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The Alert List is a list of entities which have come to the attention of the SFC because they are unlicensed in Hong Kong and are believed to be, or to have been, targeting Hong Kong investors or claim to have an association with Hong Kong. You can either search by name or by type to check whether an entity is already on the list. This is not a comprehensive list and new names are coming to our attention all the time. We will add to the list as we hear of new names. If you have been contacted by an unlicensed firm, it would be of assistance to the SFC if you would provide information on your dealings with that firm by completing our online complaint form.

To see the names of suspicious virtual asset trading platforms added to the Alert List since January 2020, please search by type and choose “Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms”.

For further information on boiler rooms, scam websites and phishes, please follow the links.

Note: The information contained on the Alert List is provided as an early warning service to investors but is not a substitute for investors conducting their own due diligence by checking up on a particular entity.

Please view the list by selecting the first alphabet that starts off the name of each entry or the sub-group labelled “Chinese” for entities bearing only Chinese names:

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Explanation (Click for details):
Search tips:

This is a keyword search based on exact phrases. To facilitate searching, please only enter the keywords "AAA" in the search field when searching for "AAA Co", "AAA Company", "AAA Ltd", "AAA Limited" or "AAA Inc".

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Chinese Others
Company name Type Add date
Bitones.org Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 5 Jul 2024
BTEPRO Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 5 Jul 2024
Bstor / Bstorest Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 5 Jul 2024
BlackRock coin Holdings Suspicious websites 17 May 2024
Bitget Pro Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 23 Apr 2024
BitCloud Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 12 Apr 2024
Bybit Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 14 Mar 2024
BitForex Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 4 Mar 2024
BITBANK Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 20 Dec 2023
BitCuped
Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms 10 Nov 2023
Bo Lian Wealth Unlicensed entities 31 Mar 2023
Bravo Suspicious websites 25 Nov 2022
Black Square Capital Limited Unlicensed entities 17 Nov 2022
Baoyun Finance / BYJR Unlicensed entities 8 Dec 2021
BTCADAGlobal Limited / BTCADA Global Limited Unlicensed entities 14 Jul 2021
Branwell International Limited Unlicensed entities 20 May 2021
Bernet International Unlicensed entities 23 Apr 2021
BTCUSDT Investment Limited Unlicensed entities 12 Mar 2021
Bruckhaus Quist Limited Unlicensed entities 30 Oct 2020
Brock Holdings Unlicensed entities 22 Jul 2020
Bennet Global Unlicensed entities 3 Jul 2020
Bentman Consulting Unlicensed entities 2 Jan 2020
Boll Financial Holding Limited/ Boll Financial Management Co., Ltd Unlicensed entities 25 Sep 2019
Bison Prime Limited/Bison Prime & Forex Unlicensed entities 4 Jul 2019
Baocheng International Investment Co Ltd Unlicensed entities 2 Jul 2019
BAT Financial Management Unlicensed entities 31 May 2019
Boll International Unlicensed entities 27 Mar 2019
Birchwood International Unlicensed entities 11 Mar 2019
Bond House Limited Unlicensed entities 19 Nov 2018
Betensh Digital Asset Services Limited Unlicensed entities 14 Nov 2018
Big Boss Holdings Company Limited / Big Boss Financial Limited Unlicensed entities 17 Jul 2018
Blackmore Consulting / Blackmore Consulting Group Unlicensed entities 19 Apr 2018
Birch Century International Unlicensed entities 16 Jan 2018
Bark Capital Partners Unlicensed entities 17 Oct 2017
BNP Forex Limited Unlicensed entities 6 Sep 2017
Bancroft, Doyle & Page Global / BDP Global Unlicensed entities 13 Jun 2017
BNP Capital Partners LLC Suspicious websites 26 May 2017
Blackstoneh / BlacKstone Suspicious websites 28 Apr 2017
Brandywine (HK) Global Investment Management Limited / Brandywine HK Financial Management Company Limited Suspicious websites 17 Mar 2017
Best Leader Global Market NZ Limited Unlicensed entities 6 Mar 2017
Braemar Capital of Hong Kong Unlicensed entities 23 Dec 2016
Bass Creek Advisors Unlicensed entities 30 Jun 2016
Berenberg Private Banking Unlicensed entities 21 Apr 2016
Bluefield Partners Unlicensed entities 18 Apr 2016
Blackstone Financial Investment Co Ltd Unlicensed entities 16 Feb 2016
Blackrock Financial Co Ltd Unlicensed entities 28 Jan 2016
Belmont Financial Group Unlicensed entities 22 Dec 2015
Bayside Financial Services Unlicensed entities 30 Oct 2015
Bell Capital Private Wealth Managers Unlicensed entities 21 May 2015
Bancde Options Unlicensed entities 13 Mar 2015
Bayhead Capital Unlicensed entities 5 Mar 2015
Basic Venture Limited Unlicensed entities 5 Feb 2015
Burton Financial Partners Unlicensed entities 22 Jan 2015
Benelux Venture Partners Unlicensed entities 20 Jan 2015
Broadspan Securities Unlicensed entities 8 Jan 2015
Banc De Binary Unlicensed entities 28 Nov 2014
Baron-Moore Associates Unlicensed entities 21 Nov 2014
Bowman Offshore Transfer Unlicensed entities 8 Oct 2014
Brevan Howard Asset Management Limited Unlicensed entities 3 Mar 2014
Bronte Financial Unlicensed entities 20 Feb 2014
Baocheng Investment Advisor Co., Ltd Suspicious websites 21 Jan 2014
Banc54 / B54 Technologies Limited Unlicensed entities 11 Nov 2013
Baker Boyd Associates Unlicensed entities 23 Sep 2013
Brien Group Limited Unlicensed entities 10 Sep 2013
Blue Dome Partners Unlicensed entities 30 Jul 2013
Bergmannwhite Associates Unlicensed entities 30 Jul 2013
BP Holdings Unlicensed entities 17 Jan 2013
Blumkin Global Unlicensed entities 7 Nov 2012
Blake Capital Partners Unlicensed entities 2 Nov 2012
BridgeWay Corporate Management Unlicensed entities 19 Sep 2012
BlueCrest Capital Management Unlicensed entities 13 Jul 2012
Blackstone Asset Management Unlicensed entities 17 Apr 2012
Bond Asset Management Unlicensed entities 28 Feb 2012
Brassel Capital Asset Management Limited Unlicensed entities 21 Dec 2011
Broche Capital Advisors Unlicensed entities 26 Oct 2011
Beacon Pointe Securities Unlicensed entities 10 Oct 2011
Bergmann & Co. International Unlicensed entities 27 Sep 2011
Butler Investment Managers Unlicensed entities 18 Aug 2011
Banner Commodities Unlicensed entities 5 Aug 2011
Beijing Futures Exchange Fake regulators and/or market operators 19 Jul 2011
Brookes & Associates Unlicensed entities 2 Jun 2011
Birchall McCallen Unlicensed entities 26 Apr 2011
Bryant Shaw LLC Unlicensed entities 14 Feb 2011
Bright Accord Investments Limited Unlicensed entities 16 Dec 2010
Berkshire Stanley Unlicensed entities 25 Nov 2010
Brookstone Group Transfer Agents Unlicensed entities 27 Sep 2010
Brett Commodities GmbH Unlicensed entities 9 Sep 2010
Bergstein Financial Unlicensed entities 11 Mar 2010
Beijing Securities Unlicensed entities 11 Mar 2010
Blanc & Baumar Unlicensed entities 17 Feb 2010
Bergues Invest Unlicensed entities 8 Dec 2009
Beltway M & A Unlicensed entities 19 Oct 2009
Bradley Hill Holdings Limited Unlicensed entities 6 Jul 2009
Birchmore Group Unlicensed entities 25 May 2009
Bernburg Investment Bankers Unlicensed entities 26 Aug 2008
Blackstone, Nelson, Newhouse Unlicensed entities 17 Dec 2007
Bradstone Healy & Pratt Unlicensed entities 26 Oct 2007
Brentwood Group Limited Unlicensed entities 28 Jun 2007
Bauer Associates Unlicensed entities 12 Jun 2007
Balesc Holdings Limited Unlicensed entities 15 May 2007
Bidvsask Investment Limited Unlicensed entities 19 May 2006
Brinks Holdings Limited Unlicensed entities 8 Dec 2005
Beacon Capital Management Unlicensed entities 19 Oct 2005
Bedford Investments Inc. Unlicensed entities 5 Oct 2005
Bloomberg & Associates Unlicensed entities 14 Sep 2005
Bentley International Management Ltd Unlicensed entities 2 Aug 2005
Bao Tai Commercial Bank Suspicious websites 24 Nov 2004
Benson & Raymond Acquisitions Inc. Unlicensed entities 24 Nov 2004
Baros Corporation Unlicensed entities 27 Oct 2004
Breakthrough Incorporated Unlicensed entities 18 Aug 2004
Bradley Chen & Associates Unlicensed entities 28 Jul 2004
Baker and White Unlicensed entities 15 Mar 2004
Bernard Rothschild Consultants Unlicensed entities 26 Jan 2004
Bank of Swisscredit Suspicious websites 13 Jan 2004
BOC Mutual Fund Management Co., Ltd Suspicious websites 16 Dec 2003
Bernard Simpson Consultants Unlicensed entities 27 Nov 2003
Blaine & Thompson, S.A. Unlicensed entities 31 Oct 2003
Banquedenationale Bank Unlicensed entities 18 Aug 2003
Bowen Reece Unlicensed entities 11 Apr 2003
Berlin Overseas Corporation Unlicensed entities 19 Nov 2001
Berkeley Samson International Unlicensed entities 8 Aug 2001
Banque Gerrarde Limited Unlicensed entities 1 Jun 2001
Benson Dupont Capital Management Inc Unlicensed entities 30 Dec 2000
Unlicensed entities

Sometimes entities appear to target Hong Kong investors whilst not having been licensed to carry out regulated activities in Hong Kong. They often adopt names similar to legitimate financial institutions to confuse investors. Alternatively, such unlicensed entities may provide financial investment trading platforms on the Internet. If you deal with a company which is not licensed by the SFC, you may not be protected by the regulatory framework enforced by the SFC.

Deal only with licensed entities and hang up on cold callers. To check whether an entity is an SFC licensee, visit our Public Register of Licensed Persons and Registered Institutions.

Suspicious websites

Dubious websites may offer too-good-to-be-true investment opportunities (e.g. pre-IPO stocks of fabricated companies sold at huge discounts, or funds with guaranteed multiple returns) that do not actually exist. Alternatively, such websites may be fraudulent copycat websites imitating the websites of reputable financial institutions to lure investors to part with their money and/or disclose personal information that the fraudsters may later use to swindle investors.

Do not respond to investment website offers unless you are sure of the legitimacy of the entity.

Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms

Do not respond to suspicious virtual asset trading platform (VATP) offers if its operator is not licensed. To check whether a VATP is licensed by the SFC, please visit our List of licensed virtual asset trading platforms. 

Some VATPs that appear to operate in Hong Kong or target Hong Kong investors may not have a licence to provide virtual asset service or carry out regulated activities in the city. They may lure investors with too-good-to-be-true investment offers, falsely claim to be or soon to be licensed in Hong Kong and/or overseas, or promote themselves aggressively through social media, instant messages, so-called “key opinion leaders” (KOLs) or any other forms of advertisements.

If you deal with a VATP which is not licensed by the SFC, please note that it is unregulated and not supervised by the SFC. You may lose your entire investment held on the VATP if it ceases operation, collapses, is hacked or otherwise suffers from any misappropriation of assets. Seeking recourse against those VATPs without a nexus with Hong Kong can be very difficult and legal remedies may not be available.

Phishes

Phishes usually imitate legitimate financial institutions to despatch emails to entice recipients to disclose their credit card / bank account numbers and passwords / Personal Identification Numbers (PINs). If you provide this information, you may find your account is drained of money.

Most legitimate banks will never email you asking for your details or PIN. If in doubt, contact your bank directly.

Fake regulators and/or market operators

Creating a fake regulator and/or market operator website is one of the tricks used to deceive unwary investors into thinking that certain unauthorised financial institutions or intermediaries listed on that website are supervised by a real regulator and that they conduct their trades through a recognised market operator (e.g. stock exchanges). The scamsters create a website for a non-existent financial regulator or market operator with a plausible name. Such a website is usually sophisticated and often contains up-to-date financial news to create a false impression of authenticity. In fact, no such financial regulator or market operator exists under that name.

To check whether a financial regulator and market operator really exists, see the member lists of the International Organization of Securities Commissions and the World Federation of Exchanges respectively.

Others

Last update: 3 Oct 2020

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