From: "John Smith" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: Serious bank...?
Date: Mon, 24 May 2004 14:22:15 +0000 (UTC)

"Pascal Meister"  wrote in message
news:c8smhl$vu$1@newshispeed.ch...
> A business partner is considering to open an account at
> http://www.smb-corp.com - is this a serious bank?
>
> I have not found the "Standard Mercantile Bank" in any banking directory,
> neither with http://www.google.com.
>
> Has anyone got the possibility to provide some neutral information?
>
> Thanks a lot!
>
> Greetings from Switzerland
>
> Pascal
>

Pascal,

Run (don't walk) away from this one ! The address is shared with an
Accountants and Driving Test Centre.........

One thing to bear in mind is that most financial institutions in the UK
(certainly banks) have to register with the Financial Services Authority,
and they have a register to check firms with at
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/ . Unsurprisingly, it's not on there !

Why don't you try something like Royal Bank of Scotland
(http://www.rbs.co.uk) or Halifax Bank of Scotland (http://www.hbos.co.uk)
instead.

J.