deVere Group
Reviews and Complaints
deVere Group - DEVERE SPAIN SCAM! You lost my life savings and paid yourselves 15%!!!
I am disgusted to have recently learnt that the devere spain financial advisor who told me to close down my uk investments, which had performed well for over 10 years, and invest my money into UAM Strategic Growth fund earned 7.5% of my life savings before his terrible advice ruined my life!!!! And even worst, my new financial advisor told me he only gets 50% of what devere actually made out of me!
So not only does your crooked CEO own the fund, but your advisors are being paid through the roof to sell it?!
I was assured you were independent and i was being sold that fund because it was the best available. It seems a bit of a coincidence that the best fund available for me in the world is also owned by devere!!!
I tried to sell my investment for nearly 4 months before I was finally told the fund was suspended and i have seen less than 20% of my money returned in several years since. Surprise surprise, the crook who sold it to me, despite still working for devere in spain, is no longer my advisor so wont even answer the phone to me.
Thanks for ruining my life devere spain.
- 15percent hidden fees
- Devere spain
- Lies
Full refund
Devere group from an employees perception ( Dont fall for the trap)
not going to write an essay or anything straight to the point.
Everything the Devere group say is a fraud..
there is no real incentives.
its like working being imprisioned in a cell with no window
no travel cost or accomodations included.
they say Visa takes 3 months and it is done on purpose so you have to spend money from your own pocket..
PLease and i beg my following job hunters who seem to be interested in this so called opportunity of a life time to NOT GO AHEAD WITH IT.
if something sounds to good to be true then it probably isnt.
This review is written by an individual who has purchased the reviewed product/service and/or confirms being a paying customer of this company. Check our FAQ
Verified Buyer |This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer | Paris, Ile-De-FrancedeVere Group - Avoid at all costs
I was sold a product that is in now way suitable to my needs. I made clear from the outset that I di not understand the paperwork and was trusting the advise my advisor was giving, to me.
She even filled in the forms for me. It is more than clear in my written correspondance with Amanada Bloomfield that I wanted a short term low cost investment, and find myself locked into a high cost investment for 10 years. I have started a complaints procedure, I was initally just told that I had fillen in the forms so that was that. I am awaiting a reply to my second email before contacting the omdudsmun.
I see from the comments I am not the only one with this same problem. Maybe time to act deVere
- Advisor is dangerously bad and no support frm the company
take my money out and refund high costs
Devere Shanghai- mis-informed, ignored, lied to
Devere Shanghai =bad bad bad.
Summary- my wife and I were told our policy had flexibility (i.e.- withdraw funds up to 50% of net worth at any time in ten working days) when in fact the policy Devere Shanghai sold us has no flexibility. Fees? Exorbitant! 2400 USD per year! Not in writing or in any literature.
You thinking about using Devere as your broker for FPI? Get every detail you can possibly think of in writing. Read on for our sob story and beware Devere Shanghai. They are sales-man. They are NOT financial advisors, not friends, and in my opinion, not to be trusted.
---
My wife and I opened a ‘retirement / college’ fund account in 2012 through DeVere in Shanghai, China. One of the good points of the product our broker recommended to us was it’s ‘flexibility’, according to our Shanghai Devere broker. "At any time (after the initial 18 month start-up period) you can withdraw up to 50% of the funds in the account for any reason and receive the funds within 10 working days." He knew that was a sales-closer for us. My wife and I wanted that flexibility. He said it did. We signed. 18 months went by.
We had an emergency in the family and needed to withdraw some funds. We contacted our broker at DeVere Shanghai multiple times via email and phone, even had him over for dinner twice and explained that we needed to withdraw 10,000 USD of our holdings (less 50%). We were ignored. After 2 months, we finally were able to set up an appointment at the DeVere office in Shanghai. We met with our broker at which time he asked us ‘why’ we wanted to do withdraw funds (like it’s any of his bloody business), and that we ‘shouldn’t’ withdraw funds as this product wasn’t made for this type of flexibility. In the end he agreed to let us withdraw a paltry 5% of our policy’s net-worth. We were shocked and frustrated. We decided to go with this investment because we were directly told in no uncertain terms that we could pull funds up to 50% at any time after the initial 18 months. We knew that we would need to do this for our girls’ college education expenses and of course in cases of emergencies. We felt comfortable investing our money knowing that we had access to some of our money throughout the life of the product for these two reasons (college tuition and emergencies). We even spent time working out a tiered plan with our broker (i.e.- in 5 years, withdraw to pay tuition, in ten years, withdraw to pay tuition, etc…). This plan along with the figure we wanted as a final goal for retirement was what determined how much we would contribute every month.
A total farce.
We asked DeVere how much we were being charged for their services. It took our broker 6 weeks to provide us with an arbitrary verbally spoken (un-written) answer- "about 2400.00 USD" for the first 18 months, and similar charges annually no matter how small a monthly deposit might be for the length of the investment (which is different from what we were told by our broker initially which was that "the charge after the first 18 months would be $120 annually". Those charges never appeared in a statement or on our credit card that we used for payment. They just pulled it from our ‘funds’, is how our broker phrased it. "You’ll never see it," he said. "It’s built in." When pressed, the arbitrary figure popped up. They cannot show us how they got it and won’t put it in writing.
Again, we were shocked. NONE of this is mentioned in our agreement or the policy paperwork that we were given and signed off on. We asked our broker at DeVere Shanghai for an itemized list of annual service fees and any other ‘charges’. To this day they have not provided us with one. In the end, DeVere Shanghai gave us verbal, un-documented, arbitrary amounts. I’ve gotten a very clear feeling that they have no clue or more than likely simply do not want anyone to know. They hide their service fees as much as they can. They are NOT transparent with their fees. DeVere has never showed us ‘how’ they came up with their figures. Nothing is in writing. No receipt. No itemized charges. Magical figures pulled from the air. Not acceptable.
We asked to close the account. DeVere Shanghai told us that we would surrender almost all of our savings and the majority of our earnings if we were to do so. It took them 5 weeks to figure that out and get back to us. Again, none of this is in writing in our policy. Nowhere does it state in the policy given to us by DeVere, or the Friend’s Provident literature, that in closing the account we would forfeit our entire investment and savings. No-where. Those words do NOT exist in any paper work provided.
Of course we don’t want to lose our savings. We asked if we could stop payment for a time. The broker said that that could be arranged. They would contact us. They have not contacted us but, as of now, Devere has not charged us for the month of March or April 2014 but again, nothing is in writing. We have requested a document from DeVere stating that we requested a ‘holiday’ from payment but again we have been ignored. Nothing is signed. Nothing is in writing for this and we fear other charges or financial repercussions.
I wrote Friend’s Provident in London and asked for answers to the questions below.
In a nutshell our experience with Devere in Shanghai has been horrible. The *** is the guy who sold us this product walks around our school as a community volunteer, rubbing shoulders with others trying to groom future sales. I want to stand up and shout his name but I am not doing that. Why slander his name when it won’t accomplish anything? At this point it's a 'he said vs. he said' situation. Best thing is, dear reader, if you regard my complaint with any seriousness to simply avoid Devere Shanghai completely. Then maybe management will deal with their own weaknesses in their own ways as they see a loss of sales.
We are in communications with FPI in London trying to sever Devere from our product. At least in that regards we don’t have to pay Devere a penny for services un-rendered.
Avoid Devere Shanghai. If this is the best they can do then they deserve absolutely no business from anyone.
We requested the following from FPI in London. We are in the midst of determining how to self-manage our FPI account. Blessings to those willing to read through my long-winded diatribe.
- Complete breakdown of fees and annual charges of our investment. We want to know that if we have ‘X’ amount in our portfolio, then what is the ‘Y’ amount that Friends’ or a broker will charge per year.o Decreased pay-in: what is the procedure? What are the changes in annual fees? o Increased pay-in: How to increase our monthly contribution or add a lump-sum contribution? Procedure? Costs? Changes in annual fees?o Hiatus- are there options to take a holiday from payments? What are those details? What are the changes in annual fees? Can we get something in writing?
- Self managed vs. managed. o Self managed? • What are the practical functions we have to self manage our investment, such as a change of Funds, decrease or increase monthly pay-in, and funds- withdrawal? • What are the differences in annual charges between self-managed or broker-managed? • What are the costs to any changes we make through self-management?- Flexibility options- details on withdrawing funds.o How much? Include both minimum and maximum amounts.o When? Time period(s) withdrawals can be made.o Time from a request to seeing the money in our personal bank account?o How to withdraw? Procedure?o Complete costs, if any, associated with withdrawals.
Devere Wolfs of international investment Scams
Devere are the 'Wolfs of international investments scams'. You saw the movie Wolf of Wall St?
This is DeVere Group & most of their associated companies like PIC, DeVere & Partners. They run their opperation like a well run boiler room scam. Great glossy website, nice brochures, global coverage. There are only a handful of people (if that) in each Devere office that have been with Devere over 3+ years & have any creditable financial qualifications. For the majority it's like a revolving door with 3, 6 & 9 months being pivotal moments. Most of the Devere staff will tell you out & out lies about their financial qualifications & work history to make themselves LOOK CREDIBLE. They lean a 4 page script back tonfront which is designed to emotionally break you down into handing over 50+ % of you international expat wage package. The retirement plan that you need to save so hard for, they will tell you all the money can be taken out after 12-18 months (all lies).
If it's anything Devere then STAY WELL CLEAR!!
Devere are viewed as an international JOKE in the financial world. Some of their Managers have personally been locked up abroad for previously running boiler room scams (fact). These are the kind of people who work in their company so you can now see where all the ingrained lies come from.
Devere claim to have strategic relations with big American Banks (some of those just been fined millions of $'s for bad practice). This then gives an excuse to upfront charge you 4% to enter their 'unique invesments'. Reality is they take 10-12% for your investment, WHO DO YOU THINK PAYS FOR THAT?
Nigel Green part owns a Malta based QROPS trust which they lock your UK Pension into (READ THE SMALL PRINT). It might sound like min fees... Your money will then be invested into their own underperforming white labelled funds which are almost guaranteed to go backwards.
Devere write internet blogs about 'devere scams' in an attempt to deflect you from seeing the true extend of client/ex employee feedback which has worked its way on to the net.
deVere Group - The truth of DeVere Bangkok (ex employee)
I worked for Devere (financial 'co-ordinator'). Essentially the office consists of people from Skegness who used to work in 2nd hand car sales or something equally unqualified.
They promise you the world when you get a job with them. In reality you sit in an office full of arrogant *** and have to call companies claiming to be from 'expat magazine' or something equally as ridiculous in an attempt to source names to then cold call and pitch financial services products to. Names are either sourced this way or Via linked in. Either way you are given no training on products or services.
Simply pressured into 'selling' by under qualified managers. Toby Williams is one of the area managers, he screws expats over then uses the money to spend on projects like his latest - 'The mansion' bangkok nightclub. The others invest in 'Levels' on Soi 11. Invest with them if you wish, just remember the fees are ridiculous and the 'consultants' don't have a clue what they're talking about.
If you're *** enough to say yes then I wish you the best of luck, you're better off buying lottery tickets though.
I would advise you don't invest with them, and if you are tempted by a job offer from them, don't bother. Unless you're from skegness of course...
A BBC Panorama investigation into deVere's misselling
A BBC Panorama investigation into high commission and administration charges levied by one Nigel Green and the many companies he operates, one in particular which keeps getting negative worldwide publicity, deVere Group. Just google Devere scammers to see the truth about this shoddy outfit. Simon Pratt one of their recently resigned Directors is is hiding from the Hong Kong Tax authorities.
Spencer Lodge another disgraced Director who renagged on a charity ball bid to help Elton John's Aids Foundation. He is just about to embark on opening a international offshore brokerage up in Dubai of all places. As if Dubai didn't have enough already! DeVere currently have three offices fleecing expat's of their life savings.
These people should be on SFO most wanted list for crimes against hard working expat's. There are more names to be added to the list of international thieves of which there are many within the deVere Group.
Be warned, stay clear of the glossy deVere website, & smooth talking salesman who will give you a word perfect scripted meeting. All deVere meetings are scripted to carefully push you into an expensive front loaded retirement policy.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer | Sydney, New South WalesdeVere Group - New investor sold incredibly complex and inappropriate 25-year policy
Following on from the comments from Devere, I can confirm that this complaint was not originally raised in December 2021. I raised the matter to my adviser in April 2018, when he responded to one of my emails with the following excerpt "I have flagged you as having made a complaint, and the relevant team will now address your concerns." He also indicated that his manager was advised of the matter, was reviewing the correspondence and would respond.
I did not hear from either. Upon moving out of the UAE, I reduced my contributions significantly (to the minimum) and engaged a local financial adviser and tax adviser to assist me in understanding this Zurich insurance policy. It was only then that I fully understood that my fees had gone up exponentially when I agreed to increase contributions for a new initial period. It was only then that I understood that those increased fees would apply for the balance of the policy, even if I decreased my contributions.
This was never fully explained to me.As my circumstances changed (which should have been anticipated by my original adviser when I entered into a 25 year policy) it became clear that I was in the entirely wrong investment product. I asked my adviser to see if there was a way to agree with Zurich to decrease my term, but I was told there was no way, but I could pull out monies from the policy if I needed them. Yes, but I would have to to continue paying the fee (based on a contribution that was 14 TIMES more than the minimum I now paid).
My adviser has asked me to remove this review, but I will not do so until this matter is adequately resolved. Despite the view of Devere, this matter is no where near resolved.
When I lived in Dubai, I was sold a policy so complex that it took significant time for a senior financial advisor and tax consultant in Australia to sort out what fees I was actually paying. As a brand new investor, I should have been told about the complexity and the problems with such a long-term investment.
Even as a lawyer, I did not comprehend just how convoluted and tricky the investment was. For example, I was never told that my fees would multiply exponentially when I increased my contributions. I was just told about the bonus and that I had to pay for 18 months. I should have been told that if I decrease my contributions later, my fees would still be calculated at the higher rate.
Furthermore, I raised this with my financial advisor and asked for his boss to contact me and have been simply ignored. That was years ago. They received full commission long ago, so there seems no incentive to provide customer service or to actually deal with my complaint.
If you don't know all the right questions to ask, Devere advisors are definitely not going to make sure you ask the right questions. As an inexperienced investor I needed guidance and my Devere/Acuma advisors instead just took advantage.
Let the company propose a solution
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer | Johannesburg, GautengMarketing fees
I am extremely irate with having 1% pa deducted from my pension fund (8% in total), by STM / PLL. I have requested documentation to indicate that I was made aware of this at the time of account opening and yet to receive?
I have the account opening documents and this was not disclosed to me.
Please will you advise re regulator that I can approach re PLL and STM. I plan to also go to the SA regulator.
Full refund
Devere Group scam I went on the rip off course
I went on the course. Interview, Joined an office in Europe and then left sharpish. Here is why.
I went to the presentation for devere and I have to say Nigel Green was mega enthusiastic about devere. He did lay it on the line about it being commission only and hard work, but he also said that I would be guaranteed two appointments a day, a coordinator when I arrived at my office and 50K in the bank within 10 weeks. I almost believed him, which was naïve and ***.
Next I had an interview was with a guy who said he was the former coordinator for Nigel Green. He was a real *** and I was a bit miffed as I had travelled a long way to Birmingham for what was in essence a 10 minute chat and a *** aptitude test for 10 yr olds, he was really only interested in whether I had the money to fund myself while abroad and that I was breathing.
Next I went on the course. It was mainly based on learning a sales pitch. I was stunned at the lack of financial training given. It was just a comedy sales course about learning a sales pitch to lead a customer into saying "˜yes' .
It would be almost impossible to fail the course. My trainer gave everyone the answers to the final day tests. The trainer on my last day sat down and he called the manager of my office and confirmed I had passed the course and that I would have a coordinator on arrival.
I started as an IFA not a coordinator. I arrived at my office a couple of weeks later. There were terrible morale issues from the start. Staff were coming and going all over the show, arguing and shouting. There was unbelievable racial abuse towards one black and one asian coordinator by the managers. I was told on the training course I would get help with finding accommodation but when I arrived I was simply chucked a couple of rental website links and told to get on with it. Contrary to what I was told at the presentation, interview and by the trainers, I was told by my office manager I would only get a coordinator after a couple of months and in the meantime, I was handed a list of 100 or so people to cold call and get some appointments for myself. After I had spent the 100 names I was to then find my own clients and was offered no help from anyone apart from some sympathy from some of the other guys in the same boat.
I was told by my manager that I would have to contribute towards office costs which I had no idea about before I arrived. I was told that the training course was free but my manager told me that I had to pay an additional 5% of my commission away on my first few deals to pay for the cost of the course and hotel. Most of the guys in the office said you would only get support once you started earning. It wasn't a good atmosphere. Most just felt they had been sold up the river and everyone was backstabbing everyone else. Some of us newbies would go to the pub after work and laugh about how we were tricked, honestly, you couldn't make it up.
I left devere within a short period because of all the deceit. Ok, all companies make things look a little brighter to get you on board but devere are n a different league and I had a problem working for a company that was happily willing to deceived me from the very beginning starting with the MD in that presentation. This might be the problem; the deceit comes from the top down. This isn't a company you can trust.
The final straw was watching as the manager and a so-called IFA laughed came back from an appointment having taken some guy for 10K in commission for a plan he didn't need and (as they pointed out with more laughs) was underperforming anyway. I didn't think there were really people like that but devere had plenty of them.
Now don't get me wrong, there were one or two guys in that office earning good money but in all honestly, even they agreed with me that within devere there was a culture of lies and deception and you had to put your conscience away in a locked room because you were taking clients for a commission rollercoaster ride. Most people were struggling big time and some had some frightening financial problems spending lots but not earning. Remember devere give you nothing, you pay for everything and some people didn't want to let go because they kept thinking the next deal was just around the corner. I met one guy who had spent near 15K chasing his illusive next sale! During my short spell 7 IFAs left and 6 coordinators walked all broke.
I spent about 3K on my trip and didn't make a bean. I had already decided it was gambling money, set my limit and I was prepared to lose it if it went wrong. I blame myself more than anything for not questioning some of the info I was given which always sounded a bit iffy. The trouble is you are blinded by the thought of earning all that money and it distorts your reasoning, but as one of the guys said to me "If you don't believe anything you are told, then you wont be disappointed'.
My advice for what it is worth is that for a chosen few it will be a risk worth taking but proceed with extreme caution and only do this if you have money you are willing and prepared to lose if it doesn't work out. Whether you make it or not, this isn't your average IFA business in fact it's not an IFA business it's just a sales outfit in IFA clothes. If you think you are walking into a professional IFA company, think again, it's just a direct sales company selling financial products that are poor performing and high paying in commission. Remember the products they sell abroad are banned in the UK. Ask yourself why.
So if you do go for it you have a 10% chance of making money and 90% chance of going broke but if you do want to make it, be sure you leave your morale's at home because you won't need them at devere
Provide as much information as possible, you will not be able to edit your review but you will be allowed to add on to it if you create an account during the submission process.
Devere Stole My Pension
I wish I could have found this site before letting those lying cheating *** anywhere near my pension. I have since found out that I was fed a pack of lies by the Devere salesman.
I have seen my pension plummet in value because it's been put in investments that Nigel Green has a hand. To top that off they've put my pension in Nigel Green s Malta company STM where I will be liable to pay considerable tax when I start taking my benefits, this is because the country I am retiring to doesn't have a double taxation agreement with Malta.
This and many other important things I have since found out, the salesman forgot to mention.
Take my advice for what it's worth-do not entertain anyone from that dreadful company, they just tell you what they think you want to hear-period.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerDeVere Group Zimbabwe should be ashamed of themselves. Con artists who broker products and manipulate the client for their self gain. Their end game is bases on commission's
deVere Group Zimbabwe is unscrupulous. Their existence and purpose is to conn their clients into thinking that they are guiding you into financial security!
You will be financially ruined and dare you try sort this out you will be given a generic standard response.
Dare you continue in your pursuit for the truth you will be contacted by lawyers representing devere with threats and accusations of defamation of character. lawyers with threats
Everything back including the 48 months of my life and an apology for their despicable attitude
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer | This person supports our platform.
Get a badge ›
Resolved: deVere Group - Attempting to Withdraw Funds
About 2 days after posting I received emails and a couple of phone calls and the matter was resolved in a few days. The main issue for me really was the lack of follow-up from Devere with their provider and the lack of response to my emails..
A few years ago I invested into an auto-callable fund on the investment platform. Its only a small investment worth $74,000 and it has now matured, and for 2 months Ive been trying to withdraw the funds.
Before they could refund they wanted tax status information and then employment information prior to my retirement. Ive supplied that information and then was asked for the source of funds. I replied about a month ago and supplied my pension fund statement together with details of other investments.
Since that time Ive written repeatedly asking what further information they require as their website still shows waiting for proof of funds, but Im no longer receiving responses to my emails, from the platform help desk or my financial advisor.
I find it a bit odd as Ive used Devere in previous years without issue, but Im now at a complete loss as to what to do. strhould ask that when making the investment.
Deliver product or service ordered
deVere Group - Devere tactics akin to Boiler Room Scams
A Boiler Room Scam is a type of malicious business activity where a "˜company' uses high-pressure sales techniques to sell "˜sure thing' investments with the promise of massive returns, (sounds just like a company we all know).
A Boiler Room Scam can look and sound totally legitimate, as they typically mention companies that one can easily relate to. They also provide their UK address or telephone number, and a professional-looking website is a must.
They are also usually notoriously persistent, and can even chase a victim for months in the hope of a sale. What they will be selling is predominately very costly FRONT END policies in often quoted companies.
Boiler Room Scam operators generally cold-call their targets, (sound familiar) using phone numbers from publicly available shareholder lists or LinkedIn. Since it is against the law for investors to cold-call in the UK, they tend to be based abroad (this is where devere are so active abroad), where they are beyond the jurisdiction of the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
Quite simply, they will approach anyone, anywhere at anytime.
The deVere Group conducts their business in similar fashion to above mentioned, they will continue to make sure that all the deVere clients are well & truly stitched up so they have no surplus money to invest with any other company.
As a general rule, remember that if an opportunity sounds too good to be true, then it almost certainly is.
If you think you may have been targeted by said company, you should contact the FSA (immediately),contact centre on +44(0) 84* 606 *234. You may also find more information about Boiler Rooms Scams on the FSA website www.fsa.gov.uk. There are many other reliable search engines (goggle) this shows different countries they've been thrown out of for operating without proper licences, no work permits etc. Complaints are rampant.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerThe worst investment decision of my life.
The worst investment decision of my life. The 2021 Stockmarket is at record high's and a 16yrs (based on their advice) old invest through Devere Indonesia the investment is at 40% of its initial value.
Is it high management fee's or bad advice? I will never know because they do not give you statements and it is very difficult for them to return correspondence. Once your money is there you will not get any management or correspondence. I am now jumping through hoops (5+ months) as they shift my file to and from office's around Asia, to retrieve a savings fund for my son education.
He is now close to graduation. So the idea of the fund was a joke. I am still wondering if I will see my money.
Devere has cost me more time and money... Stay away.
Deliver product or service ordered
Thank You for Your Reply! We are processing your message.
Your comment is successfully posted.
The real crooks are friends provident international Generali Hansard RL 360 Quilter Utmost A special place in *** for these directors they k ow full well what goes on and I’ve watched this for 40 years !!! Nothing changes