J.A., a 58-year-old investor in London, thought he was dealing with a regulated brokerage. The website mirrored the real firm’s branding and even cited its licence number. He transferred funds mostly by bank, with a smaller amount in crypto.
The tell
Within two weeks he was pushed to send more and then blocked from withdrawing. He checked the regulator’s register, saw the licence belonged to a different company, and contacted us immediately.
“They were using a real firm’s licence number. The address on the register didn’t match — that’s what saved me.”
What we did
Because he reported within the reimbursement window, we documented the impersonation, triggered a bank recall and an Authorised Push Payment fraud claim, and flagged the crypto portion for a freeze. The result: £61,800 of £70,200 (88%).
The takeaway
Always check a broker against the official regulator register — by typing the regulator’s address yourself, not a link the “broker” sends. A name that is one character off a famous firm is a warning sign. Ask us to verify a broker before you send anything.
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