A company called Consultants Europe is cold calling people, claiming that they can sell near-worthless carbon credits for more than £5.75. Of course, there’s an advance fee to be paid of 45p per credit.
Consultants Europe is a scam. Here’s the evidence:
- Consultants Europe cold calls people. No legitimate company would cold call you with financial advice.
- They are asking for money in advance.
- The company’s website consists of only four pages and reveals practically nothing about the company. No names of the people who own the company and stock photos, instead of the actual people that work there.
- On its website, the company claims that it was established in 2008. Indeed, the website was registered in 2008, by someone called Peter Delamere, who gave an address in Andalucia. However, when we look at the history of the website on archive.org, since 2008 there’s only one record, dated 29 May 2013 (and that is a message saying “403 Forbidden”). So whatever the company has been doing in the past, it didn’t involve much on its website.
- On its website, Consultants Europe states that,
Consultants Europe are a specialist practice, primarily, providing clear exit strategies for Carbon Offset holders, to our growing portfolio of commercial and institutional clients.
The scam of selling carbon credits as investments has emerged since about 2011. And the carbon credits recovery room scam that Consultants Europe is running is even newer. There is no explanation on the company website of what Consultants Europe did before it started running a carbon credits recovery room.
The company website does not say in which country Consultants Europe is registered. The address given is 5 Rue Lacuée, 75012 Paris, just round the corner from the Place de la Bastille. That’s a photograph of the office from google maps on the right. Not exactly impressive, is it?- On its website, Consultants Europe claims to have a “multilingual team of experienced consultants”. Yet, despite the office address in Paris, and the Spanish website registration address, and the company’s “extensive network of Business contacts throughout Europe”, the entire website is in English.
In addition to its phone number in France, the company has a 0203 UK number. REDD-Monitor’s advice if this company calls you is to put down the phone. Then contact Action Fraud:
They contacted me but I refused to deal with them, has any ont paid the deposit on the promise of selling credits etc and what was the outcome?
I have been contact to.. I guess are the same people from AGT
Yes i have been contacted by these guys about 2 weeks ago with all the claims that they will get me 9 pounds per credit at a .70p/credit safety deposit. there is absolutely nothing about them anywhere else on the internet and all documentation have the same lack of usable information. Apparently there is a massive sale of credits to a Chinese company on the 28th of April.
Just received a call from Consultants Europe, the number they called from was +44 20 3519 3421.
They asked all sorts of probing questions, to which I replied as vaguely as possible, however I did learn that they knew I had purchased my VERs from AGT and they had my current email address.
I wonder how they knew that ?
I have been discussing the transfer of my small quantity of credits (that were purchased through AGT) with Consultants Europe. They are keen to make a sale for me and have stated that it’s all set up for 14th May. All I have to do is give them the refundable security deposit, which of course I’m not going to do.. I’ve asked them a few probing questions about the process and although they are very good at talking the talk, as yet they have been less that convincing on paper. I suspected it was a scam and so searched for evidence, and found this site. Thank you for your article.
I would also be interested to hear from anyone who has actually gone through the process with them. What was the outcome?
I at at present awaiting “payment” from Consultants Europe from a supposed sale of carbon offsets on May 14th. I now cannot contact them by phone on the 0203 519 3421 number, and presume that this was a scam that I fell for. Is anyone else in this position?
I am in the same position awaiting payments for the sale of shell credits and rare earth metals i paid the deposit but are unable to contact them now so ihave realised that it was a scam
I am in the same position as Colin H. There must be many others who were scammed for carbon credits and rare earths. Is this now a lost cause or is there any legit compnay that could help?
I have been contacted by a client who like the above has paid and has not seen anything and now cannot get hold of anyone either.
Unfortunately all these markets are either in their infancy or non existent. No large company will approach small holders to buy back credits or metals at a profit to investors when they can afford to buy in bulk or create their own projects. It would be a logistical nightmare. these companies prey on the fact you have lost and may be willing to put in more to recover your losses.
It is best to steer clear, don’t make the same mistake twice. your details have been compromised which is why everyone who cold calls you knows what you have bought and just dangles another carrot.
Companies could discount you what they have for what you have, however since it may be artificially inflated to start with, they still make a profit and you still end up paying too much for something equally worthless, that they will profit from.
Has anyone been contacted by a company called Harrison Stone who claim to have clients who want to buy your carbon portfolio to sell in Canada where the products are regulated? They then supposedly put you in contact with the buyer who tells you that you have to put up a £10,400 ‘fully refundable’ ‘holding fee’ before you can sell the credits?
Just been contacted by the phone number in the above article – 02035193421. I now have a pathological hatred of all numbers starting 0203, so just hung up on them and added the number to my blocked list. I have no idea who they are, what they want or what they will “do for me” but I bet it would be similar to all the above.
Regards
Matt