My mum is being misled for money

mutley74

Hello
Need some advice my mum is close to 80 disabled but mentally okay. 

She was approached about just over a year ago from a sibling who lives abroad, who is very dominating and controlling over my mum, telling her that the younger brother business in the UK has failed due covid and he is bankrupt. And that all siblings need to help him with his food and housing bills on a weekly basis. My mum panicked and setup a monthly direct debits and some one off payments to help him. Last I heard these payments were over £6k. 
He never asked my mum for help directly citing to her he was "embarrassed"; but seemed okay to ask through the other sibling!  The other overseas sibling keeps telling my mum she has no money too (her husband is a doctor)!. 

He is not local to my mum, she only see's him once a year if that. It was never very clear what line of work or business he was in. He seemed to be into all sort of shady things. Last we heard it was a manufacturing business. 

Anyway I cannot find his name on Companies House so he must not been a director of his own firm. 
Is there anyway one can find out even by a paid search if he is bankrupt or if he was the owner of any failed business? 

Any advice appreciated. I cant confront my mum directly to ask for more information as he has so much trust in her own siblings vs her own kids. 

la531983

Check the London Gazette online.

He may have just been using bankrupt as a figure of speech though. 

sheramber

Try Googling his name and see if anything comes up.

You can also try searching for him on Facebook.

HampshireH

Have you spoken to your mum?

Ask her what they do, why they have no money etc. Does she have money? Or is this money she cannot afford.

If she is of sound mind and able to make her own decisions/choices there is likely little you can do BUT you may want to discuss putting a power of attorney/legal documentation in place should anything happen so they cannot continue to do this should she be less able to make her own financial decisions

RAS

Check the Insolvency Register for IVAs and bankruptcy. Then Trust on-line for CCJs. The latter costs £6-10, the former is free.

mutley74

Thanks. Not really mentioned more to my mum, as at first I thought it was just a few payments for a few months to help him. But apparently its an ongoing direct debit.  It is difficult to approach my mum as she holds her own siblings in such high respect and regard she rather fall out with everyone else than them. Hence why I need some hard proof that he is not "bankrupt" and what happened to the manufacturing business he owned.

Searched on FB - nothing. 
Only thing I found on Google is confirmation of his home address matches what I already knew on a phone register.
Honestly for a relative I only every met once a year (if that) for 20+ years, I dont know much apart from his name. 

mutley74

RAS said:

Check the Insolvency Register for IVAs and bankruptcy. Then Trust on-line for CCJs. The latter costs £6-10, the former is free.

Thanks - did a paid search on Trust on-line - and nothing his name had no comments all tick boxes. 

RAS

Did you check the Insolvency Register? Anything there?

If he's bankrupt, then he shouldn't need money, as he'll have a decent budget and will only be paying an IPA if he can afford it, over a maximum of three years.

IVA's are tighter, over 6 years and the budget tends to be less, but even that can be adjusted if he's struggling.

Do you believe that he owns or is buying his home? Might be worth £3 to check the Land Registry, make sure you use the gov.uk site. 

Ozzig

Is it definitely the sibling with the financial issues receiving the money ?
Not, for example, the "very dominating and controlling" sibling.

doodling

Hi,

Is it a direct debit or a standing order she is currently paying.  A direct debit would definitely ring alarm bells for me as they can only be set up by businesses (although, on the plus side if it is a direct debit she can ask how own bank for her money back if there is some fraud involved).

mutley74

RAS said:

Did you check the Insolvency Register? Anything there?

If he's bankrupt, then he shouldn't need money, as he'll have a decent budget and will only be paying an IPA if he can afford it, over a maximum of three years.

IVA's are tighter, over 6 years and the budget tends to be less, but even that can be adjusted if he's struggling.

Do you believe that he owns or is buying his home? Might be worth £3 to check the Land Registry, make sure you use the gov.uk site. 

Sorry what is the difference between IPA and IVA? 


Checked land registry. His home is owned by a Leasehold company since 96 although there are Freehold and Leasehold registry documents available. Looked at both and the house was sold in 2001 as Leasehold to a registered party: "xxxxxx INCORPORATION ".  I found this statement under proprietor at the last entry date in 2001.  
"(incorporated in Mauritius) care of HIS ADDRESS"

What does that mean? He has a Mauritius holding company?

He has no other companies listed under his name or his partner on UK Companies House. 

The monies are definitely being paid direct to him. Initially sum lump sums of £500 and now direct debit. My mum authorised the direct debit which was setup by her daughter. 

Funny he told my mum he was too ashamed to ask directly for help, but seems okay to ask other siblings to ask my mum!! I honestly dont trust him as he never come across as a honest professional. Okay to have a general family chat but that was it.