hibiscusequities.com Clone of FCA authorised firm

What Is This Scam?

hibiscusequities.com is an unauthorised financial services website operating as a clone of a legitimate FCA-regulated firm. The scam targets UK residents by impersonating an established financial services company, using deceptive branding and contact details to gain trust from potential investors. Fraudsters operating this scheme solicit money from victims under the false pretence that they are dealing with a properly regulated and authorised financial institution. The scammers use the stolen identity and reputation of a genuine firm to convince victims that their investments are safe and legitimate.

Who Are They Impersonating?

The fraudulent website is cloning details from Hibiscus Group Limited, a legitimate FCA-authorised firm based in London. The genuine company operates under the following verified details:

• Firm Name: Hibiscus Group Limited
• FCA Firm Reference Number: 540418
• Registered Address: 11th Floor, 30 Crown Place, London, EC2A 4EB, United Kingdom
• Official Website: www.hibiscus.com
• Official Email: [email protected]
• Official Telephone: +4407717794639
• Regulator: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

The scammers have created a near-identical website using a domain name designed to confuse victims into believing they are communicating with the authentic firm.

Evidence & Regulatory Action

Multiple regulatory authorities have documented this fraud. The FCA issued a formal warning on 13 December 2024, confirming that hibiscusequities.com is not authorised or registered by the FCA but has been actively targeting people in the UK. According to the FCA Register entry, this is an unauthorised firm that deliberately uses the details of a genuine FCA-regulated firm to deceive consumers.

The official FCA warning provides comprehensive details about this fraudulent operation. Additionally, the scam has been registered with international regulatory bodies including IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions), which has classified hibiscusequities.com as an unregistered and unlicensed entity offering financial products and services.

Intelligence suggests the fraudsters are operating from James Street, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, further removed from legitimate UK regulation.

Red Flags

• Website domain (hibiscusequities.com) differs from the legitimate firm's domain (www.hibiscus.com)
• Email address ([email protected]) does not match the official compliance email ([email protected])
• Not listed on the official FCA Register as an authorised firm
• Absence of verifiable office location in the UK despite claiming to be FCA-regulated
• Pressure to invest quickly or requests for upfront payments
• Inability to verify the firm through the FCA's official search tool
• Contact details that do not match the legitimate company's telephone number

What To Do If You Have Been Contacted

• Do not engage further with the website, email address, or any representatives claiming to work for this firm
• Do not send money or personal financial information to any contact associated with hibiscusequities.com
• Verify any firm's authorisation by checking the FCA's official register using the firm's registered name or reference number
• Report the scam to Action Fraud or your local police force
• If you have already transferred funds, contact your bank immediately to report fraudulent activity
• Report the fraudulent website to the FCA at www.fca.org.uk