HSBC has praised our investigation into Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews — and repaid the £1,000 our journalist spent to expose him as a fraudster.
Clemmie Moodie sent conman Andrews the money from her account with the bank via its app to see if he would make good on promises to treble it.
David Callington, head of economic crime prevention at HSBC UK, said: “It’s great that The Sun is educating readers on how to spot and avoid fraud and what warning signs to look out for.
“If any HSBC UK customers find themselves in the same position as Clemmie, we’d invite them to get in touch with us to see how we can help.”
The bank concluded Andrews had forged its own branding to fabricate a fake payment screenshot — a document showing £2,900 due to land in Clemmie’s account on May 15 that never arrived.
She had transferred the cash after he pitched a “zero risk” investment.
What followed was a string of excuses about stock market turns and Abu Dhabi banking hours, then the fake HSBC screenshot, then silence.
Nineteen days after handing the money over, Clemmie went public.
Andrews, a Dubai-based self-styled businessman who has called himself an “international mastermind criminal”, is now wanted by Interpol after Hertfordshire Police escalated their investigation into him.
Former glamour model Katie, 48, claims her missing husband is in prison on spying charges in Dubai.
Mr Callington warned: “Social media has become a leading hunting ground for investment scammers.
“They will share fake testimonials and forged documents with their victims to build trust quickly.
“The first major red flag with any investment scam is usually the assurance of guaranteed, unrealistically high returns.
“Take time to do your research, and speak to your bank if you are unsure about the legitimacy of an investment.”
HSBC experts have identified key red flags customers need to know.
5 SCAM RED FLAGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
1. “GUARANTEED” or unusually high returns are the first warning sign. If fixed, risk-free or above-market returns are promised — think “8% a month” or “double your money” — walk away. Legitimate investments carry risk.
2. PRESSURE and urgency tactics are the scammer’s best friend. They include phrases like “limited allocation”. If someone tells you not to seek independent advice or creates a false deadline, that is a major alarm bell.
3. UNREGULATED or hard-to-verify firms are a serious danger sign. If the product description is vague, treat it with extreme caution. No audited financials or clear documents where you would expect them? That is a red flag.
4. WATCH how they ask you to pay. Requests to send money to personal accounts, to use crypto or gift cards are classic scam tactics. And beware of anyone who tells you to pay fees or tax upfront in order to “release” profits.
5. A SLICK-looking app may show profits climbing, but when you try to withdraw, there are delays, blocked requests or a need to “top up” funds. If a platform makes it hard to get your money back, something is very wrong.