Oddly enough, when I made the complaint above and they eventually saw the light they did tell me that they had spoken to the institution in question who had agreed to pull the ad although I suspect that the advertising campaign had run its course. However in all other cases when I made complaints they quoted the section whatever secrecy act to me.
Helvetia Wealth ?
- Thread starter Lemurz
- Start date
Hi
Thought I would bump up this thread. I sent an enquiry in to this crowd a few months back and they have contacted me a couple of times since then. They seem to have a slick sales pitch, detailed references to our previous phone calls, news paper clippings reviewing products etc.
They sent me out information on a product with a 48 month life span, whereby the return on your investment is based on the most successful of three separate funds during that period. Each fund has a separate focus - 1. Equities; 2. Commodoties; and 3. Bonds. Your capital investment is guaranteed, minimum investment is €10k, 6% admin/mgt fee on joining and no redemption fee.
Sounds quite good to me but I'm sure there is a catch, they're sending me out the terms and conditions.
Has anyone else heard of this product?? A quick read through the thread makes me thing there is an awful lot of scepticism about this company are they to be trusted?
S
Thought I would bump up this thread. I sent an enquiry in to this crowd a few months back and they have contacted me a couple of times since then. They seem to have a slick sales pitch, detailed references to our previous phone calls, news paper clippings reviewing products etc.
They sent me out information on a product with a 48 month life span, whereby the return on your investment is based on the most successful of three separate funds during that period. Each fund has a separate focus - 1. Equities; 2. Commodoties; and 3. Bonds. Your capital investment is guaranteed, minimum investment is €10k, 6% admin/mgt fee on joining and no redemption fee.
Sounds quite good to me but I'm sure there is a catch, they're sending me out the terms and conditions.
Has anyone else heard of this product?? A quick read through the thread makes me thing there is an awful lot of scepticism about this company are they to be trusted?
S
How do they achieve this (nominal!) capital guarantee?
Any other charges such as annual management fees? If not then are you sure that any underlying instruments/derivatives don't subsume the charges?
Brendan Burgess
Founder
- Messages
- 52,089
A friend of mine who responded to the ad got a load of literature and many phone calls from Helvetia.
It is impossible to understand the literature. It is badly written.
I have a simple question Mr Helvetia. Very simple and the answer is either yes or no.
If I put €10,000 in this product today, am I guaranteed to get back €11,664 when I cash it in two years?
Brendan
It is impossible to understand the literature. It is badly written.
I have a simple question Mr Helvetia. Very simple and the answer is either yes or no.
If I put €10,000 in this product today, am I guaranteed to get back €11,664 when I cash it in two years?
Brendan
Z
z108
Guest
Out of curiosity, I'd like to know more about the difference between the aggressive, one balanced, and one defensive fund. Are these managed funds or index trackers?
Brendan Burgess
Founder
- Messages
- 52,089
Thanks you for a clear reply. Your ads are misleading and I am astonished that the Financial Regulator continues to allow them:
You are not guaranteeing 8% growth, yet investors are investing with you expecting it.
My expectations are totally irrelevant to this discussion.
Brendan
You are not guaranteeing 8% growth, yet investors are investing with you expecting it.
My expectations are totally irrelevant to this discussion.
Brendan
Brendan Burgess
Founder
- Messages
- 52,089
My expectations are that if you advertised a rate of 8%, then you should pay it.
My expectations are that you should not mislead people. If you have managed to mislead IFSRA, fair play to you. But you should not be misleading the public.
Brendan
My expectations are that you should not mislead people. If you have managed to mislead IFSRA, fair play to you. But you should not be misleading the public.
Brendan
Z
z108
Guest
Didnt Helvetia respond with a 'No' to this yesterday ?
Is Helvetia legally allowed advertise this way in the rest of Europe or is it just our code which is flawed?
Would the regulator respond to a freedom of information request ?
They did, but they've now replaced all their previous responses with their phone number. I've deleted most of them, including the posts where they originally asked Brendan his expectations, which is why he appears to be having a conversation with himself!
B
brenno
Guest
I see this crowd are now offering a bond offering 9% gross to run from one to six years, linked to basket ot 30 stocks. Say fixed copupon paid every year regardless of the performance of the 30 stocks, claim gross is equivakent to 5.5% net of income and CGT.
Given what was written on this post last year, anybody any views on this?
Given what was written on this post last year, anybody any views on this?
M
MikeS
Guest
I came across your blog today. I am surprised to hear such a negative opinion. I must say that does not mirror my experience with these lads. They showed me these capital protected bonds early last year, and I must say I think they were right.
happy investor.
happy investor.
hi guys,
haven't been on for a while,interesting one;i've been dealing with this co' for almost 2 years,origonaly investing in equities as recommended,done very well,sold out as advised early last year,bought gold,and 2 of these garanteed bonds your discussing,as you can imagine done well to get out of equity and likewise to buy commodities when i did,one of the bonds is doing very well,one not so well but this one is 95% garanteed so i'm not worried,yes this is a progressive company and there searching global markets for products and obviously want you to keep adding to your portfolio with them,thats what they do.
i'd also like to mention that they recommended me sell my irish stocks in april,does this sound like a company that knows what there doing??
there front loading fees are presently being abolished and are going for minimal annual fees (depending on underlining co')so each product will be mesured on its own merret.
they also have an office in peters st d2,hope this helps some,yob
haven't been on for a while,interesting one;i've been dealing with this co' for almost 2 years,origonaly investing in equities as recommended,done very well,sold out as advised early last year,bought gold,and 2 of these garanteed bonds your discussing,as you can imagine done well to get out of equity and likewise to buy commodities when i did,one of the bonds is doing very well,one not so well but this one is 95% garanteed so i'm not worried,yes this is a progressive company and there searching global markets for products and obviously want you to keep adding to your portfolio with them,thats what they do.
i'd also like to mention that they recommended me sell my irish stocks in april,does this sound like a company that knows what there doing??
there front loading fees are presently being abolished and are going for minimal annual fees (depending on underlining co')so each product will be mesured on its own merret.
they also have an office in peters st d2,hope this helps some,yob
C
Conboyj
Guest
The Irish Forestry Fund work with these guys to sell there international forestry fund (see here > www.ifsam.ie )maybe a running theme for discussion but IFS incidentally have also had there advertising standards discussed here > http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=6699 I know that Brendan has recommended this scheme in the past however
I have a few questions that would concern me in any investment, the first thing I would ask is what experience do the operators have, taken from the IFS website there are three directors Richard Hoare, worked for the BOI he has never studied forestry from what I understand!, Trevor McHugh from what I understand also does not know about forestry!
Paul Brosnan studied marketing! I still can’t see the relevant experience in the sector for there investment vehicle.
There are a few more concerns the primary concern being that even the most optimistic forester would say that there is no value in “semi-matured” forestry. Most foresters have lower overheads than IFS and equally they would not expect the level of returns they state over the timeframe. IFS have never shown a return apart from on paper based on evaluations from there forester!
IFS asset managers are NOT regulated they sell there shares as directors! if you look at some of there press such as here > http://www.irishforests.com/investment/investment-in-forestry they put an argument that its because forestry is not regulated in Ireland, this is the worst reason I have ever seen for not getting regulated as they are selling shares if they wanted to get regulated (or could!) they would.
Helvetia Wealth are also in a country with little or no regulation and know obvious connection to the Irish forestry fund! Apart from that I’m sure everything is fine and they are doing it for the love of forestry and not just high commissions!....To be continued I'm sure.
I have a few questions that would concern me in any investment, the first thing I would ask is what experience do the operators have, taken from the IFS website there are three directors Richard Hoare, worked for the BOI he has never studied forestry from what I understand!, Trevor McHugh from what I understand also does not know about forestry!
Paul Brosnan studied marketing! I still can’t see the relevant experience in the sector for there investment vehicle.
There are a few more concerns the primary concern being that even the most optimistic forester would say that there is no value in “semi-matured” forestry. Most foresters have lower overheads than IFS and equally they would not expect the level of returns they state over the timeframe. IFS have never shown a return apart from on paper based on evaluations from there forester!
IFS asset managers are NOT regulated they sell there shares as directors! if you look at some of there press such as here > http://www.irishforests.com/investment/investment-in-forestry they put an argument that its because forestry is not regulated in Ireland, this is the worst reason I have ever seen for not getting regulated as they are selling shares if they wanted to get regulated (or could!) they would.
Helvetia Wealth are also in a country with little or no regulation and know obvious connection to the Irish forestry fund! Apart from that I’m sure everything is fine and they are doing it for the love of forestry and not just high commissions!....To be continued I'm sure.
C
Conboyj
Guest
This link > http://boards.fool.co.uk/Message.asp?mid=10585095&sort=whole also draws some conclusions between FSW securities and Helvetia Wealth AG.
Mark Griffiths is the sales director of Helvetia Wealth and also apparently worked for FSW Europe there is another link here that shows Mark Griffiths replying in the Forum> http://boards.fool.co.uk/Message.asp?mid=10453865
Tony Hetherington who works on the FSA consumer panel also writes for a number of publications in the UK and warned about FSW Europe here > http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing/article.html?in_article_id=414037&in_page_id=166 this outfit was regulated in Switzerland and sold primarily to the UK and Ireland.
From what I understand in regards to Helvetia Wealth from the Independent here> http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/investments/swiss-investment-option-clocks-in-42918.html they are also originally Swiss (not based in Liechtenstein
) there website is in English and not German? And they also say that 60% of there clients come from Ireland here > http://www.finance-magazine.com/supplements/altenative_investments_for_hnwis/display_article.php?aid=8095 I would have serious hesitations with what appears to be connections with Switzerland, FSW Europe and the staff who worked there, I would also like to know more about IFS asset managers partnership for there international forestry fund with this crowd?
Mark Griffiths is the sales director of Helvetia Wealth and also apparently worked for FSW Europe there is another link here that shows Mark Griffiths replying in the Forum> http://boards.fool.co.uk/Message.asp?mid=10453865
Tony Hetherington who works on the FSA consumer panel also writes for a number of publications in the UK and warned about FSW Europe here > http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing/article.html?in_article_id=414037&in_page_id=166 this outfit was regulated in Switzerland and sold primarily to the UK and Ireland.
From what I understand in regards to Helvetia Wealth from the Independent here> http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/investments/swiss-investment-option-clocks-in-42918.html they are also originally Swiss (not based in Liechtenstein
) there website is in English and not German? And they also say that 60% of there clients come from Ireland here > http://www.finance-magazine.com/supplements/altenative_investments_for_hnwis/display_article.php?aid=8095 I would have serious hesitations with what appears to be connections with Switzerland, FSW Europe and the staff who worked there, I would also like to know more about IFS asset managers partnership for there international forestry fund with this crowd?