FCA Warns About shardcreditpartners.uk Clone Firm Impersonating Authorised Businesses

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned consumers about shardcreditpartners.uk, an unauthorised clone firm that has been contacting people while pretending to be an authorised financial business. The warning identifies [email protected] and [email protected] as associated email addresses and lists shardcreditpartners.uk as the firm’s website. The FCA says fraudsters are using details linked to two genuine firms: Shard Capital AIFM LLP, which has Firm Reference Number 615463 and an address at 6th Floor, 51 Lime Street, London, EC3M 7DQ, and Shard Credit Partners Ltd, which has Firm Reference Number 702785 and an address at 83 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0HW. The authorised firms can be contacted through the published telephone number, +4402071869900, while the listed compliance email for Shard Capital AIFM LLP is [email protected]. The FCA states that neither authorised firm has any connection with the clone. The regulator warns that clone operators may combine genuine firm details with false email addresses, telephone numbers, postal addresses or Firm Reference Numbers, and may change their contact information over time. Anyone dealing with the unauthorised firm would not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service for complaints and would not be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if the business failed. Payments sent to a scam account on or after 7 October 2024 may fall within protections introduced by the Payment Systems Regulator, depending on the circumstances. Consumers should check a firm through the FCA Firm Checker before sending money or sharing personal information, confirming that it is authorised and permitted to provide the service offered. The FCA advises people who receive an unexpected approach to use contact details shown in the Firm Checker rather than replying to the message. Suspected approaches from the clone can be reported to the FCA on 0800 111 6768 or through its contact form.