Cases are constantly being brought to the Austrian Financial Market Authority’s (FMA) attention, in which persons falsely claiming to be employees of the FMA, are apparently calling clients of the company “HBC Broker” and are demanding monetary payments under false pretences. They are also using falsified documents bearing the FMA logo in order to create the impression that they really are FMA employees. The apparent FMA employees then state that a company called “HBC Broker” has been liquidated as an initiative of the FMA, and that the proceeds of its liquidation are intended to be distributed among the company’s clients. For the parties being contacted to be able to receive their share of the proceeds, they are first required to make a “commission” payment.
The FMA warns: This kind of practice can only be an attempted fraud! The FMA hereby clarifies that it has never passed a resolution to liquidate a company with the name “HBC Broker”. It does not have the competence to issue such resolutions. The FMA has also never granted any kind of licence to a company called “HBC Broker” or supervised such a company.
The FMA has already reported this matter to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Anyone who is contacted in such a manner is requested to inform the FMA without delay. Under no circumstances should any kinds of payment be made, and under no circumstances should you volunteer your information such as account details.
Contact details for the FMA:
Tel: +43 (0)1 24959 – 0
Website contact form: https://webhost.fma.gv.at/RequestsAndComplaints/Request
Journalists may address further enquiries to:
Mr. Stefan Maier
+43/(0)1/24959-6001
+43/(0)676/882 49 426