Equistone Partners Asia / esevn.com (Clone of FCA authorised firm)

What Is This Scam?

Equistone Partners Asia / esevn.com is a fraudulent clone operation designed to deceive consumers and investors by impersonating a legitimate, FCA-regulated financial services firm. This type of scam exploits the reputation and credibility of established financial institutions to trick victims into sending money or disclosing sensitive financial information. Clone firms typically contact potential victims via email, phone, or social media, offering attractive investment opportunities or financial services. Once contact is established, scammers convince victims to transfer funds or provide personal and banking details, which are then stolen or misused.

Who Are They Impersonating?

The fraudulent entity is impersonating Equistone Partners Europe Limited, a legitimate investment firm authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom.

• Legitimate Firm Name: Equistone Partners Europe Limited
• FCA Firm Reference Number: 124366
• Official Address: One New Ludgate, 60 Ludgate Hill, London, EC4M 7AW, United Kingdom
• Official Telephone: +4402076535300
• Official Email: [email protected]
• Official Website: www.equistonepe.com
• Regulatory Authority: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – www.fca.org.uk

Evidence & Regulatory Action

This scam has been officially documented and warned against by multiple regulatory authorities. The FCA issued a formal warning on November 11, 2024, identifying Equistone Partners Asia / esevn.com as an unauthorized clone of the legitimate FCA-authorized firm. The alert was also registered with IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions) on November 12, 2024, classifying the entity as an unregistered and unlicensed operator offering financial products and services illegally.

The fraudulent operation uses the following contact details:

• Scam Website: esevn.com
• Scam Telephone: +8402822159439

For the official regulatory alert, visit the FCA's warning page on Equistone Partners Asia. You can also verify the legitimacy of any financial firm through the FCA Register.

Red Flags

• Domain name esevn.com closely mimics the legitimate firm but uses a different URL structure
• Telephone number with Vietnamese country code (+84) does not match the UK-based legitimate firm
• Unsolicited contact offering investment opportunities or financial services
• Pressure to act quickly or transfer funds immediately
• Requests for personal information, bank details, or wire transfer credentials
• Email addresses that appear similar to but differ slightly from official contact addresses
• Promises of unusually high returns or guaranteed profits
• Inability to verify the firm's credentials through official FCA channels

What To Do If You Have Been Contacted

• Do not engage: Do not respond to emails, calls, or messages from this entity, and do not click on any links or download attachments.
• Verify independently: If you receive contact claiming to be from Equistone Partners Europe, verify directly with the legitimate firm using the official contact details listed above. Never use contact information provided by the scammer.
• Check the FCA Register: Visit register.fca.org.uk and search for any firm before engaging in financial transactions.
• Report the scam: Report this fraudulent activity to the FCA at www.fca.org.uk and to Action Fraud (UK's national fraud reporting center) at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
• Protect your accounts: If you have already provided sensitive information, contact your bank immediately and monitor your accounts for unauthorized activity.
• Warn others: Share this alert with friends, family, and colleagues to prevent them from falling victim to the same scam.