FTI Finance Limited (CLONE) - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm

What Changed

• - CBI has formally designated “FTI Finance Limited (CLONE)” as an unauthorised investment firm / investment business firm and published its details on the Central Bank’s unauthorised firms warning list under section 53 of the Central Bank (Supervisio
• The CBI explicitly clarifies that FTI Finance Limited (CLONE) is not authorised to operate as an investment firm or investment business firm in Ireland and therefore cannot legally provide MiFID‑type or investment business services to clients in or f
• The warning identifies specific websites associated with the clone entity that must be treated as high‑risk indicators in client and transaction screening: - https://client.ftifinanceltd.com/auth/login - https://ftifinance-ltd.com/ - http
• The warning identifies specific email addresses used by the clone, which should be added to firms’ fraud and sanctions‑style screening lists: - support@ftifinancelimited.com - support@ftifinance-ltd.com
• CBI confirms that the scam entity has cloned the details of a CBI‑authorised firm of the same name, underscoring a continuing supervisory focus on clone firm scams and the expectation that regulated firms implement robust controls to prevent misuse o
• The CBI explicitly states there is no connection whatsoever between the legitimate authorised firm and the scam entity, reinforcing the need for firms to monitor for and respond promptly to misuse of their name or authorisation details.

Suggested Considerations

• Screen existing and new customers against the details in the CBI warning and immediately block or enhance review of any relationships, communications, or transactions involving the listed websites or email domains linked to FTI Finance Limited (CLONE).
• Update internal fraud and financial crime watchlists to include the name “FTI Finance Limited (CLONE)” as well as the specific domains and email addresses identified in the CBI notice.
• Enhance customer‑facing verification processes to require staff to confirm the regulatory status of any firm claiming to be FTI Finance Limited against the CBI public register before onboarding, referral, or execution of transactions.
• Review and update client communications, investor education materials, and website FAQs to highlight the risks of clone firms, directing clients to verify authorisation using the CBI register and to consult CBI’s financial scams information.
• Train front‑office, call‑centre, compliance, and fraud‑operations staff on the characteristics of clone investment scams, including this specific case, and embed clear escalation procedures for suspected clone activity.
• For firms whose own name, authorisation number, or branding could be attractive to fraudsters, implement periodic monitoring (e.g., web and social media scanning) to detect unauthorised use or cloning, and define an internal playbook for engaging with the CBI when such misuse is identified.

Key Dates

Who is Affected