The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published warnings about two names that targeted or contacted consumers in the UK: Finroyalty and Zurichbanc. The warnings do not amount to criminal convictions, but they do mean consumers should not assume either business had permission to provide regulated financial services in the UK.
Finroyalty was listed as an unauthorised firm. Zurichbanc was listed as a clone of an FCA-authorised firm—a particularly serious impersonation risk because a clone may copy the identity, registration details or contact information of a genuine business.
What the FCA warning says about Finroyalty
The FCA first published its Finroyalty warning on 7 November 2019, and the page was last updated on the same date. It described the business as “Finroyalty (a trading style of Pro Star Griffith Corporate Limited)” and categorised it as an unauthorised firm.
The FCA said it believed Finroyalty may have been providing financial services or products in the UK without authorisation. It also said that Finroyalty was not authorised by the FCA and was targeting people in the UK.
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The warning recorded these contact details:
| Detail | Information recorded by the FCA |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 2038078270 |
| [email protected] | |
| Websites | www.client.trading-dashboard.com; www.finroyalty.com |
These are identifiers from the 2019 warning, not necessarily current contact details. The FCA cautions that unauthorised firms can change their telephone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses.
The notice does not establish where Finroyalty was based, who owned it beyond the trading-style description included in the warning, or whether it committed a criminal offence. Those matters should not be treated as FCA findings.
What the FCA warning says about Zurichbanc
The FCA published its first Zurichbanc warning on 6 November 2019 and last updated it on 21 November 2020. It categorised Zurichbanc as a “Clone of FCA authorised firm.”
According to the FCA, Zurichbanc was not authorised but had been contacting people while pretending to be an authorised firm. A clone firm copies details from a genuine business to create the impression that it is legitimate. That can include a firm name, address, telephone number, email address or FCA Firm Reference Number.
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|---|---|
| Name | Zurichbanc (Clone of FCA authorised firm) |
| Telephone | +44 20 805 89 513; +353 76 680 5967 |
| [email protected]; [email protected] | |
| Website | www.zurichbanc.com |
The FCA warned that clone firms may use other false numbers, email addresses, postal addresses and FRNs, and may change their details over time.
Which genuine firm was Zurichbanc impersonating?
The FCA identified the genuine business as Embark Investments Limited, with FCA Firm Reference Number 628981. The details shown in the warning were:
- Address: Tricentre 2 New Bridge Square, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 1HN, United Kingdom
- Telephone: +44 01793 350 4813
- Email: [email protected]
The FCA expressly stated that Embark Investments Limited had no connection with the Zurichbanc clone.
Some online references describe Zurichbanc as cloning Zurich Investment Services (UK) Limited. That wording needs context. Companies House records show that Embark Investments Limited previously used the name Zurich Investment Services (UK) Limited until 30 April 2020, but the FCA warning itself identifies Embark Investments Limited, FRN 628981. That is the identification consumers should use when checking the official warning.
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What FCA authorisation would—and would not—have meant
An FCA warning does not automatically prove that every person who dealt with a business has lost money, nor does it determine the outcome of an individual dispute. It does mean the regulator had identified a serious authorisation or impersonation concern.
At the time of the warnings, the FCA said that people dealing with unauthorised firms would not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and would not be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if the firm failed. The FCA said this made recovery of money unlikely, although not impossible in every circumstance.
That position needs a current qualification. The FCA’s present Warning List guidance says that people who sent money to a fraudster on or after 7 October 2024 may be covered by protections introduced by the Payment Systems Regulator. Eligibility depends on the payment method and the facts of the case; it is not a guarantee that every payment will be reimbursed.
Nor does the phrase “FCA authorised” mean that every product, service or investment offered by an authorised firm is protected. Protection depends on the firm’s permissions, the activity it carried out and the particular investment or service involved.
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How to check whether a broker is genuine
Do not verify a firm by searching only its name or by accepting an FRN supplied in an email, message or telephone call. Use the FCA’s own records and independently obtained contact details.
- Go to the FCA website and open the Firm Checker directly.
- Search for the firm and check its exact legal name, FRN and permissions.
- Compare the telephone number, email address and website shown in the FCA record with the details contacting you.
- Use the contact details displayed on the FCA record—not details supplied by the caller or listed on the firm’s website—to confirm that you are dealing with the genuine business.
- If the details do not match, contact the FCA on 0800 111 6768.
The FCA advises consumers not to reach the Firm Checker through links in unsolicited emails or on a company’s website. A scammer can direct you to a convincing but fraudulent page.
Also check the FCA Warning List, but do not treat the absence of a firm’s name as proof that it is legitimate. The FCA says unauthorised businesses frequently change names and that it may not yet know about a particular firm.
If you sent money to Finroyalty or Zurichbanc
- Contact your bank or payment provider immediately. Explain that you may have been defrauded and ask whether a payment recall, chargeback or other fraud process is available.
- Keep evidence. Save emails, messages, call logs, account statements, payment confirmations, website addresses, investment statements and screenshots. Do not delete the original correspondence.
- Report the suspected unauthorised firm to the FCA through its reporting channels or by calling 0800 111 6768.
- Report the loss to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or through its website, particularly where money has been lost or the matter falls outside the FCA’s regulatory role.
- Do not pay a recovery agent upfront. Victims are often targeted by recovery-room scams in which another fraudster promises to retrieve the money in return for an advance fee or personal information.
Acting quickly gives the bank the best opportunity to investigate a payment, but it cannot guarantee recovery. Be accurate about what happened and provide the full payment trail.
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Key differences between the two warnings
| Point | Finroyalty | Zurichbanc |
|---|---|---|
| FCA warning category | Unauthorised firm | Clone of FCA authorised firm |
| First warning | 7 November 2019 | 6 November 2019 |
| Last update shown | 7 November 2019 | 21 November 2020 |
| FCA description | Finroyalty, a trading style of Pro Star Griffith Corporate Limited | Zurichbanc, impersonating an FCA-authorised firm |
| Genuine firm identified? | No | Embark Investments Limited, FRN 628981 |
What these warnings do not prove
- They do not amount to a criminal conviction or court judgment.
- They do not prove that every person associated with either name acted unlawfully.
- They do not establish Finroyalty’s location or ownership beyond the wording in the FCA notice.
- They do not show that Zurichbanc was connected to Embark Investments Limited; the FCA said the opposite.
- They do not mean that money can never be recovered.
FAQ
Is Finroyalty FCA authorised?
No. The FCA warning published on 7 November 2019 categorised Finroyalty, described as a trading style of Pro Star Griffith Corporate Limited, as an unauthorised firm that may have been providing financial services or products in the UK without authorisation.
Is Zurichbanc a genuine FCA-authorised broker?
The FCA said Zurichbanc was not authorised and categorised it as a clone of an FCA-authorised firm. It warned that Zurichbanc had been contacting people while pretending to be authorised.
Which firm did Zurichbanc clone?
The FCA warning identifies Embark Investments Limited, FRN 628981, as the genuine firm. It says Embark Investments Limited had no connection with Zurichbanc. Embark previously used the name Zurich Investment Services (UK) Limited until 30 April 2020, which may explain different descriptions found online.
Can victims of Finroyalty or Zurichbanc get their money back?
Recovery is not guaranteed, but it is not impossible in every case. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately and report the matter. Payments made to a fraudster on or after 7 October 2024 may fall within Payment Systems Regulator protections, depending on the payment method and circumstances.
How can I check a financial firm before investing?
Use the FCA Firm Checker from the FCA’s own website. Match the firm’s exact name, FRN, permissions and contact details, then contact it using the details on the FCA record—not details supplied in an unsolicited message or on the firm’s website.
The Bottom Line
Finroyalty was the subject of an FCA unauthorised-firm warning, while Zurichbanc was identified as a clone of Embark Investments Limited, FRN 628981. Do not rely on a broker’s website, caller ID, name or claimed FRN as proof of legitimacy. Check the FCA Firm Checker independently, contact your bank quickly if you have paid, report suspected fraud, and ignore anyone demanding an upfront fee to recover your money.
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