The Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) warns the public about the activities of individuals claiming to work for the AMF

These individuals who introduce themselves using a variety of pseudonyms (Messrs LEROY, BELFORT, VIVIER and LE BRUN, etc.) are contacting French investors by telephone, claiming to work for the AMF or to have been commissioned by the "Legal Affairs Department of the Autorités des Marchés Financiers" or "COB Trading".

Members of the public have informed the AMF that they have been contacted by these individuals with the supposed aim of helping them to recover sums they have invested or losses they have made on unauthorised websites offering Forex or binary options trading.

These ill-intentioned individuals use false arguments and make reference to what they claim are accreditation numbers as evidence of their sincerity. They also make fraudulent use of the name of the AMF when they introduce themselves as being its employees of representatives.

The Autorité des Marchés Financiers asks any members of the public who might be contacted in this way not to respond to the solicitations of these persons. It will be transmitting the information in its possession to the Paris Prosecutors Office to whom any victims of these activities may also report their case.

Finally, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers has updated the list of unauthorised websites proposing binary options trading.

The AMF reminds you that you should be particularly vigilant if ever you receive any solicitations via the internet and that you should always check whether the service provider in question has the necessary authorisations.

To find out whether an intermediary is authorised to offer financial products or services, you can go to our website at http://www.amf-france.org or contact the AMF Epargne Info Service team on +33 (0)1 5345 6200, Mondays to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

If you have any questions,
you can go to our website at http://www.amf-france.org or contact the AMF Epargne Info Service team on +33 (0)1 5345 6200, Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 5pm.

Press contact:
AMF Communication Directorate - Caroline Leau - Tel: +33 (0)1 5345 6039 or +33 (0)1 5345 6034