The phone call that can cost you your financial future — recognize the pattern and protect yourself.
How it works
With telephone acquisition, potential investors are called unsolicited by salespeople offering an investment product. The salespeople work with polished call scripts and are intensively trained in persuasion and sales techniques. After the conversation, you receive a professionally designed brochure with impressive return predictions. The goal is one thing: to convince you to transfer money.
The Goodwood method
Goodwood Investments made intensive use of telephone acquisition. The company had a large sales team that called Dutch citizens daily. The best salespeople earned substantial commissions through revenue tiers and bonuses in the form of cash, trips, and electronics. After the ban by the AFM, these top sellers were transferred to Floresteca B.V. Netherlands, where they approached the same investors again — this time for bond products.
The typical scenario
You are called with a “unique investment opportunity” in teak, real estate, or another foreign project. The salesperson is enthusiastic, professional, and convincing. You receive a beautiful brochure by mail. Pressure is applied to decide quickly. You invest. At first, everything seems fine — you might even receive an initial payout. But gradually the payouts stop, your questions are answered evasively, and the investment turns out not to be what you were promised.
Legal framework
Approaching consumers unsolicited by telephone with investment offers is bound by strict rules. Companies must have a license, must provide complete and honest information, and may not exert undue pressure. In practice, these rules are systematically violated by fraudulent companies.
Protect yourself
Never invest as a result of an unexpected phone call. Always take time to think. Check the company with the AFM and the Chamber of Commerce (KvK). Consult with an independent financial advisor. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.
