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I have just read your article on WhatsApp investment scams with interest. I have recently joined a group called FTSE100 run by someone calling himself Tim Wood assisted by someone calling herself Emily Grace Smith. The group has 117 members. The format is morning investment advice on what stock to buy and when plus a lecture every evening with content that looks very knowledgeable and authoritative. The members all seem to follow the advice and guidance without question and the administration assistant Emily shares the monthly performance of the advice.
The recommendations usually seem to work out and they seem to know exactly when the correct moment is to buy and when to sell.
It all seems too good to be true.
Why would anyone with such apparent in depth knowledge want to share this for the benefit of a group of people they don’t know, for free?? It just seems too altruistic.
I think there may have been an invitation at some point to click a link to a different VIP group but I did not do this but other members of the group may have done.
I suppose I am just waiting for the sting but like everyone who falls for these types of scam I am interested in the tips.
What is going on here do you think?
Thanks for highlighting this group, my first reaction would be to run a mile and avoid any further interactions and block the group.
Firstly, I could not find any information on Tim Wood as an investment professional on the web or Linkedin, nor did any thing show up for Emily Grace Smith.
Alarm bells should be ringing if you cannot find any trace of some someone offering financial advice without being connected to an established or regulated firm with no online presence. Checking for reviews on trusted sources is one of the first steps people should take before thinking about investing with a new firm.
Secondly, you said that there were 117 members in the group and that they follow the advice. The screen shots of the messages you sent us state at the bottom that “Only admins can send messages” yet, there are messages from members of the group asking questions like “Can you please tell me about AAON? Shall I still hold?” and another asking “Morning FTSE prediction 8795. Be interesting what spending review impact is”.
However, as only admins can post messages and it’s unlikely that members would be made admin, that suggests to me that they are fake prompts to illicit positive feedback. Which is clear from other comments from fake members like “I’m planning to put £2k into BAE Systems”.
You also state that all the recommendations seem to good to be true, and that is usually the case. It’s a fairly standard scam trust building exercise to tip large cap stocks and then hit you with a rogue recommendation.
This appears to be what is going on here, as you mentioned an invitation for a VIP Group, which is where you will either be encouraged to pay for a service, open an account with an offshore unregulated broker or given penny stock tips for pump and dump schemes.
I also noticed that on the performance chart you sent they were using the icon and branding of a UK regulated brokerage XTB. I checked with XTB who stated “XTB does not actively manage any public or client based Whatsapp groups. All client communications are sent by verified methods such as push notifications, emails and SMS. We regularly email clients on how to avoid online investment scams and impersonations. This site / group has nothing to do with XTB and is, therefore, an example of such risks. We would urge all clients – with XTB or any broker – to be highly vigilant in how or where they seek investment information.”
As for the in-depth knowledge displayed, this is easily replicated with AI these days. There are a few tell tale signs like using emoji numbers and written numbers, it’s neutral, logical and doesn’t give an opinion. Plus the use of phrases like “dire scenario” and “degrading public service quality” whilst not in context of an opinion is something that AI writing tools do to emphasise a point.
I’d avoid, delete, block, unsubscribe and report to WhatsApp.
You can help others by reporting scams as soon as you spot them to:
- Action Fraud: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reportscam
- National Cyber Security Centre: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-website
- Financial Conduct Authority: https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/report-scam
The sting looks like it is going to be an invitation to a DMA trading platform. I feel that I need to alert all of the participants that it’s suspect.
Yes, same here I received msg from Watsup that short trading tips. For start they gave reasonable tips but after few days they tried to move everyone to open DMA account using XTB’s proprietary trading platform and minimum investment is £1000.00. Straight away I know this is a scam. I would love to help others in that group but I don’t how to do it. I know if I post anything like this I will be blocked. So I need some ideas on this matter. Thanks
Hi Both
Do you think that it could be that they are making money from the DMA platform and that’s why they need to attract people or do we think they will close the platform and the money will be lost or trapped somehow. I tried to do some checking on Tim Wood but was not very successful. I asked Emily for a LinkedIn profile/ contact but she sidestepped the question.
Did either of you try to do any background checks?
So many scams around!
I tried looking for both of them including photo search – no sight. I
have privately texted many on this group , no replies yet – I suspect majority are bots or same people just using different id . Can you text me using my id – my phone number ends in 514
Emily asked me to download stationone. But that is the scam
ThanksHi I’ve just left the very same WhatsApp group. It feels very suspicious to me. The image of Tim wood on WhatsApp looks ai generated and a reverse image search bring sup nothing. Thank god I found this thread before I completed the dma platform registration
Hi I am also on that what’s app group and have been trying to get more information.
I have downloaded stationone and again been trying to find information on that app.
I have been encouraged to complete the DMA registration but have said I haven’t had my id on me whilst i investigated and found this group.
Kept asking myself why would they want to help us with no return ? Must be a scam !!
My mobile end 156 if you see me on the group and want to message me 🙂That’s interesting I can’t see your number ending 514 either …this is the group I am in…
FTSE 100 Stock
Discussion I| C21Is that same as yours ?
No wonder / diff groups – same modus operandi
I am in FTSE 100 Stock Discussion📊L32
Do you have Emily Grase and Prof
Tim Wood ?I am also in the same group FTSE 100 Stock Discussion L32. I started this discussion because I thought it was a scam.
Yes I have prof Tim Wood and Emily grace … your group is L32 and mine is C21 both with around 120 members they must be organising them in This way with allocated Emily Grace’s …wow
I’m in “FTSE 100 Stock Discussion📊H62”
Please guys do not fall for it. I told Emily I’m not ready yet but she is trying gently. I can’t believe few guys in their traps. In my group people are sharing their bank account and sort code.I think they will take as money as they can and close the chat and gone.
Mine is 106 members. I did ask Emily if I register DMA – how can I withdraw the profits but she try to divert this conversation and end up saying that
“Fast payment: bank transfer processing time is shortened to within 1 hour
Convenient withdrawal: pre-verified accounts can enjoy same-day payment service😊”
@seeve- that’s the 3rd group that we now know about
-> I wonder if the people who are sharing profits with DMA are all fake IDs?I have had no response from any of these
via a Pvt textYou know something we shouldn’t worry about this scammers. All I wanted to do is to help others to stop being scammed.
DMA is via another platform – I would think after a few transactions when you make a big one- you will not get your money back
or something of that sortI have one person reach out to me and agreed that this was a scam and would leave soon
Also check if Tim Wood is a real personMorning Guys…I have seen this morning someone post their bank details (assuming its real) I have also had my Emily try and call me this morning for the first time …I assume to help me complete my DMA registration which I wont be doing !
What is quite strange is I have actually found the information given in the normal group quite useful for trades ….
Probably just going to sit and watch what happens unless anyone has any better ideas 🙂
I believe these are all fake trades- no one
shares such details
Emily tried to call me once as well – I didn’t
take the call- she is asking me to fill details on stationone.The other trade tips did work- in sone cases- I believe it’s a clever ploy to scam later
I am in group FTSE100 Club W32
Researching on this group also. I did register for the initial form for dma and emily just got back to me saying to download station one. I have not because i am researching about station one but found no info. Too many numbers calling my phone now. I have not answered anyone.
I have checked also, emily has many numbers. Also, i saw there are removed numbers in the group, maybe the ones who questioned? And the way the convo goes is like robotic, i have the gut feeling that it is fake.@ suspicious some information is right. Some of the stock genuinely good stock to invest but not on their platform.
@Seeve Yes you’re right I only use my standard platform
That’s the 4th group – seems they are running the same con in each group
StationOne is not a genuine trading platform
You will also have some IDs trying to chat you up
It’s no more individual stocks now it’s only DMA trading
Beware I would say – am tending towards leavingI’m in FTSE 100 stock discussion G27. This is obviously a large scale scam as same names involved as the other groups mentioned here. They are pushing DMA and also another member of the group has tried to befriend me trying to sign me up to it. I think they are a bit suspicious of me
@jaway- yes similar scenario in other groups , we are only watching now- no DMA
Most Ids seem fake to meHi, stumbled across this as I was looking for information about Prof.Tim Wood. I am currently in group C24 of these groups. I have been encouraged to download station one and sign up (which i have) but ive yet to deposit any money as so.wthing didn’t seem right. The prof is currently giving his evening seminar and seem sto be driving people into a big block trade tomorrow. I also have been privately messaged by a lady who was a little over friendly and being contacted by Emily Grace on multiple numbers wasnone red flag too many!
Typical fur all of us . I haven’t signed up
on StationOne yet , Emily keeps messaging me
DMA is the scamThere are a number of people who have been unable to deposit yet due to some sort of deposit bandwith,so they have missed on the DMA trades so far while those who have been involved are raking in 10% profits daily. The next trade is tomorrow so you have the ones who have missed chomping at the bit to be involved
Most of those involved in the trades will be fake members. Most of the mobile numbers are Lyca mobile numbers Lyca is not that strong a network in the uk.
I note that we now have details of at least 6 groups run on the same basis. Each group has around 110 – 120 members each investing between a few thousands and tens of thousands. Do the maths! This is a huge scam which will net these crooks millions when they freeze the platform and no-one can get their money out.
I have reported it today to the FCA you should all do the same. We should also all report it to Action fraud here
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/contact-usAre we agreed?
I also am rather wary of this set up and am in FTSE 100 Stock Discussion L53 with 114 members 🤔
I have registered with StationOne … is this a legitimate trading platform as I done want to transfer funds to find I e been stung 🤔
Is the promise of block trades a red herring folks?The trading platform XTB seems legit enough to me but these scammers have bottomless pits these days don’t they?
Why have more people not tried to due diligence and stuck messages on here?
Are people really that naive with their hard earned?I knew that the group was probably a scam when I joined but I am continuing to be a member so I can watch how the scam unfolds. The pushing of the DMA is now the main focus with bots putting up screenshots of profits made. They rely of FOMO and greed to entice people to invest.
Emily contacted me numerous times for DMA, I told her my funds at offshore accounts😂 and ask her to send her bank details so I can transfer direct to her so she can deposit for me. She is calculated scammer, she knows my plan. I think nowadays she is suspicious with me and she reducing her contact with me😂. I wanted to see how far this guys going to go.
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