Finance Broker www.financebrokerltd.com / elitefinancialsolutionslimited.co (Clone of FCA Authorised firm)

What Is This Scam?

Finance Broker is a fraudulent operation that impersonates legitimate, FCA-authorised financial services firms. This scam targets consumers and small business owners seeking legitimate financing solutions by creating counterfeit websites and email addresses that closely mirror those of established, regulated financial institutions. The scammers use these fake digital assets to build false credibility, then solicit personal information, financial details, and upfront fees from unsuspecting victims under the pretence of arranging loans, business finance, or other financial services. Once victims provide sensitive information or make payments, the scammers disappear with the money.

Who Are They Impersonating?

The fraudsters behind this scam are impersonating two legitimate FCA-authorised firms:

• SME Funding Options Ltd — Firm Reference Number: 924962, based at Capital Office, 124-128 City Road, London, Islington, EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom. Legitimate contact: +4402086527666, [email protected]
• Elite Financial Solutions (UK) Limited — Firm Reference Number: 454255, based at 888 London Road, Unit 1, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 5NX, United Kingdom. Legitimate contact: +4401782744755, [email protected]. Official website: www.elite-fs.co.uk

Both firms are properly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom. The scam sites attempt to exploit the reputation and trust associated with these legitimate businesses.

Evidence & Regulatory Action

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has officially documented this scam and issued a formal warning. According to FCA records, this clone operation was flagged on 25 September 2024. The fraudulent websites www.financebrokerltd.com and elitefinancialsolutionslimited.co operate the scam, with communications sent from the email address [email protected].

The scam has been reported across multiple consumer protection databases and regulatory sources. The FCA's official warning page details this fraudulent operation and confirms it is not authorised by the regulator. The warning was also referenced in the Better Regulation service and has been continuously updated through April 2025.

Red Flags

• Domain names that closely resemble legitimate firms but use different URLs (financebrokerltd.com vs elite-fs.co.uk)
• Email addresses from suspicious domains ([email protected]) rather than official firm email addresses
• Unsolicited contact offering loans or financing with minimal requirements
• Requests for upfront fees, personal information, or bank details before any legitimate agreement is signed
• Pressure to act quickly or complete transactions immediately
• The scammers are not listed on the FCA Register at the addresses or with the contact details they provide
• Official FCA warnings specifically naming these domain names as fraudulent clones

What To Do If You Have Been Contacted

• Do not provide any personal, financial, or banking information to these contacts
• Do not make any payments or transfers of money
• Verify legitimacy by visiting the official FCA Register at register.fca.org.uk and searching for the firm's authorised details
• Contact the legitimate firms directly using the official contact details above to confirm whether they initiated contact with you
• Report the scam to Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk) or the FCA (fca.org.uk/scams)
• If you have already provided information or made payments, contact your bank immediately and file a fraud report
• Block and delete all communications from these fraudulent domains and email addresses