FCA Warns of callassists.com Clone Firm

The Financial Conduct Authority has warned that callassists.com is an unauthorised clone firm. In a notice published on 16 October, the regulator said fraudsters were using the name and details of an authorised firm in an attempt to appear genuine.

The FCA identifies the clone as callassists.com and says the genuine authorised company being impersonated is CALL ASSIST LIMITED, with Firm Reference Number 304838. The regulator says the authorised company has no connection with the clone firm. It also cautions that fraudsters can change contact details and combine false details with genuine company information.

The warning is directed at anyone approached by the purported firm. The FCA says unauthorised firms and individuals generally cannot carry out or promote financial services in the UK, and advises consumers to use its Firm Checker and independently sourced contact details before engaging with a financial business.

Why it matters

For traders, a cloned identity can be used in funding, account-recovery or investment approaches that appear to carry regulatory credibility. Dealing with an unauthorised firm may mean no access to the Financial Ombudsman Service and no Financial Services Compensation Scheme protection if things go wrong, according to the FCA.

What to watch next

Treat the warning as specific to the identified website and details, while recognising that clone operators may change them. Before sending money or documents, check the firm’s permissions and contact the genuine authorised business using details obtained through the FCA’s Firm Checker rather than through an unsolicited message.