Police have raided four homes and businesses as part of an investigation into “poorly-run pension schemes suspected of links to cold-calling”.

A joint operation between The Pensions Regulator and the police’s North East Regional Special Operations Unit involved search warrants being executed at four properties in Newcastle, Sunderland and West Bridgford, near Nottingham.

TPR teams also inspected one business in the North East in connection with the investigation, before serving a section 72 notice requiring information from that business under the Pensions Act.

One man and one woman have been interviewed by police under caution on suspicion of Fraud Act offences. A second man has been arrested and questioned by police on suspicion of fraud. He has been released while the investigation continues.

The details were revealed by TPR this morning, following searches that were carried out on 11 January.

TPR said it was “concerned that pension holders have been phoned and persuaded to transfer their funds into poorly-run schemes with the promise of higher returns and cash incentives upfront”.

Mike Birch, TPR’s director of case management, said: “Cold-calling pension holders isn’t illegal yet, but no reputable business does it.

“We would urge anyone to contact Action Fraud if they are phoned and offered the chance to transfer their pension.
“Our message is simple – a cold-call about your pension is an attempt to steal your savings.”

As part of the same investigation, TPR has also appointed an independent trustee to run the Alderley Wealth Management pension scheme over concerns about the management of more than £3 million of funds.

A TPR statement read: “There is evidence that some members requested their funds to be invested in low-risk UK based investments. Instead funds were placed in high-risk and illiquid investments overseas. Payments are suspected to have been made to introducers – some of whom TPR believes had used cold-calling to target pension holders.”