City Equities

What Is This Scam?

City Equities (operating via the website cityequities.co.uk) is a clone firm scam targeting consumers in the United Kingdom and potentially beyond. Clone firm fraud occurs when criminals set up a fake company that impersonates a legitimate, previously authorised financial firm in order to deceive victims into handing over money for investment products or financial services that do not exist. The fraudsters behind cityequities.co.uk are exploiting the name, reputation, and registration details of a once-genuine firm to appear credible and trustworthy. These scams typically target individuals seeking investment opportunities, often approaching victims through cold calls, unsolicited emails, or social media advertisements.

Who Are They Impersonating?

The scammers are impersonating City Equities Limited, a company that was previously registered at UK Companies House under Company Number 02742847. The legitimate firm held a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Firm Reference Number of 155051 and was formerly based at 4th Floor, Royal London House, 22–25 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1DX. It is critically important to note that City Equities Limited was dissolved at UK Companies House on 22 April 2025, meaning it is no longer a trading entity. The FCA is the relevant regulatory authority in this case. By using the identity of this dissolved firm, scammers are able to cite real historical registration details to fraudulently bolster their credibility with potential victims.

Evidence & Regulatory Action

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a formal warning about this clone scam. The FCA explicitly identifies cityequities.co.uk as a clone of the previously authorised firm City Equities Limited and warns consumers to exercise extreme caution. The warning, published on 20 February 2026, notes that scammers operating under this guise may provide additional false information to appear legitimate. You can view the official FCA warning directly at: FCA Warning: City Equities / cityequities.co.uk (Clone of previously authorised firm). A separate, earlier FCA warning from August 2014 regarding a prior City Equities Ltd clone further demonstrates that this firm's identity has been used by fraudsters on more than one occasion. The scam has also been flagged on social media platforms, with consumer alerts noting red flags associated with cityequities.co.uk and urging people to verify licensing and firm identity before transferring any funds.

Red Flags

• The website cityequities.co.uk is operated by fraudsters cloning a dissolved company — City Equities Limited has not been a trading entity since 22 April 2025.
• The domain cityequities.co.uk was only registered on 26 November 2025, well after the legitimate firm was dissolved, indicating it was created specifically to deceive.
• The FCA has issued a specific public warning identifying this website as a clone firm operation.
• Scammers may cite real but outdated FCA registration details (FRN 155051) and Companies House numbers to appear legitimate.
• Unsolicited contact — whether by phone, email, or social media — offering investment opportunities is a common hallmark of clone firm fraud.
• The firm identity has been exploited for clone fraud on at least two separate occasions, as evidenced by prior FCA warnings.
• Pressure to invest quickly, promises of high returns, or requests for upfront fees are further warning signs associated with this type of fraud.

Domain Information

A WHOIS lookup on the domain cityequities.co.uk reveals several concerning details. The domain was registered on 26 November 2025, making it approximately 0.3 years old at the time of this alert. This registration date is significant because it falls after the legitimate City Equities Limited was already dissolved in April 2025, confirming the domain was created with fraudulent intent. The domain is registered through PDR Ltd. d/b/a PublicDomainRegistry.com (registrar tag: PDR-IN), a registrar commonly associated with anonymously registered domains. The very recent registration age combined with the timing of the legitimate firm's dissolution are strong indicators of deliberate impersonation.

What To Do If You Have Been Contacted

• Do not send any money, share personal financial details, or provide copies of identity documents to anyone associated with cityequities.co.uk.
• Check the FCA Register at register.fca.org.uk to verify whether any firm you are dealing with is currently authorised — not just historically registered.
• Report the scam to the FCA using their consumer helpline on 0800 111 6768 or via the online reporting tool on the FCA website.
• Report the fraud to Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud reporting centre, at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
• If you have already transferred funds, contact your bank or payment provider immediately to report the transaction and request a recall where possible.
• Warn friends and family about this scam, particularly those who may be actively seeking investment opportunities online.