Clone Firm Scams: When Fraudsters Copy a Real Company

Some of the most convincing scams do not invent a company. They copy a real, regulated one. A clone firm uses the genuine name, licence number and address of a legitimate business, with a fake website and fake contact details. If you were dealing with what looked like a known firm, this guide helps you check.

Worried you dealt with a clone firm?

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What a clone firm is

Fraudsters take the details of a real authorised company and build a lookalike around them. Because the licence number is genuine, a quick check can seem to pass. The trick is that the website, phone number and bank details belong to the scammers, not the real firm.

How to tell a clone from the real firm

Find the firm on the regulator register yourself, such as the FCA Warning List.
Use only the contact details listed on the regulator record, not the ones the firm gave you.
Call the real firm on its official number and ask if they contacted you.
Check the website address against the one on the register, letter by letter.
Be wary if the bank details do not match the company name.

Warning signs

⚠ Warning signs of a clone

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They contacted you first about an investment
The website address differs slightly from the official one
The bank account is in a different name
They rush you to invest before you can check
They discourage you from calling the firm directly

Why clones are so effective

People are told to check the regulator, so they do, and the real licence number appears. The clone relies on you not noticing that the contact details are fake. That is why you must reach the firm using the register’s details, never the ones in the email or on the lookalike site.

If you already invested

Stop sending money and refuse any fee.
Save the website, the emails, the bank details and your payments.
Call the real firm and the regulator to confirm the clone.
Report to the police and a fraud centre such as the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Action Fraud or your local police.
Tell your bank, especially about any transfer you made.

Check regulator warnings

Regulators publish clone firm warnings regularly. Search the firm and the word clone on the FCA Warning List and check the IOSCO I-SCAN. A published warning confirms the scam and strengthens your report.

A note on recovery

After a clone firm scam, you may be contacted by a fake recovery service. Real agencies do not charge victims. Report any such offer as a second scam.

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The licence number was real. Was it still a scam?

Yes. Clones use a real number with fake contact details. Always reach the firm through the register.

Can a clone be taken down?

Reporting to the regulator and the host helps. Your report protects the next person.

A note on genuine firms

Being cloned is not the real firm’s fault, and the real company is often a victim too. If you discover a clone, tell the genuine firm as well as the regulator. They will usually want to warn their own customers, and your report helps them do it. The goal is to get the lookalike taken down before it reaches the next person.