“I contacted the leads and spoke to both people. They clearly did have a need and they were ready to take it to the next level so I booked two appointments. I back-transferred the [£175] six-month fee because he [Mr Morris] said he had 10 more leads. [However,] I went to the first client and nobody lives at that address.
“As a sole trader IFA things are tough. I have got enough clients to deal with I don’t need these people, but things are tough. If it sounds like a half-decent client like these two I thought I would run with it.”
Ms Finn said: “I had quite a long conversation with this company and they looked so professional to start with... but they have disappeared into the ether.”
On its website - which at the time of writing appears to have been removed - Findmeanadvisor.biz listed its address as an office building in Manchester. However, a representative for the building told FTAdviser no such business operated from there.
The representative estimated that she and others had received between 15 and 20 enquiries about Findmeanadvisor, mainly from other advisers.
Mr Cosgrove could not be reached for comment.
