City watchdog faces criticism after declining to expand SME access to complaints service October 24, 2023 Businesses groups have warned that firms may be unable to access justice after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) decided against expanding access to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
FCA fines Equifax £11m for role in cyber breach October 13, 2023 Britain's financial watchdog (FCA) said on Friday it had fined consumer credit rater Equifax £11m for its role in "one of the largest" cyber-security breaches in history.
LCF ‘censured’ over minibonds as City watchdog looks to turn page on ‘unjustifiable’ scandal October 11, 2023 The FCA has censured LCF over its minibonds promotions but watchdog admits move won't provide solace to those duped by misleading promotions
City watchdog issued nearly 150 alerts on crypto ads in 24 hours after new regulations October 9, 2023 The City watchdog issued nearly 150 alerts on the first day of its new crypto marketing regime as unauthorised crypto firms felt the heat from the new regulations.
Young people turning to Tiktok for financial advice as FCA weeds out bad actors October 8, 2023 Young people are increasingly turning to social media sites, such as Instagram and Tiktok, for financial advice, a new survey has revealed.
FCA defends whistleblowing processes after admitting legal slip-up October 4, 2023 The Financial Conduct Authority has defended its conduct towards whistleblowers today after officials wrongly dismissed a plea for protection and apologised for misinterpreting laws. The watchdog apologised to a whistleblower this week after it wrongly dismissed their complaints on the grounds the person they had waived their right to anonymity, a decision which has no basis in law. Officials at the FCA formally apologised to the whistleblower after being approached for comment by City A.M. Speaking with reporters today, officials admitted the mistake had been made in their handling of the case but sa “I do want to take this opportunity to sincerely apologise for the distress we caused that individual as a result of our mistake,” Sheree Howard, the watchdog’s executive director of risk and compliance said. An official dismissed the calls in March on the grounds that the complainant was “no longer entitled to the protections offered under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998” – the laws governing whistleblowing - because the had waived their anonymity. Speaking with City A.M. on condition of anonymity, the whistleblower claimed they had been treated with “contempt” and left vulnerable to retribution from the firm. The watchdog has faced question over the protections afforded to whistleblowers in recent months after a report from whistleblower body Protect found that 70 per cent were either victimised, dismissed or felt resignation was the only option open to them after raising the alarm. When questioned by City A.M. on whether the watchdog had failed to adequately protect whistleblowers, the FCA’s co-head of enforcement and market oversight said he was “always happy to look at our approach on whistleblowing”. “We are see[ing] if we can develop and strengthen the protections,” he said. “I do come back to that I think from a FCA perspective, we do have some good protections in place to protect the the confidentiality and the anonymity of the whistleblower.” Earlier this year, the government committed to a review of the protections afforded to whistleblowers in the UK. The review has looked to “take stock of whether the whistleblowing framework is operating effectively and protects those who call out wrongdoing in the workplace,” Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said at the time.
FCA dismissed whistleblower’s ‘extreme retaliation’ claims with legal mistake October 3, 2023 The City watchdog dismissed the complaints of a whistleblower and allegedly left them open to a barrage of retaliation from their former employer because officials wrongly interpreted the law, City A.M. has learned.
FCA in data protection scandal over ‘intercepting and diverting’ emails October 2, 2023 The Financial Conduct Authority is at the centre of a data protection scandal over a policy of “intercepting and diverting” emails of its staff to keep track of people “considered a nuisance”, according to reports. The UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, has concluded that the FCA had “infringed their data protection obligations” after [...]
Cash-strapped Brits pushed towards payday loans and buy-now pay-later, FCA warns September 29, 2023 The Financial Conduct Authority has warned the cost of living crunch is pushing Brits toward payday loans and buy-now pay-later products today as it launched a fresh financial inclusion drive.
FCA set to probe private asset valuations amid fears of liquidity crisis September 27, 2023 The Financial Conduct Authority is set to probe the way investors value the private assets on their books as it continues a deepdive into the liquidity of the market in the UK.