The website investmentbond-uk.com claims that Volkswagen AG are offering bonds paying 5.125% per year via Charterhouse.
This website is a scam and any money you invest will be lost instantly.
Charterhouse exists, as does the Volkswagen bond numbered XS1799939027, but the website is nothing to do with either.
Immediate red flags which should jump out to investors are the claims that the bond is “FCA – FSCS compliant” and “Guaranteed”. The real Volkswagen bond is a perpetual corporate loan note, and anyone investing in it would risk up to 100% loss if Volkswagen went bust, or if they were unable to sell the bond for as much as they paid for it. The FSCS would not apply even if it was real.
An anonymous online person claiming to work at Charterhouse has stated that the website is a scam and given the inconsistencies on the website, they are virtually certain to be telling the truth. Whois confirms that the website has been anonymously registered with a Russian registrar.
What should I do if I invested in the fake Volkswagen / Charterhouse bond?
Your money has been stolen by scammers (possibly from Russia) and the chance of recovery is minimal.
Investors who fell for this scam should change their contact details as they are likely to be targeted by – and fall for – similar scams in the future.
If anyone contacts you claiming they can recover your money, it is almost certain to be another scam. They will ask you for “legal fees” which you will never see again.
