Shareowner fraud
Tips on protecting your shareholding
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) estimates that 28 million UK consumers are targeted every year by a wide range of frauds. To reduce the risk of fraud happening to you please consider the following:
- Ensure all your certificates are kept in a safe place or hold your shares electronically in CREST via a nominee.
- Keep all correspondence from the Registrars which contains your shareowner reference number in a safe place. Destroy correspondence by shredding.
- If you change your address inform the Registrars. If you receive a letter from the Registrars regarding a change of address and have not recently moved house, please contact them immediately. You may be a victim of identity theft.
- Know when the dividends are paid. Consider having your dividend paid directly into your bank, reducing the risk of cheques being intercepted or lost in the post. If you change your bank account, inform the Registrar of the details of your new account. Respond to any letters the Registrar sends you about this.
- If you are buying or selling shares, only deal with brokers registered in your country or the UK to buy or sell shares. Over the last year many companies have become aware that their shareowners have received unsolicited phone calls or correspondence concerning investment matters. These are typically from overseas based brokers offering US or UK investments. Shareholders are advised to be very wary of any unsolicited advice.
- If you have any reason to believe that you may have been the target of a fraud, or attempted fraud, please contact Computershare immediately.
Unsolicited mail
The Company is legally obliged to make its share register available to the general public. Consequently some shareholders may receive unsolicited mail, including correspondence from unauthorised investment firms. If you wish to limit the amount of unsolicited mail you receive please contact:
The Mailing Preference Service
Freepost (LON20771)
London
W1E 0ZT