We've given Refundee a new look, learn more.
Banks regularly deny claims for unfair reasons. A fraud gets called a civil matter, a generic pop-up gets called a warning, or a convincing scam gets judged with hindsight. None of those reasons is the final word. Decisions can be challenged and escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and we know where they most often go wrong.
Why choose Refundee to recover your funds?
Over {{money-recovered-text}} recovered
The total amount we've got back from scams, for our clients.
FCA regulated
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for claims management.
Rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot
The UK’s best-rated fraud recovery specialist, from hundreds of verified reviews.
Helped over {{total-customers-text}} clients
From single bank transfers to group actions with hundreds of victims.
How to spot Investment Fraud
Investment scams usually start with a professional-looking advert or a cold call, then a small “test” investment that appears to do well. Guaranteed returns, early payouts, unregulated firms and pressure to invest more are the signs to watch for.
It's free to find out if we can help
We've already helped over {{total-customers-text}} people recover {{money-recovered-text}}, and we're ready to help you too.
- You came across the person or advert on social media or through a cold call Whilst legitimate companies can advertise on social media, so can fraudsters. This is a common way for fraudsters to advertise their investment opportunities, usually with attractive returns. Advertisements will usually look professional and mirror those of legitimate companies.
- You were encouraged to invest by “starting small” to test the investment Often with these scams you’ll be asked to put in as little as £200 or £250 to see how it performs. Miraculously, you’ll see your investment perform remarkably well which will be used to encourage you to invest more. The fraudster may even send you a little bit of your profit back to try and convince you that this is real. What you are seeing is unfortunately all fake. While it may all look real and appear to track real life events, fraudsters are able to create extremely convincing looking platforms that they can manipulate to back up whatever story they want to tell you. They will create whatever elaborate story they need to convince you to invest more - sometimes this will be crippling losses you need to “save”, sometimes it will be once in a lifetime opportunities to invest.
- Unrealistic guaranteed returns Fraudsters commonly offer high guaranteed returns, which are backed by contracts or funding, so it seems there is ‘nothing to lose’. A good approach is to take a step back and consider, if what this person is telling you is true, why they would be telling you. Investments can be high risk, and it is generally very difficult to guarantee returns in a volatile market. In addition, high returns are easily manipulated and faked by fraudsters to show how well your investment is performing. This is a common tactic to persuade you to invest further.
- Receiving returns initially It is a common tactic used by fraudsters to present a legitimate investment opportunity. You may think, “If I am receiving returns, it must be legitimate.” Caution! Fraudsters provide returns initially to tempt you into investing more and more. Eventually, once you have invested more and want to withdraw, fraudsters will use multiple excuses as to why you cannot or will ask for further ‘fees’ in order to withdraw. In some cases, the investment will collapse before you can withdraw your funds. At Refundee, we see this in most investment scams, and receiving returns should not be a sign of legitimacy.
- Unregulated firms Important! Before investing, it is always important to check the firm’s relevant regulatory status and whether they are authorised to conduct the activities they are advertising. Firms acting within financial services in the UK need to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You can search a company’s name on the FCA register to see if they are regulated. This will also show if there are any warnings about the company or clones of the legitimate firm. It is important to check the authorised firm details to ensure you are dealing with the legitimate company.
- Claims of Government/local authority contracts As Refundee has recently observed in Social Housing Scams, fraudsters will claim that they have contracts backed by the government or legitimate authorities to gain trust and security with the investment offering. This is a common tactic used by fraudsters to add credibility to their claim of a ‘safe’ investment and can be linked to their justification of ‘guaranteed’ returns. In reality, the schemes are not government-backed, and investors are lured into investing, believing it is safe.
- Pressure tactics You may see fraudsters pressuring you to invest more to capitalise on the opportunity for returns. They can use multiple reasons to persuade you to invest and may even pressure clients to take out loans to invest further. It is always good to step back and think before agreeing to invest. Fraudsters are very experienced in pressuring clients to invest on the spot and will push you to do so. No legitimate company would use pressure tactics to tempt you to invest more, so it is always good to think and talk to someone if this happens. Refundee can speak to you about red flags you may be experiencing with a firm.
Investment Scam
£80,000 recovered for a Social Housing Scam victim
Registered on Companies House with a physical office and investor webinars, the social housing scheme promised 10 to 15% annual returns before it collapsed. Our specialist groups team gathered evidence across multiple investors and recovered our client's full £80,000.
Published Date
Investment Scam
£120,000 recovered for victim of fake investment scheme
Vaquita Capital ran seminars, an in-person event and a professional portal showing returns from CFDs, forex and stock indices. When new investors dried up, the scheme collapsed. We proved to the Financial Ombudsman that the banks were liable and our client recovered the full £120,000.
Published Date
Investment Scam
Vaquita Capital recovering £5 million for 100+ investors
Vaquita Capital claimed to be trading Forex and CFDs while its directors falsely claimed to be seeking FCA authorisation. Banks refused to reimburse. £3 million has already been recovered for the 100+ investors we support.
Published Date
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
We’ve helped over {{total-customers-text}} people recover {{money-recovered-text}} in stolen funds.
Can Refundee help recover my lost Investment?
I'm concerned about my investment, what shall I do?
How do you recover losses?
What if the scammer is overseas?
What if my bank has already rejected my case?
How long does the fund recovery process usually take?
Investment
How to Spot a Clone Firm: FCA Register Guide
Scammers can clone real, FCA-authorised firms. Learn the red flags to spot a clone firm and how to verify a company on the FCA register.
Investment
Impersonation Fraud: How It Works and What to Do If You've Paid
Learn how impersonation fraud works, the warning signs to watch for, and what to do if you've already sent money.
Investment
What Is a Ponzi Scheme? Signs, Examples, and What to Do If You've Been Caught in One
Think you've been caught in a Ponzi scheme? Learn the warning signs, how to protect yourself, and what your options are if you've already lost money.