RBS 2011 Annual Report Download - page 469

RBS Group 2011 467
Share Fraud Warning
Share fraud includes scams where investors are called out of the blue
and offered shares that often turn out to be worthless or non-existent, or
an inflated price for shares they own. These calls come from fraudsters
operating in ‘boiler rooms’ that are mostly based abroad. While high
profits are promised, those who buy or sell shares in this way usually lose
their money. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has found most
share fraud victims are experienced investors who lose an average of
£20,000, with around £200 million lost in the UK each year.
Protect yourself
If you are offered unsolicited investment advice, discounted shares, a
premium price for shares you own, or free company or research reports,
you should take these steps before handing over any money;
xget the name of the person and organisation contacting you;
xcheck the FSA Register at www.fsa.gov.uk/fsaregister to ensure
they are authorised;
xuse the details on the FSA Register to contact the firm;
xcall the FSA Consumer Helpline on 0845 606 1234 if there are no
contact details on the Register or you are told they are out of date;
xsearch our list of unauthorised firms and individuals to avoid doing
business with; and
xremember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If you use an unauthorised firm to buy or sell shares or other investments,
you will not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service or
Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong.
Report a scam
If you are approached about a share scam you should tell the FSA using
the share fraud reporting form at www.fsa.gov.uk/scams, where you can
find out about the latest investment scams. You can also call the
Consumer Helpline on 0845 606 1234. If you have already paid money to
share fraudsters you should contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Analyses of ordinary shareholders
At 31 December 2011 Shareholdings
Number
of shares
- millions %
Individuals 214,369 1,350.6 2.3
Banks and nominee companies 14,835 57,265.1 96.7
Investment trusts 144 38.5 0.1
Insurance companies 171 6.0 —
Other companies 1,351 109.5 0.2
Pension trusts 36 23.5 —
Other corporate bodies 94 435.2 0.7
231,000 59,228.4 100.0
Range of shareholdings:
1 - 1,000 74,654 32.1 0.1
1,001 - 10,000 125,097 466.2 0.8
10,001 - 100,000 29,372 677.1 1.1
100,001 - 1,000,000 1,212 332.7 0.5
1,000,001 - 10,000,000 448 1,528.1 2.6
10,000,001 and over 217 56,192.2 94.9
231,000 59,228.4 100.0