Commodex Global Ltd: their website screams scam!

Creative rubbish from Commodex Global Ltd: 

a very recently formed company

 
You would think from the highly imaginative guff on their website that Commodex Global was a well established broking company: 'Commodex is one of the world's leading privately owned brokers', through their experience etc. Instead Commodex Global was established on 14th February 2014, has a sole director –  33-year-old Barry Warner,(appointed 11th March 2014) and its registered office and trading address- 288 Bishopsgate, City of London EC2M 4QP – is a serviced/virtual office. The initial director was 35-year-old Jades Dias de Sousa.  

Completely bogus claims of being 

'leading privately owned brokers of financial products 

in the commodities sector' + 

'years of sound experience trading on 

all the major commodity exchanges'

Amazing achievement for newly formed company!

Commodex operates one of Europe's largest 

marketplaces for natural gas

Commodity Exchange programme!! 

 More imaginative rubbish: 'Commodex provides 

24-hour metals market coverage and comprehensive 

execution services to a global client base via a 

highly experienced team of specialist brokers with in-depth market knowledge'

Morgan Taylor Ltd: start-up company offering over-priced wines – now restructuring

'HELPING YOU REACH YOUR FINANCIAL OBJECTIVES'

I have been contacted by AJ, an unfortunate client of the now bankrupt The London Vines Ltd scam. AJ has been cold called Morgan Taylor Ltd. This is a recently created company formed on 21st January 2014. It has two directors: 25-year-old Oguz Aksehir and 26-year-old Muhammed Ali Zorlu and operates from The Chislehurst Business Centre, 1 Bromley Lane, Bromley, Kent BR7 6LH. The company's share capital is £2.   

'Established merchants of fine wine and investment options'  

Morgan Taylor established 21.1.2014

'At Morgan Taylor, we pride ourselves on providing 

everything you need to make an informed choice 

about where and how to invest in wine.

'Our team of London based advisors will provide 

all the information you need about the current wine market, 

helping you to select the finest wines available for the best returns.' 

Utter rubbish from the Morgan Taylor website:

'At Morgan Taylor we work with you to help find the best solutions for your circumstances. We listen closely to your needs and objectives in order to find out exactly what 'you' the client need. We then take the time to find the relevant product to help fulfil that need.'

AJ was contacted by a Stephen Bell and Joseph Salmon (almost certainly not their real names – 'personas' are regularly used by telesales staff working for this type of company). Bell offered to exchange the wines AJ did receive from The London Vines Ltd – like so many AJ didn't receive all of them – with the following selection of Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton-Rothschild. Totalling £64,400 in all.   

Offer from Morgan Taylor Ltd contained in document called 
wine reservation form 
- 'and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship'!! 

  

A little research on wine-searcher on UK merchants shows that the 2003 Lafite can today be purchased for from £6350 (£10,200 from Morgan Taylor Ltd), the 2008 for £5150 (£8100 MT Ltd), 2010 Lafite for £6450 (£10,050 from MT Ltd) and the 2009 Mouton-Rothschild for from £4900 (£7900 from MT Ltd). Instead of paying Morgan Taylor Ltd £64,400, this five case portfolio could have been bought for £40,550 – a saving of £23850 or 37% less than the total charged by Morgan Taylor Ltd. Fortunately AJ said thanks but no thanks to this Chislehurst-based wallet thinning operation.  

Back in April 2014 AJ was told by 'Joseph Salmon' that these wines selected by Morgan Taylor Ltd “should show a 30% return over the next 24 months”. So AJ could have expected to have seen his wine portfolio supplied by Morgan Taylor's  'team of London based advisors' worth £83,720 by April 2016. To date a check on wine-searcher shows that far from increasing in value the AJ's Morgan Taylor portfolio could be be purchased (6.1.2015) for £38790 – £1760 less than in April 2014.  

I can certainly see Morgan Taylor Ltd reaching their financial objectives but it is considerably less clear how their putative clients will benefit – . 

Muhammed Ali Zorlu is also the sole director of the intriguingly named Berkshire Hetherington Ltd with £1 of share capital. I would be most grateful for any information about Berkshire Hetherington Ltd founded on 29th April 2013. It current address is 72 Hammersmith Road, Crown House, London W14 8TH – a well-known accommodation address as was the previous one – 145-157 St John Street, London EC1V 4PW.

5.1.2015: Berkshire Hetherington Ltd is now at 5 Harbour Exchange Square, South Quay, Canary Wharf, London E14 9GE.  
  
Yet another company I would avoid due to lack of a track record, claiming to be established merchants when recently formed and offering over-priced wines as an investment while claiming 'to select the finest wines available for the best returns'. 

Update: 7.12.2014
Muhammed Ali Zorlu has informed me that of 1st December 2014 Morgan Taylor Ltd has ceased to cold call and restructured its business. He sent me their current price list that shows that their prices are more in-line with the best prices on wine-searcher, although they are not the most competitive. The 10 wines listed would cost a total of £67,413 if purchased through Morgan Taylor Ltd against £64,620 by shopping around on wine-searcher. Ali Zorlu also tells me that his company purchased the leads from a leads company and that they weren't passed on from The London Vines Ltd. 

Reports (8.12.2014) of UK nuisance callers and lead generators facing a crackdown.

 
 

Stanford Barclay Ltd – another company I won't touch with a barge pole

Stanford Barclay: home page 

The home page of Stanford Barclay is certainly upbeat: 

 

'Welcome to Stanford Barclay

Stamford Barclay are a company who have drawn together the expertise, experience and skillsof a number of specialists and consultants from across Europe.

We act as the broker arm* of our industry partners.

Our aim is to introduce potential investors and to provide both knowledge and information, showing exactly how and why right now is the optimum time to take a fresh look at a range of commodities.'

Sounds impressive! However, Stanford Barclay Ltd was only set up on 19th September 2013 and has one sole director 28-year-old Billy Stevens, although the share capital is claimed to be £1 million.

Stamford Barclay offers investments in gold and natural rubber. Looks as though they also offered investment opportunities in graphene but moved out once the FCA issued a warning about the dangers of investing in graphene at the end of December 2013. Instead Stanford Barclay Ltd is now pushing investments in gold and natural rubber.

From Terms & Conditions-graphene: Stanford Barclay Ltd

'Prices of graphene/graphite are indicative only and are based on current exchange rates. The value of the graphene/graphite may go down as well go up and you may not get back the original amount invested. All investments, including trading in graphen/graphite carry risk to varying degrees. However, you may also benefit from any possible upside to the investment. Any returns shown or suggested are a projection only and cannot be guaranteed. Stanford Barclay have diligently researched the graphene/graphite market to attempt to reduce risk.'

Curiously there is now no mention of graphene on the Stanford Barclay Ltd site – perhaps it disappeared after the FCA (Financial Services Authority) warned on 30th December 2013 of the dangers and disadvantages of 'investing' in graphene – this despite Stanford Barclay's 'diligent research'! Instead they are now punting gold and natural rubber plus a wine broking service. 

Warning by FCA about Brinkmann-May Ltd 

The sole director of Stanford Barclay Ltd is 28-year-old Billy Stevens. He has also been a director, since 24th October 2011, of Brinkmann-May Ltd. On 4th February 2013 the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) warned that 'We believe this firm has been providing financial services or products in the UK without our authorisation. Find out why to be especially wary of dealing with this unauthorised firm and how to protect yourself from scammers'. The other director of the company is Richard Peter Jobling.

Brinkmann-May Ltd punted investments in carbon credits. The company is now in the process of being closed down by Companies House for non-compliance as the latest accounts are overdue since 30.9.2012 and the annual return since 10.5.2013.

 Brinkmann-May Ltd details@Companies House  

  

As well as investments in gold and natural rubber, Stanford Barclay Ltd also  'offers free Cellar Valuations, a service which allows fine wine collectors to ascertain the true value of their cellars.'

  'For more information on selling your wine through Bordeaux Index, 
or for a free valuation, please email admin@stanfordbarclay.com'

Why a long established and reputable company like Bordeaux Index Ltd would want to be publicly associated ('as one of our industry partners'?) with Stanford Barclay Ltd, with its highly dubious pedigree is a considerable mystery. It is quite possible that Bordeaux Index Ltd is unaware of this claim on Stanford Barclay's website and also unaware for the warning issued by the FCA against the associated company – Brinkmann-May Ltd. (*18.4.2014 – see below.) 

I understand that Stanford Barclay Ltd may be having problems finding a bonded warehouse prepared to accept their custom. Billy Stevens was told by Private Reserves Ltd that they certainly didn't want their business. Stevens told Private Reserves that Octavian Vaults, with whom they have had an account, has now told them to take their business elsewhere.

This looks to be an encouraging sign that bonded warehouses are becoming much tougher and wary about accepting dubious wine investment companies. A tough stance by the warehouses would certainly be in their interest as these wine investment scams do nothing for the reputation of bonded warehouses as the fleeced punters often assume, entirely incorrectly, that the warehouses are part of the scam. Furthermore when the company disappears, goes bankrupt or is closed down then this involves the bonded warehouses in a lot of unpaid work trying to sort the mess. 

      

An offer I would happily refuse!    

  
I fear that Stanford Barclay Ltd seeks to persuade investors to sell their wine, which does have value albeit currently lower than it has been, in exchange for dubious or worthless investments in gold, natural rubber, graphene or whatever Billy Stevens decides is the investment of the moment to punt.  

18.4.2014: Twitter conversation: 'Arrangement' with Stanford Barclay Ltd news to Bordeaux Index:

Jim: 'Can I assume this is news to you, please?'

17.4.2014

Bordeaux Index: 'yes, Jim. We are looking into it. 

Thanks for bringing to our attention.' 

18.4.2014

***

Further utter rubbish from Billy Stevens's Stanford Barclay Ltd courtesy of Junior Broker:

Job opportunities@Stanford Barclay 

through Junior Broker 

The above ad includes the following ludicrous claims – time the FCA issued another warning over a Billy Stevens company:  
 

'FINANCE

We help investors with flexible payment terms to enable them to liquidate other assets and invest with us.

TRANSACT

We transact for our clients in all key financial markets, including equities, bonds, currencies and commodities, so that capital flows, jobs are created and economies can grow. Please note all monies are sent to and FCA escrow for client satisfaction.

SUPPORT

We help markets remain efficient and liquid, so investors and companies can meet their needs, whether to invest, raise money or manage risk.

MANAGE

We preserve and grow assets for institutions, including mutual funds, commercial funds and foundations, as well as individuals.'

•••

 

6th May 2014: As far as I can see all mention of wine has disappeared from Stanford Barclay's website.   

En primeur Bordeaux 2013: if told it's an investment – it's a scam!

Château Lafite-Rothschild: 

listed by Drinks Business as amongst the most disappointing 2013s

If you get a cold call try to persuade you to buy 2013 Bordeaux en primeur you can be sure that it is a scam. Although there may not be a lot that unites the Bordeaux châteaux, wine critics and wine merchants around the world, all are agreed that 2013 is not a vintage for investment. Made in very difficult conditions, this is a vintage for early drinking not for long storage with the hope that the price will increase significantly over time. As far as 2013 is concerned it won't.  

The UK wine trade appears to have little enthusiasm for selling 2013 Bordeaux en primeur and their customers even less.

So, anyone who tries to persuade you to buy 2013 Bordeaux en primeur as an investment either doesn't know what they are talking about or is a telesales scamster only concerned to separate you from your hard-earned cash!