Phone call from Penguin rep

P933alilli

I had a phone call and then this e mail from an ia last week offering to assess my with profits pension.
''I just wanted to get in touch again and attached the latest version of our Authority Form. To again answer your questions from yesterday, the process of us reviewing the plan for you is very simple and at this stage would only require you to complete and return the attached form. We will then get back in touch once the information comes in to let you know if the plan is good bad or indifferent.''

It was genuine as i did contact them about this time last year and recognised the guy i spoke with, plus same e mail.
I wondered if its worth going through with and what the likelihood is of just yaying or naying my policy without going further and paying for anything?

LHW99

If these are the ones in the FCA register they appear to be tied agents. You would be better finding an IFA

kangoora

Collyflower1 wrote: »

I had a phone call and then this e mail from an ia last week offering to assess my with profits pension.
''I just wanted to get in touch again and attached the latest version of our Authority Form. To again answer your questions from yesterday, the process of us reviewing the plan for you is very simple and at this stage would only require you to complete and return the attached form. We will then get back in touch once the information comes in to let you know if the plan is good bad or indifferent.''

It was genuine as i did contact them about this time last year and recognised the guy i spoke with, plus same e mail.
I wondered if its worth going through with and what the likelihood is of just yaying or naying my policy without going further and paying for anything?

Would you let some random guy in a pub you've never met before do a pension review for you?

If not, why would you let some random guy you've never met before who phones you do a pension review?

if that doesn't give you a clue then pension cold calling became illegal in January this year unless they are authorised by the FCA.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pensions-cold-calling-banned

The problem you have is that anyone can claim to be working for an FCA registered firm and unless you have personally checked them out you don't know if it is a scammer or legitimate. If you really want a pension review find a local IFA, visit their offices and check they are FCA registered on the FCA website.

Anyone who cold calls me about anything just gets the phone put down on them. If I want to buy a service or product I go out and research it myself - not trust some random stranger on the phone.

On the same topic, I think cold calling about pensions should have been banned completely and not just 'only allowed by FCA registered firms'. It leaves a gaping hole for scammers to pretend to be working for an FCA registered firm to lure gullible people who think "they mus be OK because they are allowed to cold call".

SonOf

I had a phone call and then this e mail from an ia last week offering to assess my with profits pension.

Genuine regulated firms do not cold call
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pensions-cold-calling-banned

If you need advice, then seek out a local IFA. Do not act on cold calls.

Slinky

Collyflower1 wrote: »

It was genuine as i did contact them about this time last year and recognised the guy i spoke with, plus same e mail.

It wasn't a cold call, OP has contacted the firm directly previously.

SonOf

Slinky wrote: »

It wasn't a cold call, OP has contacted the firm directly previously.

I think it was the first line that led to the comments.

"I had a phone call and then this e mail from an ia last week offering to assess my with profits pension."

P933alilli

Correct Slinky maybe i should have mentioned that in my opening paragraph!
I contacted Penguin last year and asked to talk to someone. The rep then contacted me, we had a 5 minute phone conversation and he then sent me an e mail with two forms to fill in (a letter of authority and a risk assessment form) if i wanted to proceed. That rep contacted me again last week!

Alexland

As above they don't appear to be independent so why would you bother with them?

P933alilli

ok thanks!

midlandsimon

Pension cold calling very close to being made illegal and for good reason.


Would always recommend speaking with a FCA authorised adviser with CF30 permissions.


The website 'unbiased' would be a good starting point for you.

Albermarle

We will then get back in touch once the information comes in to let you know if the plan is good bad or indifferent.''

It's a racing certainty that the answer will be that the plan is bad and you need to change and we will do it for you ( at a cost )