FCA: clone firm pinnaclesweb.com claims to be an FCA-registered wealth firm
On 27 October 2026 the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a clone firm warning about pinnaclesweb.com. The FCA says the operator is not authorised or registered but has been targeting people in the UK whil…
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Source: fca.org.uk · published
What happened
On 27 October 2026 the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a clone firm warning about pinnaclesweb.com. The FCA says the operator is not authorised or registered but has been targeting people in the UK while claiming to be an authorised firm. It says fraudsters are using the phone number +447741354988, the email support@pinnaclesweb.com and the website pinnaclesweb.com. According to the FCA, the genuine firm being claimed is Pinnacle Wealth Management LLP, which has no connection with the clone. Pinnacle Wealth Management LLP is the impersonated party. It is not involved and is not accused of any wrongdoing. The FCA's page does not describe the services offered.
How the scam works
A wealth-management clone relies on a firm name and an address that look right. The look-alike domain (pinnaclesweb.com) is not the real firm's website, and the phone number and email shown are not the real firm's contact details. The FCA's page does not say how people were approached, so no specific method is claimed here.
Clone firms use real firms' names, details or Firm Reference Numbers, and may mix false details with genuine ones. The FCA warns that scammers may give out other false details, including email addresses, telephone numbers, postal addresses and Firm Reference Numbers, and may change their contact details over time.
People who deal with an unauthorised firm will not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they want to complain, and will not be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong, so it is unlikely they would get their money back if the firm collapsed. The FCA also says people who sent money to a fraudster on or after 7 October 2024 may be covered by protections introduced by the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR). The FCA lists the genuine firm's correct details on its warning page. If someone contacts you about investments and says they work for Pinnacle Wealth Management LLP, contact the firm only through those details, and not through any number, email or website provided in the approach.
Source
Financial Conduct Authority, clone firm warning "pinnaclesweb.com" (27 October 2026).
Red flags
- Contact from a firm that claims to be FCA-authorised but whose details don't match the FCA Register.
- A website address or email domain different from the authorised firm's.
- A Firm Reference Number that is quoted but doesn't match the firm on the Register.
- Contact details that mix real and unfamiliar information.
- An unexpected approach, or pressure to pay or give personal details.
If you were targeted
- 1Look the firm up on the FCA Register and contact it only through the details listed there, not those you were given.
- 2Don't send money or personal details to the clone, and stop contact.
- 3If you've paid, tell your bank at once and ask about recovery protections, including PSR rules for payments made on or after 7 October 2024.
- 4Report the clone to the FCA (0800 111 6768 or its contact form) and consider Action Fraud.
- 5Tell the genuine firm about the contact so it can warn others.