When the RVS Closing Price System fraud, a reboot of the HSL Smart Market System fraud, disappeared with investors’ money around October 2018, I facetiously wondered how long it would take before another company with a three-letter acronym name sprung up offering infeasible returns.
Turns out the answer was about three months.
Investors have reported being cold-called by people promoting the SBL Market Guide program that can turn an investment of £4,750 (supposedly a 50% discount) into £30k in two years, after which another £4,750 becomes payable.
This is virtually identical to the RVS Closing Price System which charged £4,925 for the prospect of turning this into £30,000 within two years, with a further £4,925 payable if RVS achieved the promised returns.
Needless to say RVS and its anonymous perpetrators disappeared well before the two year period was up, and RVS investors, like HSL investors before them, lost every penny of the £4,925 they put in. Along with any further money they gave to RVS to trade shares or buy access to data.
Also identical to RVS / HSL is the meaningless three-letter acronym name, and the tactic of flooding the Internet with fake forums.
A large number of fake forums have been set up at various domains, all featuring fake threads in which investors ask about SBL and are given universally positive responses. The threads are typically falsely dated to 2016 or even earlier to give a false appearance of longevity. Whois records will confirm that all these forums have only just appeared. These fake forums often feature a large number of threads which have been stolen from genuine investor forums (e.g. Citywire) to further the deception. Fake press releases have also been used extensively to help flood Google searches with crap.
Who are behind the SBL Market Guide system?
As with previous incarnations of this fraud, the website address (this time marketguide.co.uk) is anonymously registered and no corporate details are provided. The domain was originally registered in 2001 (unsurprising for such a potentially high value domain) and the details were updated in July 2018. This suggests the anonymous perpetrators acquired the domain around the same time the previous incarnation of the fraud (RVS) disappeared with investors’ money.
Should I invest in SBL Market Guide system?
No. It is an obvious, blatant fraud which is now on its third incarnation.
If you received cold calls trying to persuade you to invest in SBL Market Guide, you would be well advised to change your phone number before you fall for another, less obvious fraud.
I invested in the SBL Market Guide system. How do I get my money back?
Your money has been stolen by unknown individuals and is long gone.
Investors in the SBL Market Guide system should take extreme caution if someone contacts them claiming that they can recover their funds. It is virtually certain to be a fraud recovery fraud. They will eventually ask for “legal fees” or “liquidation fees” or similar, which investors will never see again.
If you fell for the SBL Market Guide System fraud then you are vulnerable to losing money in similar frauds in the future. Change your phone number or email addresses, as these will now be on a “suckers list”.
If you paid for SBL’s software via a credit card or debit card, explore the possibility of a claim under “section 75” (credit cards) or “chargeback” (debit cards). (Non-UK investors should check the protections applying in their own country.) Note that chargeback and section 75 claims never cover losses from trading or investing. However, the sale of goods which are not as described is potentially covered by section 75 and chargeback.
As SBL undertook to supply software which promised guaranteed returns from trading, you might be able to make a successful claim if you can persuade the debit / credit card company that you paid for software which was sold fraudulently and not as described.
I’m reading this in October 2019. Should I invest in SBL / RVS / HSL’s next three-letter fraud?
See above.
Update 16.04.19 – new scam called SBT Trading Solutions
Yet another incarnation of the scam has been set up, this time called SBT Trading Solutions and using the website matrixsystems.net. Both the SBL and SBT websites use the slogan “The Edge to Succeed”.
The SBT website’s HTML source code even refers at one point to “SBL Life Program Specifications”.
Thanks to reader Anthony Dalby for pointing out the new incarnation.
Update 24.04.19 – another copy of the SBL / SBT scam is hosted at usbmoney.com, using the name USB Trading, and the same “Edge to Succeed” slogan.
Update 26.04.19 – the SBT website gives a UK company number which corresponds to “Starbrite Traders Limited”. Starbrite Traders was bought off-the-shelf by a “Charles Moran” in October 2018, the same month that the WHOIS registration details for SBT’s matrixsystems.net website were updated. It is likely that Starbrite Traders was acquired to launder money through and/or give the scam an extra veneer of legitimacy.
No meaningful checks are performed by Companies House on those who register UK companies, and Charles Moran may or may not exist.
SBL / MARKETGUIDE
COMPLETE SCAMMERS – NOT PICKING UP PHONE – MY REFIND WAS DUE OF £2750!!!
SOLD THE PROGRAMME – NO SUPPORT LINE – PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THESE JOKERS!!!
Excellent article. Unfortunately too late for me. It appears they have set up again as SBT. I found them by entering ‘Edge to succeed’
Sorry to hear that. Thanks for the heads up. I’ve updated the article.
I Was tricked under the name HSL. People should be very careful about this scumbags. They are not ordinary cold callers. They will speak to you like the Duke of Edinburgh is speaking with you. You could easily feel embarrassed when questioning them with suspicions. On one occasion the guy named as Scott Taylor (ring leader I suppose) told me he was having a 200 pound lunch, and he is not going to lie for 5 thousand pounds, and that he was from Australia originally and talk about his wife and family astutely. So I would ask everyone to stay away from this fraudsters.
Contact Action Fraud.
From my perspective the scam is already exposed. If you actually know who they are and where they are, the police need to know.
How do I help you guys out … I have everything needed to expose these people. I worked there for a couple of weeks and knew it wasn’t a good company to work for. The Australian boss tried it on with me several times….. Please get in touch.
Hi
I would like to get in touch with any one who could help track these people down .
I am in contact with Action Fraud and the metropolitan police, I have also considered visiting their latest address in Canary Wharf. I would urge anyone who has been scammed by these fraudsters to report to Action Fraud.
The names of the people I dealt with are, William Hunter, George West and Joseph White.
If anyone wants to get in touch please leave a contact, I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to bring these people to Justice.
Martin
Send an email to [removed – Brev] and I will get in touch and give you all the info you need, they are not based in Canary wharf
Solicitation for off-site contact removed due to risk of fraud recovery fraud.
I already have all the information anyone who isn’t law enforcement needs.
Brev
Can you simply post the names of the people that you have information on and also how can I contact you. I am prepared to exchange phone numbers.
Regards Martin
I have no information on who is behind the scam.
If anyone does they should contact Action Fraud.
Hi guys please help
I suffer from depression
SBL promised a refund – never came – how do I contact them
I want pure vengeance for the stress they have caused me
Please email me on – [BrevEdit – contact details removed due to risk of fraud recovery fraud.]
Thank u
You don’t. SBL has disappeared with your money. You are not going to get vengeance, and it wouldn’t help if you did. See a GP or registered therapist to help with the depression as it has nothing to do with SBL.
Hi I am very sorry to hear of the guy who suffers from depression. Even though SBL scammers are not responsible for the initial cause of the depression they are surely a factor in making the symptoms possibly worse. However I agree that seeking vengeance does no good.
” Vengeance is mine” says the Lord !!! (pray about it I am sure it will help)
” To those who seek vengeance — dig two graves.”
However there can be nothing wrong with pursuing Justice and I recommend that this Gentleman contacts Action Fraud and leave matters to them
I feel pretty stupid I fell for this scam first time in my life something like this has happened to me, I have reported it to action fraud, I hope they get some where. contacted my bank to report it they are going to try and retrieve the money but its long gone, so maybe one last statement a fool and his money are easily parted and that was me this time.
Yes i too fell for this SBT rort as well and feel really stupid as well, Curious that the Value stock data website is still working even though i didnt subscribe to it, that was the first indicator .
I have spoken to George in London twice and he just keeps quoting 2 lads that went live after 1 week and are killing it.
I Should have known better, hard lesson learnt ):
People i dealt with in Australia were , Sam Dawson, Mark Daniels, Simon Westlake and George Rowlands in the UK support desk
Can people contact me with any info
How do people communicate on this blog?
leave your e-mail address and you can be contacted
What sort of review did you do?
Has anyone notified the police, ASIC, scamwatchers etc in Australia?
?
Hi guys, No happy! Is there any chance that we can exchange contact information, I live on the Mid North Coast of NSW and would love to hear from others.
stuart gold
I too fell for the scam, lost £4000.00, it’s been a costley lesson now if anyone blind phones me on investments i play them along wasting their time thinking they have caught another fish, them tell them to go forth and multiply,
i was caught in 2018 by sbl never again, once bitten many times shy
I lost $30,000 to these morally corrupt bottom dwellers
I have lots of info on these guys they work for whisky and wealth club anyone interested in pursing these guys contact me
Please send details