The Financial Conduct Authority issued warnings against eleven entities on 29 January 2026, identifying a mix of clone firms impersonating authorised businesses and unauthorised operators targeting UK consumers.
The regulator’s daily alert highlighted anggleloan.com as a new clone firm, a type of fraud where scammers copy details from legitimate FCA-authorised companies to appear credible. According to the FCA, the entity has been contacting consumers using telephone number 03335772301.
“Fraudsters copy the details of firms we authorise to try and convince people that their firm is genuine,” the regulator stated in its warning.
Clone firm tactics
Clone operations mix genuine regulatory details, including authentic Firm Reference Numbers, with fraudulent contact information. Two additional clone firms appeared on the list: emkapltd.com and Pacific Loans, operating through pacificloans.co.uk.
The FCA also issued updates to existing warnings for clones of Barclays and MoneyLine, indicating ongoing activity by fraudsters impersonating these established financial brands.
Unauthorized operators
The remaining entities were flagged as unauthorized firms, meaning they have no FCA permission to conduct regulated activities in the UK. These include:
- Alt-cbfinex
- Market Visionpro
- PassivePlayDailyPips
- Apex FX Trading
- Authentic Global Trade
- Global-XMarkets
- Master Excel Ltd
Several of these firms target consumers with forex trading and investment products. The FCA warned that consumers dealing with unauthorized firms forfeit key regulatory safeguards.
“If you deal with an unauthorised firm, you will not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong,” the alert stated.
The FSCS can compensate consumers up to £85,000 when authorized firms fail. No such protection exists for those who invest through unauthorized entities.
The regulator urged consumers to verify any firm’s status through its online register before committing funds. Individuals who have already engaged with listed entities should contact their bank immediately.
