Current investment scams

If you think you’ve been involved in any of the following scams please call us using our Contact us page or send an email to M&GFraud@mandg.com.

Fraudsters impersonating Prudential

Fraudsters are creating financial comparison websites or websites advertising fraudulent investments. These ask for your email address and telephone number. The fraudsters then contact you with a cloned Prudential email and brochure sent from a fake Prudential email address. While the email includes our logo and website details, it also contains fake telephone numbers and product information (perhaps in a brochure). The fraudsters may call and pretend to be someone from Prudential. They claim to be selling Prudential products such as:

  • Deposit Fixed Rate Saver
  • Fixed Rate Deposit Bond
  • Fixed Interest UK Growth Bond
  • Fixed Interest UK Growth ISA Bond
  • Fixed Interest RMA Bond
  • Fixed Interest RMA Bond ISA Bond
  • Pru UK Bond ISA
  • Prudential International Investment Bond
  • Prudential Plc Fixed Income or Fixed Rate Bond
  • Prudential or Prudential Plc Corporate Bond
  • Fixed Income ISA Bonds
  • Prudential Bond and Prudential Managed Investment Bond

This is not a complete list as fraudsters change product names frequently.

Recovery Firms

Fraudsters are contacting victims of previous scams pretending to be a firm or a well-known organisation that can recover money that has already been lost. They ask for a fee to help them fund the activity.

Protecting yourself from investment scams

  1. Talk with trusted friends and family about any investment offer you’ve been given as this could help you spot a scam.
  2. Speak to Prudential using our Contact us page not the contact details given to you. Ask us to confirm we have contacted you about an investment.
  3. To speak to any other provider, use the contact details on the Financial Services Register.
  4. Reject any unsolicited or ‘cold’ calls that you receive and don’t give out any personal or financial information. Find out more about cold calls and investment scams on the Financial Conduct Authority website.
  5. Find out more about fraud and cyber-crime on the ActionFraud website the UK’s national fraud and cyber-crime reporting centre.

How to spot an investment scam

Fraudsters are always out there and constantly changing their tactics so here’s some of the red flags that could help you to spot an investment scam:

  • Be vigilant - if a phone call or voicemail, email or text message asks you to make a payment, log in to an online account or offers you a deal that sounds too good to be true, be extremely cautious.
  • A fraudster may call you and claim to be from your bank or financial services provider - don't give away any personal details unless you are satisfied they are who they claim to be.
  • Fraudsters often use very convincing tactics to get you to sign up. Beware of anyone trying to pressurise you into making a decision.
  • Fraudsters will make an investment sound very appealing and will often suggest that it’s less risky than it is.
  • Fraudsters are persistent and will often try to form a relationship with you in an effort to build your trust. Beware of anyone who calls you repeatedly and/or anyone who tries to keep you on the phone for long periods of time.
  • You might be told that you’re receiving a very special and/or limited offer.
  • You might be told not to tell anyone about the offer you’ve been given.
  • Fraudsters are known to target previous victims of investment fraud, claiming that they can recover lost money. You might be asked to pay an upfront fee but these companies will not get back your money.
  • Some companies that run scams base themselves overseas to avoid regulatory requirements. Be cautious if a company that’s based overseas contacts you with investment opportunities.
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More information

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Protecting you from scammers is important to us. Find out more about how you can keep your personal information and your money safe.

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© Prudential 2023

"Prudential" is a trading name of Prudential Distribution Limited. Prudential Distribution Limited is registered in Scotland. Registered Office at 5 Central Way, Kildean Business Park, Stirling, FK8 1FT. Registered number SC212640. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Prudential Distribution Limited is part of the same corporate group as the Prudential Assurance Company Limited. The Prudential Assurance Company Limited and Prudential Distribution Limited are direct/indirect subsidiaries of M&G plc which is a holding company registered in England and Wales with registered number 11444019 and registered office at 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London EC3M 5AG, some of whose subsidiaries are authorised and regulated, as applicable, by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority. These companies are not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc, a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America or Prudential plc, an international group incorporated in the United Kingdom.