Number of investment fraud cases sees sharp rise in 2018

Latest News

Number of investment fraud cases sees sharp rise in 2018

By Oliver Wade

29/04/2019

The number of reported investment fraud cases experienced a sharp increase in 2018, rising by 74 per cent to 6,890, up from 3,950 in 2017, data has revealed.

In 2018, the most commonly-reported cases were related to share and bond sales, with the number rising to 860m up from 200 in 2017. Following behind were pyramid (also known as Ponzi) schemes, which saw an increase to 380, up from 50, over the same period.

It has been speculated that the sharp rise in reported cases is due to the increased number of investors seeking higher yields while enduring a low-interest rate environment. As a result, some investors have been left exposed to the sale of unregulated products, which are frequently aggressively marketed online via social media.

According to figures published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the regulator had to intervene in 225 instances in 2018, instructing firms to either withdraw or change advertising.

The UK housing market in 2024

The performance of the UK housing market in 2024 has largely exceeded many people's expectations, although challenges remain for first-time buyers due to house prices increasing and a testing rental market for many. Regional disparities, such as the North-South divide, also continue to influence housing accessibility and affordability for many buyers in pockets of the country.

Intergenerational lending

MoneyAge News Editor, Michael Griffiths, hosts Family Building Society BDMs, Amar Mashru and Arif Kara, to discuss intergenerational lending and explore ways that buyers can use family income to help increase their borrowing capacity when applying for a mortgage

Helping landlords make their cash work harder

MoneyAge Editor, Adam Cadle, talks to Family Building Society BDMs, Arif Kara and Nathan Waller, about the resilient BTL market, the wide variety of landlords that Family Building Society caters for, and how niche products like an Offset mortgage can help improve cashflow.