'Fine art investment' - beware!

OldMusicGuy · 8 August 2018 at 6:14PM

BT also offers Call Protect which lets you block any caller, regardless of them withholding their number.

reeac · 8 August 2018 at 8:38PM

dunstonh wrote: »

The FCA are the regulator that deals with regulated companies. This is not an area that is regulated.

Action Fraud is the correct place but it wont be "actioned" until sufficient numbers report it.

BT 1572 allows you to block all withheld numbers. That may work as its normally only scams that withhold. If you do have a friend or relative that withholds their number, you can tell them not to do it when ringing you.

The NHS, presumably for medical confidentiality reasons, withhold their number which has caused us a number of problems with arranging appointments. Because of this we now tend to pick up "number withheld" calls but then hang up promptly if they're rubbish calls.

jimjames · 8 August 2018 at 9:06PM

PL_Coventry wrote: »

I have been taken in by it and am now being threatened with legal action. I have reported them to the FCA and Action Police Fraud they will not stop calling me and I can’t block number as it is withheld. Very threatening and bullying beyond belief!!

The threats are almost certainly scare tactics and with no intention of following through if they are selling unregulated products direct to consumers

Reaper · 9 August 2018 at 9:12AM

Definitely scare tactics. Tell them to "put up or shut up" and go ahead and sue you. They won't as the last thing they would want to do is lose the anonymity they are hiding behind by identifying themselves to the courts. They are breaking multiple laws, you have not broken any despite what they claim.

G&M's_mum · 9 August 2018 at 9:16AM

Don't worry about the threats - they're just empty noise and this is how they make their money. If they contact you again ask them if they're registered with the FCA as you will be reporting them. That should get rid of them.

Rather than ringing them I set up a new email account and sent them a 'cease and desist' message, telling them I was reporting them to Action Fraud, the FCA and the BBC. Nothing since, apart from one call to my mum from a 'different' company with the same technique. She told them exactly where to go and put the phone down on them! Go my mum! :T

PL_Coventry · 10 August 2018 at 12:41AM

Thanks for all the help I will try the new email account as they have today said they will be pursuing court action.

dealer_wins · 10 August 2018 at 12:31PM

PL_Coventry wrote: »

Thanks for all the help I will try the new email account as they have today said they will be pursuing court action.

They would be laughed out of court, and hopefully arrested on the spot if they ever tried that lol

Laura_Todd · 28 March 2019 at 6:00PM

Hey,

Thanks for this thread it has been very helpful. My boyfriend's dad, 90 years old, has been manipulated by these people and they have already screwed money out of him. They are now demanding much larger sums of money. The talk a lot about bonds, insisting that he liquidates his bonds as they are about to plummet, and then saying he owes them money regarding his investment commitments to them (art works). I believe they knew he had bonds with a particular bank, and used this knowledge initially to build trust, affiliating themselves with the bank.

They have not used threatening or intimidating methods yet, so far it has been taking advantage of his willingness to chat on the phone and then using confusing tactics. But it has certainly made him anxious.

I cannot believe people like this exist, its unthinkably manipulative and makes me so angry.

The email address they communicate through is info@asset-consultinggroup.com

LHW99 · 28 March 2019 at 7:16PM

Definately a case for trying the phone provider to see if they can help block calls. Although it is difficult, a call blocker that only allows through "friendly numbers" but blocks / sends to answerphone others may help - something like this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BT-BT8500-Enhanced-Blocker-Cordless/dp/B00LZTHUK8
- although other types are availbale from other places. You would probably have to set it up, but its not too hard to use I think.

G&M's_mum · 29 March 2019 at 9:22AM

Laura_Todd wrote: »

Hey,

Thanks for this thread it has been very helpful. My boyfriend's dad, 90 years old, has been manipulated by these people and they have already screwed money out of him. They are now demanding much larger sums of money. The talk a lot about bonds, insisting that he liquidates his bonds as they are about to plummet, and then saying he owes them money regarding his investment commitments to them (art works). I believe they knew he had bonds with a particular bank, and used this knowledge initially to build trust, affiliating themselves with the bank.

They have not used threatening or intimidating methods yet, so far it has been taking advantage of his willingness to chat on the phone and then using confusing tactics. But it has certainly made him anxious.

I cannot believe people like this exist, its unthinkably manipulative and makes me so angry.

The email address they communicate through is info@asset-consultinggroup.com

So sorry you've had to deal with this - I have no words for these horrible parasites. The Call Blocker phone is a very good idea if it's something you feel would work for him - even enabling Caller ID and having a list of 'Do Not Answer' numbers would be a start.

The important thing to remember about all this - and what I would say to anyone affected by this - is that, for all their noise and threats, they cannot do a thing once they are told to get lost. That's the bit we need to tell our folks, they need to get comfortable with being rude to people on the phone!

'Fine art investment' - beware!

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