Fake FMA licence certificates appears in an attributed source record from Financial Markets Authority in New Zealand. This article explains the recorded identity and source context. It is not a firm client matter or an independent criminal finding.
Recorded identity and source
- Name in source
- Fake FMA licence certificates
- Source authority
- Financial Markets Authority
- Source jurisdiction
- New Zealand
- Source validation date
- 2023-12-05
- Source modification date
- 2023-12-05
- Source category
- Other
- Additional source information
- We have received a large number of reports about fake FMA licence certificates being used to try and convince people to invest money with phony investment brokers.
Details of a New Zealand-based entity, Collinson Crowdfunding Limited, which holds a licence for operating a crowd funding service, have been used in these attempts. We can confirm that Collinson Crowdfunding is not involved in this matter.
Complainants have been communicating with the fake licensees on the messaging app Telegram.
Here are some ways you can verify the authenticity of a licence certificate holder:
All Financial Service Providers (FSP) and FMA licence holders are listed on the FSP Register, you can check registration details here. Make sure the FSP number, name of entity/licence holder, and the registered/licensed service type match the information printed on any certificate provided.
Most FSP and licence holders are New Zealand-registered companies. Some companies have their contact details or website address displayed on the Companies Register. You can also contact the company/licence holder to verify the licence with them, but DO NOT use telephone or email details given to you by the person showing you the licence certificate. You may simply be directed to an accomplice.
If the company or licence holder’s contact details are not shown on the Companies Register, search for their website on the internet. New Zealand company websites usually end with .co.nz but could have other domain names.
We encourage anyone reading this warning to share it with friends and whānau, including on social media platforms to help protect others from harm.Below is an image of one of these fake licence certificates. All incidents reported so far involve similar-looking certificates, with only the name of the licence holder changed. We recommend caution when dealing with any person or entity that provides you with a licence certificate such as this.
Read the source in its own terms
The recorded category is attributed to the authority above. An authorization-related notice is not by itself a court judgment of fraud. Read the precise warning or finding and the jurisdiction to which it applies.
Compare the exact identity
No exact website or profile is supplied in this record. No address has been inferred from the name. A trading name alone may not establish the same entity. Retain the original communications, platform terms and payment records that identify your counterparty.
Dates and current status
Source registration, validation and modification dates are reproduced where available. They are distinct from this website’s actual release date and may differ from the original warning date. Historical information may change. Consult the linked authority for its current position.
Issues for legal review
The source notice is background to a legal assessment, not a decision on a reader’s individual claim. The relevant questions include the identity of the contracting or communicating party, the representations made, the payment history, the applicable terms and the forum in which a dispute could be addressed. The evidence must be assessed against the actual legal issue and any relevant deadline.
Report the matter to the firm
If your experience concerns the identity described in this notice, tell CRYPTOS LAWYERS what happened and provide the exact platform details, approximate dates and the parties involved. The firm will review whether it can assist, including conflict, jurisdiction and scope checks. A written engagement is required before representation begins.
Where a legal assessment requires transaction analysis, an independent technical investigator or recovery company may be instructed or referred privately on agreed terms. Counsel reviews the resulting report and assesses the appropriate lawful legal steps. A technical report or complaint filing does not itself authorize an asset restriction or establish an entitlement to payment.
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