Corporate Finance - Dr Charles Burnham

This notice is issued by the Financial Supervision Commission (“the Commission”) in accordance with the powers conferred upon it under Section22 of the Financial Supervision Act 1988.

Corporate Finance

Dr Charles Burnham

The Commission has recently become aware of documentation purporting to have been sent by the above entity.

Within this correspondence, which is signed by a Dr Charles Burnham – Director of International Issuance Dept, the entity has an address of “Farrants Way, Castletown, Isle of Man, IM9 1NR”.

The correspondence states “Firstly, there are certain documents which needs to be secured and signed by you in person meaning that you have to come down to London to do so. But in a situation where you will not be able to come, the company has decided to give you an alternative by providing an attorney to do so on your behalf. In which case you have to pay for the services of the attorney who has to be under the authority of this institution.

Further more, you will be required to send us a scanned copy of any utility bill as proof that you are a resident of the address you included in your application, a scanned 4x4 passport size photo and a copy of your drivers license or international passport…” (sic).

The correspondence gives a telephone number for the sender of +44 794 982 0731 and a fax number for the sender of +44 870479 6153. These are not Isle of Man telephone / fax numbers.

The Commission wishes to draw attention to the following observations regarding the aforementioned correspondence:

There is a genuine street called Farrants Way, Castletown, Isle of Man, IM9 1NR, in the Isle of Man. However, there are several buildings on this street and none of these genuine buildings is in any way connected to the fraudulent correspondence.

The above entity is not incorporated within the jurisdiction of the Isle of Man.

It is not registered as a foreign company having established a place of business on the Isle of Man.

It is not registered as a business name on the Isle of Man. The Commission cannot establish any genuine links between the above entity and the Isle of Man. Under the circumstances the Financial Supervision Commission feels that this correspondence is being issued to tempt the recipient into becoming the victim of an Advance Fee Fraud – see explanatory notice issued by the Commission at:

http://www.iomfsa.im/ViewNews.gov?page=lib/news/iomfsa/westafricanfraud.xml&menuid=11570

OR

Is an attempt at gaining personal data from the recipient in order to steal their identity – see explanatory notice issued by the Commission at:

http://www.iomfsa.im/ViewNews.gov?page=lib/news/iomfsa/identitytheft.xml&menuid=11570

Also see information issued by the Isle of Man Office of the Data Protection Supervisor at:

http://www.gov.im/lib/news/odps/yourinformationy.xml

Under the circumstances the Commission would encourage people receiving correspondence matching the above description to refrain from responding to them in any way.

Any persons who are already involved in any dealings resulting from correspondence matching the above description and have concerns should contact the Enforcement Division on +44 1624 689314 or by e-mail to fsc@gov.im .

Any person who have paid out funds in relation to correspondence matching the above description or who have provided personal financial details in relation to correspondence matching the above description should consider contacting their local police fraud unit without delay.

FSC reference: CD/13/2008