investment companies

Consob has detected a significant increase of reports relating to "investment companies" stating that they are authorised to operate by CONSOB itself or by other supervisory authorities of EU countries. These subjects illegally use, even on their own websites, identifying elements (company, brand, name or corporate name, headquarters, addresses, web and/or e-mail addresses, etc.) that are identical or similar to those of companies actually authorised and, sometimes, also refer to "licenses", whether valid or expired, issued by supervisory authorities to different subjects. By so doing, these subjects present themselves to potential customers as being authorised, often offering highly profitable investments in an underhand way.

Considered that the initiatives undertaken by the so-called "clone" websites and/or companies might conceal deceptive operations aimed at taking possession of any money conferred, CONSOB invites investors to carefully consult the lists of investment firms actually authorised to operate in Italy (http://www.consob.it/web/area-pubblica/imprese-di-investimento1) as well as the investor protection warnings (http://www.consob.it/web/area-pubblica/avvisi-ai-risparmiatori) and, in any event, to be very careful before making investment decisions.