Protecting yourself against fraud
We are aware of scams that are circulating where criminal groups are impersonating Schroders and offering counterfeit investment products which are not sold or marketed by any of the Schroders Group, including Schroder Investment Management North America Inc.
Latest Fraud Trends
There are many different types of fraud and ever evolving methods being used by fraudsters. Please check this page frequently to keep up to date with the latest frauds trends and remember to stay vigilant.
Investment Fraud
We have received information regarding fraudulent activities conducted by individuals who are placing misleading advertisements with internet search engine providers. These adverts are designed to promote fraudulent investment opportunities. If you come across these ads, they may direct you to deceptive investment comparison websites, where you may be prompted to provide personal information such as your name, telephone number, and email address.
It has come to our attention that once this information is provided, fraudsters posing as representatives of Schroders may contact you via cold calls and emails. They may send fraudulent Schroders prospectuses and application forms, with the intention of soliciting payments for these deceptive investments. One specific example of such fraudulent investments is the Guaranteed Income Certificates (GIC) in Canada which requires a high minimum investment into a fake Schroders entity such as:
- Schroders Capital CA
- Schroders Canada
- Schroders Advisory CA
- Schroders Wealth
This falsely promises high returns with minimal risk involved. In certain instances, a fraudster could direct the victim to the genuine Schroders website. For safety, it is recommended to reach out to us directly if you have any doubts regarding the legitimacy of an investment.
We want to emphasise that these activities are in no way associated with or endorsed by Schroders. We do not conduct its business in this way. We take matters of fraud and investor protection very seriously. We advise you to exercise caution and remain vigilant when encountering investment opportunities, especially those that make unrealistic promises or request personal information.
Social Media Fraud Alert
Our active fraud monitoring has identified that fraudsters are reaching out to individuals via social media (e.g. Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram), personal emails, and private messages offering deceptive investments. If you've been contacted on Social Media about investment schemes allegedly associated with Schroders, please contact us. Schroders is actively informing Social Media platforms, law enforcement, and regulators to prevent these frauds.
Advanced Fee Fraud
Beware of scams where fraudsters pretend to be representatives from law firms, government departments, or claim to work at Schroders, offering unknown inheritance money or recovery services for a fee. Schroders does not engage in such practices and would never contact you in this manner. If you have been a victim of fraud or lost money on an investment, be cautious of any direct contact asking for upfront fees or transaction charges for recovery services, as it could be fraudulent. Stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.
Fraud Prevention
Please consider the following when identifying potentially fraudulent activities:
1. Have you received unsolicited contact about an investment opportunity via phone, email, or social media?
2. Have you seen adverts on your social media feeds offering unusually high returns on investment?
3. If you've spoken to someone, did you feel pressured to decide without time to consider the investment?
4. Have you been offered a high return on your investment with seemingly little or no risk?
5. Have you been told that the investment opportunity is exclusive to a small group, of which you are a part?
If you answered ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions, we encourage you to conduct additional checks to ensure you can validate the offering. If any doubt, please contact us on the details below before taking any action. Fraudsters use various tactics to appear legitimate, such as setting up cloned websites, redirecting you to the genuine Schroders.com website, or sending you a prospectus with Schroders branding and our office address. They may even make an initial payment to convince you to invest larger sums. Be aware of these signs and always verify the legitimacy of the investment.
Always stop and review - before making any decisions to invest or provide personal information, take a moment to consider the validity of what you are being offered, especially if a call, letter, email, or text has come unexpectedly. Schroders will never rush you to make an investment decision.
Question the offering - does the offer sound too good to be true? Are there gaps in the information you're being given? Does the contact information match up with what you find in the public domain? Always approach unsolicited contact containing urgent appeals for investment or personal information with caution. Confirm the validity of the source of the message, ensuring it comes from a trusted source by carefully examining the address itself, as well as the content within it.
Protect yourself - if you think you've fallen for a scam, contact your bank and local police immediately. Secondly, contact us so that we can assist you and protect others from falling victim to the same frauds.
If you believe you have encountered any suspicious incidents, please contact our Financial Crime Prevention Team on +164 6951 8950 or contact us via reportscams@schroders.com. If you suspect you have been a victim of fraud, we advise you to report it immediately to your bank who may be able to assist you in stopping or recovering funds.
How to Verify a Genuine Email
Schroders will not directly contact you via email to market our products. If you are contacted by a Schroders employee it will be through a designated Schroders email, such as one that ends with ‘@Schroders.com’.
Be alert when interacting with Schroders email addresses, look for slight misspellings, unusual addition of numbers and suspicious/unusual characters.
If you are unsure, do not reply to the email. Instead, contact us immediately at reportscams@schroders.com
Fraud Prevention Resources
The third-party site below may help you with further support information. Please note, Schroders is not responsible for the content or accuracy of these sites.