FRAUD AIMED AT HSBC SHARE HOLDERS

Hi, everybody, I need to warn you all about a scam aimed at HSBC shareholders.

I was contacted last week by a woman from the TCG Corporate Recommendations Team. She knew I was a HSBC shareholder and told me that as I'd held shares for more than ten years I was entitled to additional benefits, such as a slightly increased dividend, extra voting rights and other corporate perks. Sadly they didn't have any of the corporate perks available but they would call back when they did.

I knew this was a fraud, so played along, knowing they would call back within a few days, which they duly did today.

They make out it is investment advice due to the changing market blah blah and used lots of words suggesting the investment was in Treasury funds. On pressing her, I finally managed to get an admission it wasn't Treasury linked but in a fund called The Fine Art Fund.

At that point I revealed I knew it was a scam and may have used a few Anglo-Saxon swearwords when describing what I thought of her, at which point she became snotty and hung up!

I rang the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) to log and report the scam and they confirmed this firm of fraudsters is well known to them.

How did they get my details? From the public register of shareholders.

It isn't HSBC's fault, in fact, the training I received during my years at the Bank served me very well, as I am sure it will you.

Please pass on this to anyone you know holds shares and not just HSBC either. The woman was VERY convincing, so be warned.


Paul Calvert