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We’ve recently been made aware — through industry contacts and reports — of a noticeable increase in scam activity, particularly around the start of the new tax year. These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with fraudsters impersonating financial professionals or family members and referencing personal details to build trust.
In one case shared with us, a client at another firm received an email that looked and sounded exactly like it came from their adviser — it even referenced her recent holiday and mirrored the adviser’s usual tone and sign-off. The message encouraged a £20,000 ISA top-up and included bank details for a fictitious company called “Alpha Trading.” It was a scam. Thankfully, the client double-checked with her adviser before taking action — and the fraud was stopped in its tracks.
We’ve even heard reports of AI being used to mimic the voice of a family member to deceive and defraud. It’s a chilling reminder of how fast this technology is evolving — and how important it is to stay vigilant.
As these attacks become more convincing, scammers are evolving — but we are protecting our clients and evolving too.
At Thanks Wealth Planning, we’ve built multiple layers of protection to keep our clients safe:
- Sensitive information, and payment requests, are shared only via your personalised MyThanks App, our banking level secure, encrypted client portal
- We never send or request bank details or payment instructions via email or phone. In fact it is highly unlikely we will ever directly request money from you without us already having an official meeting or extensive communications beforehand
- The investment platforms we work with have sophisticated financial protocols to safeguard your capital and only send capital to your own verified bank account
- We employ KryptoKloud, cybersecurity specialists, to protect your data 24/7/365
- If anything ever seems off, always communicate via your MyThanks App or call us directly using the number on our official website
But security isn’t just about strong systems — awareness is key.
Take 4 minutes to watch: Protecting Yourself From Scams
Hosted on our Learning 365 Hub, this mini box set from Money Alive covers:
- How scammers typically operate
- Steps you can take to reduce your risk
- A direct link to the FCA’s ScamSmart website
It’s short, clear, and could make all the difference.
Stay alert. Question any unusual financial request — written or verbal. And as always, we’re here if you need us.
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