I want to check if a financial firm is authorized by the FCA and understand how to protect myself from potential scams. Please explain what information is needed to use the FCA Firm Checker, and then provide two general warning signs to help me spot a scam.
Navigate to fca.gov.uk. Click on the 'Consumers' link in the main navigation menu. Click on the 'FCA Firm Checker' link. Identify and state what information is needed to use the FCA Firm Checker. Navigate back to the 'Consumers' section (e.g., by using the breadcrumbs or 'go_back'). Click on the 'Protect yourself from scams' link (if available directly from Consumers, otherwise navigate through 'Report a scam' to find it). Identify and state two distinct general warning signs of a scam from the 'Spot the warning signs' section.
The agent successfully navigates to the 'FCA Firm Checker' page. The agent states that the FCA Firm Checker requires the firm's name or reference number. The agent successfully navigates to the 'Protect yourself from scams' page. The agent states two distinct general warning signs for protecting against scams from the 'Spot the warning signs' section (e.g., 'Is it unexpected? Scammers often call out of the blue.', 'Do you feel pressured to act quickly? Scammers might offer you a bonus or discount if you invest quickly.', 'Does the offer sound too good to be true? Fraudsters often promise tempting rewards.', 'Is the offer exclusively for you? Scammers might claim that you’ve been specially chosen for an investment opportunity, and it should be kept a secret.', 'Are they trying to flatter you? Scammers often try to build a friendship with you to put you at ease.').