Following the merger of London & Capital and Waverton, and the subsequent rebrand to W1M, there have been instances of fraudulent activity involving individuals or criminal groups posing as representatives of these businesses. We will no longer contact you under the London & Capital or Waverton names and we urge you to remain vigilant when considering any direct investment offering that claims to be from London & Capital, Waverton Investment Management or W1M.

If you suspect that you have fallen victim to a scam and have made a payment, you should immediately contact your bank to request assistance in halting the transaction and/or recovering your funds. You are also encouraged to report any scams or cybercrime to your local police or relevant law enforcement authority.

Additionally, we ask that you notify us if you believe you may have engaged with a scam or have received unsolicited communications using the London & Capital, Waverton Investment Management or W1M names. Please get in touch with your usual W1M contact or email reportfraud@w1m.com.

Examples of scams

Fraudsters employ a variety of sophisticated and constantly evolving tactics. The following are examples of the types of scams we are aware of:

1. Investment advertising scams – Fraudulent entities use online advertisements to promote fake investment opportunities, directing individuals to counterfeit websites that mimic genuine firms. These sites often request personal details, which are then used to personalise future contact. This may include fraudsters impersonating representatives and sending emails or making phone calls accompanied by fabricated prospectuses and application forms. In some cases, they may redirect users to a legitimate website to increase credibility. Please contact us directly if you have any doubts about the legitimacy of an investment offering.
2. Social media scams – Fraudsters have approached individuals via platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and messaging apps like WhatsApp, offering fraudulent investment or cryptocurrency products not endorsed or sold by us. If you have received such contact, please report it to your usual W1M contact or email reportfraud@w1m.com. We continue to collaborate with social media platforms, law enforcement, and financial regulators to combat this type of fraudulent activity.
3. Advance fee frauds – Scammers may impersonate representatives of investment companies, law firms, or government agencies to offer services, such as access to unclaimed inheritance, asset recovery for a fee, or payments for remote work. W1M would never contact individuals with such offers.

Staying vigilant

To protect yourself from scams, consider the following warning signs:

• Have you been contacted unexpectedly about an investment via phone, email, social media, or a messaging app?
• Have you seen social media adverts promising unusually high investment returns?
• Were you pressured to make a decision quickly, without the opportunity to assess the investment’s suitability?
• Were you promised high returns with little or no risk?
• Were you told that the opportunity is exclusive to a select group that includes you?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above, we recommend carrying out further checks before proceeding.

What to look out for

Fraudsters may go to great lengths to appear legitimate. This could include:

• Cloning websites
• Redirecting you to the genuine W1M website (www.w1m.com)
• Using branded prospectuses with the W1M logo and address
• Offering small initial payments to encourage larger future investments

Remember to:

1. Stop and assess – Before making an investment or sharing personal information, evaluate the legitimacy of the offer. Was the contact expected? Is the product suitable for your needs? W1M will never pressure you into making an investment decision.
2. Question the offer – Does it sound too good to be true? Are you receiving limited or inconsistent information? Is the contact method or email address unusual? Be wary of unsolicited or urgent messages pushing for quick payments. Always verify the sender’s contact details through trusted sources.
3. Protect yourself – If you suspect fraud and have provided payment or bank details, contact your bank immediately. You should also report the incident to your local police. Finally, please notify us so we can investigate and help prevent others from being affected.

If you have sent funds or shared banking information, we strongly recommend you contact your bank straight away, as they may be able to help stop or recover your funds.

How to verify a genuine email

When receiving emails purporting to be from London and Capital, Waverton or W1M, look for subtle errors, such as:

• Misspellings in names or email addresses
• Unusual characters or numbers added to email addresses

If you are unsure whether an email is legitimate, do not reply or open any attachments. Instead, forward the message to your W1M contact or email reportfraud@w1m.com

The domains used by W1M are:

Website - www.w1m.com/

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/w1m

Client portal - www.w1m.com/login