merchentloan.co.uk Clone of FCA authorised firm

What Is This Scam?

Merchentloan.co.uk is a fraudulent website operating as a clone of a legitimate Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authorised firm. This scam targets consumers seeking loans and financial services by impersonating a regulated lender. Fraudsters use the cloned website and associated email address to deceive victims into believing they are dealing with a legitimate, authorised financial institution. Once contact is established, scammers typically attempt to extract personal information, financial details, or advance fees from unsuspecting consumers under the pretence of loan processing or other financial services.

Who Are They Impersonating?

The scammers are impersonating Sorodo Limited, a legitimate FCA-authorised firm. The genuine company details are as follows:

• Company Name: Sorodo Limited
• FCA Firm Reference Number: 774781
• Registered Address: St. Andrews Park, Queens Lane, Bromfield Industrial Estate, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1XB, United Kingdom
• Official Telephone: +441244456123
• Official Email: [email protected]
• Official Website: www.sorodo.co.uk
• Regulatory Authority: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

Sorodo Limited is a legitimate FCA-registered firm. Consumers should verify any communications by checking the official FCA register and contacting the company directly using the verified contact details above.

Evidence & Regulatory Action

This scam has been officially identified and documented by multiple financial regulators worldwide. The FCA issued a formal warning on 13 September 2024 identifying merchentloan.co.uk as a clone of an FCA-authorised firm. The scam has also been documented in the International Securities & Commodities Alerts Network (I-SCAN) database, which tracks fraudulent firms across international markets.

Additional international financial regulators, including the Netherlands' AFM (Autoriteit Financiële Markten), have also issued warnings about this clone firm. The FCA register entry confirms that merchentloan.co.uk was added to the FS Register warning list on 13 September 2024.

Red Flags

• Domain name closely mimics the legitimate firm but uses a slightly different spelling or URL structure
• Email address [email protected] does not match the legitimate company's official email ([email protected])
• Telephone number 01416280524 is not the official Sorodo Limited contact number
• Website address merchentloan.co.uk differs from the legitimate www.sorodo.co.uk
• Requests for personal information, proof of identity, or advance fees before loan approval
• Pressure to act quickly or claims of limited-time offers
• Generic or unprofessional communication templates
• Inability to verify the firm on the official FCA register using the provided contact details

What To Do If You Have Been Contacted

• Do not provide any personal information, financial details, or identification documents to the scammers
• Do not make any payments or pay any advance fees
• Stop all communication with the fraudulent website and email address
• Verify the legitimate firm independently by visiting www.sorodo.co.uk directly and contacting them using the official telephone number +441244456123
• Check the FCA register to confirm the authorisation status of any financial firm before engaging with them
• Report the scam to the FCA using their online reporting tool or by contacting them directly
• Report the fraudulent email to your email provider and mark it as phishing or spam
• If you have already provided information, monitor your bank accounts and credit reports closely for signs of identity theft or fraud
• Consider reporting the incident to Action Fraud or your local law enforcement authority