Anyone heard of Century21?

don9999

I have been cold called by this company, asking if I would be interested in investing in the 'Tyram Lakes Mini-Bond'.

Now, don't worry, I have NO intention of investing anything, and would never do so with a 'company' that has cold called me.

However, I'm just interested to hear what their angle might be.

Their web site: http://www.century21ih.co.uk/index.html

A very quick look online shows that the Tyram Lakes Hotel development appears to be genuine, but I don't have the time or inclination to investigate how Century21 may or may not be connected with it.

Has anyone heard of them or had any experience of them?

AnotherJoe

I've only ever seen their for sale boards on houses in the USA.
I presume they are a chain or franchise over there, you see them all over.

atush

Century 21 are real estate agents in the usa.

They dont cold call looking for investors.

So not the same company (but scammers usually try to sound legit)

jimjames

atush wrote: »

Century 21 are real estate agents in the usa.

They dont cold call looking for investors.

So not the same company (but scammers usually try to sound legit)

They are also real estate agents in the UK

Reaper

It's unsecured, unregulated and you can't sell before the end of the term. Only invest if you are VERY confident in the company.

Malthusian

Century21ih.co.uk is registered to a Graham Read who appears to be the owner of "Century 21 GRI", who appear on Century 21's main UK website (century21uk.com). In other words, as far as I can tell it all checks out as part of the main Century 21 group.

It is still an investment which contains a material risk of 100% capital loss. And the standard warning about cold-calling still applies.

Their angle? Well, they get investor's money to build "eco-lodges" outside S!!!!horpe, if it's a success it will almost certainly deliver returns well in excess of the 8% they'll be paying to investors, if it fails, they've lost nothing and no doubt it will have kept the directors gainfully employed for a while.

Zola.

I remember the ads on tv about 20 years ago, can still remember their little jingle


cennnnturrrryyyy twennnnnty-oneeeeee

nushnush

just outside doncaster with a prison for its next door neighbour doesnt fill me with confidence, the project is currently being serviced by a loan on a popular P2P site, with that loan individuals are getting 12% return and if it fails then the investors have first charge over the land.

don9999

FYI....a follow up.....

The investment 'looks' legit.
As with all property investments of this sort, there is going to be fair amount of risk.

I liked Malthusian's comment:
"Their angle? Well, they get investor's money to build "eco-lodges" outside S!!!!horpe, if it's a success it will almost certainly deliver returns well in excess of the 8% they'll be paying to investors, if it fails, they've lost nothing and no doubt it will have kept the directors gainfully employed for a while."

However, I just received a call from them (after their initial contact last week) and they apply high-pressure sales techniques to get you to 'register' !
RED FLAG WARNINGS straightaway.

Within the first 2 or 3 minutes I adised that "I had decided not to proceed as I didn't have the time to investigate the opportunity fully".
He went on for a further 20 minutes trying to persuade me 'just to register'.
Despite me repeating that I did NOT have the time to investigate the opportunity sufficiently to enable me to invest.
He persevered.....

"Doesn't cost anything to register"
"We can send you lots of information"
"We have experts here that can answer all your questions"
"The first investors have just received their first payments"
"We are involved with lots of high-profile companies - Wyndhams, Hoseasons...."
"You said last time that you were prepared to register"
etc...etc....

He was sending out all the wrong signals.
It may indeed be a valid/legal investment opportunity, but their contact is EXACTLY what it is like with a traditional boiler room scam (have been contacted by them in the past so know what it's like with them too)

He ended the call by swearing at me and hanging up!

Has anyone else been contacted by them......?

coyrls

don9999 wrote: »

FYI....a follow up.....

It may indeed be a valid/legal investment opportunity,

After your experience, how can you possibly think that?

jimjames

don9999 wrote: »

The investment 'looks' legit.

RED FLAG WARNINGS straightaway.

"Doesn't cost anything to register"
"We can send you lots of information"
"We have experts here that can answer all your questions"
"The first investors have just received their first payments"
"We are involved with lots of high-profile companies - Wyndhams, Hoseasons...."
"You said last time that you were prepared to register"
etc...etc....

He was sending out all the wrong signals.

He ended the call by swearing at me and hanging up!

don9999 wrote: »

It may indeed be a valid/legal investment opportunity

I really can't reconcile that statement with the ones in your quote above. How is it anything other than a scam from your experience?