0
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