The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has added Athena Acquisition Corp to its warning list, stating that the firm is not authorised by the regulator and may be targeting people in the United Kingdom.
The FCA notice lists the website www.athenaacquisitioncorp.com and an address at 250 West 55th Street, New York, NY, 10019, United States of America.
According to the regulator, the firm may be providing or promoting financial services or products without FCA permission. The FCA advised consumers to avoid dealing with the firm and to beware of scams. Almost all firms and individuals must be authorised or registered by the FCA to carry out or promote financial services in the UK.
No Ombudsman or FSCS Cover
Consumers who deal with the firm will not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they wish to complain, the FCA said. They will also not be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong, meaning it is unlikely they would get their money back should the firm go out of business.
The FCA noted that some firms may give incorrect contact details, including postal addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses, and may change those details over time. They may also supply details belonging to another business or individual so the information appears genuine.
The regulator added that anyone who sent money to a fraudster on or after 7 October 2024 may be covered by protections introduced by the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR).
The FCA urged consumers to deal only with authorised financial firms and to use the FCA Firm Checker to confirm that a firm is authorised and holds permission for the services being offered. Those contacted unexpectedly by a financial business should reply using the contact details listed on the Firm Checker. Anyone who believes they have been approached by an unauthorised firm can call the FCA on 0800 111 6768 or use its contact form.
