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I was a broker at Spyker and only worked there for a short time, about a week... a week too long at that... However, in that short time frame that I worked there, all I saw were people that are out to take advantage of the elderly and do nothing but use preditory practices toward clients for their own personal gains in addition to treating the people that work for them like complete crap which was why I left in the first place.
The owner Lou Alamera/ Ferrara (spelling might be slightly off) has no clue or financial background to be running a precious metals firm. This guy has a history of taking people for their money and that's just not someone I'd like to work for. Which is also why this guy runs under two different names to try and hide what has happend in the past... They also have this guy called Mike Galigano who is the firms loader.
This guy is a basket case straight out of the movies with the way he speaks and acts and is truely a wannabe gangster who is extremely abusive to the clients once the company/firm has your money and there is not much you can do at that point but take his lashing in fear of losing your investment.
In all my years as a precious metals broker I've never heard anyone speak to another human being as this guy does... I assure you, for those who have never experienced this sort of verbal abuse, it is jaw dropping and completely unprofessional.
There was only one guy out of that firm that was actually worth a damn trying to do good for the clients and the brokers... That was the vice president Mickey Fisher (spelling on last name might be slightly off) all the rest of management were all boiler room antics.
I feel very sorry for whomever gets involved with this firm... BE IT ON A BROKER LEVEL OR AN INVESTOR LEVEL watch out!... Brokers if you ever wanted to be treated like a nobody, Spyker is the place for you... Clients if you ever want to lose your money Spyker can help you with that as well... You have better odds to actually profit from gambling playing craps in Las Vegas then giving these guys your hard earned money!
BEWARE: IF YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR MONEY DO NOT INVEST WITH THESE SCAMMER'S OR THIS COMPANY!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Hi, I'm a producer with CNBC working on a story about Spyker and related precious metals firms. If you are a former investor or employee of Spyker, please send me a personal message. I am conducting research at this time and may be lining up on-camera interviews to occur in May 2012. Your insights will be kept confidential unless you decide to appear on camera. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.
It is now interesting that Spyker is now caught up in the bankruptcy of one of their clearing firms, Certified Inc. United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, Case # 09-33115-BKC-RAM, filled on October 26th 2009. Spyker is named as one of the top 20 Creditors in the amount of$753, 619.20. So Much for their DUE DILIGENCE RE Clearing Firms. It is also interesting to note that Spyker’s Website discloses thet they are using a clearing firm “WORLD CLEARING” with address in London England. I have had a chance to see if this firm is registered with the British Government. —They ARE NOT! I have checked to see if they are registered with the FSA in England, a requirement for all financial institutions, —-THEY ARE NOT! I have also had someone go to visiot their offices on Throgmorton St. Guess what? –IT WAS NOT THERE! Is this not misrepresentation.
I'm a retired CTA who was licensed and regulated by the CFTC. I owned a firm in New York. There were NO complaints nor actions against me of any type or nature during all my years in the biz from the CFTC nor were there ANY arbitrations against me, although I commenced one arbitration which I won. I do not know any of the principals of Spyker above named, I've never been affiliated with them nor have I ever been a client of theirs.
What I do know and understand is human nature. An unsworn accusation from a phantom accuser should be ignored, period, full stop, end of story.
By his own admission, the poster above left because he felt he was treated like "crap". He then goes on to make BARE allegations of predatory business practices, but doesn't know how to spell "predatory" nor even how to use spell check. He also claims to somehow know the age of clients or prospective clients on the other end of someone else's phone call! But he doesn't claim he left because of the practices he didn't agree with, only that he didn't like the way he was treated! Take this boy with a huge grain of salt.
He got barked at - it's part of the biz, I witnessed more than one fist fight on the floor of the CBOT, where I had a seat years ago - he got barked at and didn't dig it, so like a little boy he ran and made up a story to get even, that's all that happened. It is impossible for him to have discerned and verified the bare allegations he makes in the space of one week's time - the one and only week he was there.
Consider the source. If he was concerned about the elderly and/or "predatory" business practices, has he contacted any regulatory authority about his concerns? The answer is no, because if he had, he would have said so in his anonymous blog entry. He doesn't give a rat's ### about anyone in the world except himself. Someone yelled at him and his feelings were hurt! Little boys like that have to be ignored.
Full disclosure, although I've been retired now almost four years, I may be meeting with this firm next week as I'm itching to get back into the biz, and that's the only reason I'm not putting my full name here, otherwise I, unlike the poster, have nothing from which to hide.
Just for laughs, I'm signing off with a pic of my crew, The Rat Pack! They never would've tolerated the little boy.
All the best.
By the way, am I the only one who noticed that all the the people who "independently" left comments regarding this situation, all created accounts on this site after the initial complaint came out and havent commented on any thing else on this forum?
I think all potential clients and broker should take Mr. Fisher's advice and take time for due diligence. Go on the BBB website.
http://www.seflorida.bbb.org/Business-Report/Spyker-Consulting-92018001
As you'll see Spyker has a D+ rating. Hardy acceptable as someone I would want to invest my hard earned money with. I had a experience where I lost quite a bit of money when the "regulated' clearing firm, Certified went bankrupt. Lou, apparantly the top officer with Spyker, assured me his attorneys would do all they could to make sure I got my money back, but I have not even recieved a return call from them.
I hope you take the time to do your research before you get involved with these people. It was a mistake that regretably cost me more then I could have afforded to lose.
I work at Spyker. My name is Rosemary. I have a commodities licence and an compliance officer background. I am proud to work for spyker and if anyone wishes to reach me they can call me at [protected] ext 6011. Our company is under attack from former employees who have moved to another company and are under a cease and desist order from a judge to immediatly stop attempting to steal our Client Base and smear our name. The proper autorities are tracing these blog entrys and they will indeed have to pay, on several levels, for doing this to us. It has indeed hurt our business. If you are a potential client, or the Financial advisor for one please contact our office and you will be provided with the proper instructions to perform your due deligence. Google is not the answer. If you wish, have your attorney contact our compliance department and any and all questions or concerns will immediatly be addressed in the proper fashion. As you can see, all negative entries about us are unsigned. This blogging nonsense is also used by our competitors. I have not added my last name because I am in the phone book, have lived in the neighborhood for 24 years, and I wish to protect my Families privacy. If you are indeed a potential client, It will be my pleasure to assist you in obtaining any and all background information on myself or my firm in order for you to make an informed decision as to whether or not Precious Metals is suited to your portfolio, risk tolerance, long and short term goals. and if you share in our approach to the Precious Metals Markets. Please visit our web site, www.spykermetals.com and truly go through it with a fine tooth comb. All information is completely accurate and we stand behind it 100%. We at Spyker Consulting wish you and your Family a most Healthy and Happy Holiday Season. Rosemary S.
This guy is obviously a disgruntled ex-employee. I have had only positive experiences with Spyker as a client. They do what they say they will do and I can ask of nothing less from the people I choose to invest my money with.
Hello Everyone, My name is Mickey Fisher I am the Regional Vice President for Spyker Consulting. I was just notified of this recent complaint and feel the need to respond to it. The things that are written above (although they were not directed at me) are simply untrue and very damaging to my company. To everyone reading this, please do not judge our firm based on false statements from ex-employees that have a vendetta from being fired or let go for lack of skill or production. The best way to get factual information is to contact the BBB or any goverment agency, they will give you the correct information, as opposed to the above. We here at Spyker are a stand up company and will always do everything in our power to make sure our clients get the best, and I mean the best quality and attention from all our brokers. Please do not pay attention to these wild allegations.