Sunday, September 21, 2008

Sad experience of a Minibond investor

Hi, Mr Tan
I have just started reading your blogs and find them very useful. I regretted not reading your blogs earlier.

I am also one of the unfortunate 'victims' in the Lehman Brothers case. I have bought some Mini Bond Series 6 from X last year. I did not know that my principal amount is not protected. I am actually quite careful with my money. I have always placed whatever money I have in the local banks' Fixed Deposits. This is the first time I bought a Mini bond and I may not have understood completely the nature of the Bond and that there are heavy risks involved. If I had known that, I will not have invested my hard earned money there.

I read your blog this morning and think your suggestion that more people like us should get together to lodge a complaint. I wonder will you be able to help us get in touch with common 'victim', maybe create a platform so that we can work together to 'fight' this battle, to get our hard earned savings back?

I just spoke to CASE and the officer was helpful to provide me this contact number to call for advice: FIDREC: tel: 6327 8878. I have just spoken to the officer in FIDREC and she advised me to lodge a formal complaint to X, with proofs of my allegations. I will have to go home and check out any documentary proofs before I can do that. I think it may be difficult because it could have been verbal only.

REPLY
I have spoken to a lawyer and see if they are able to take up a case on behalf of the investors who were misled into investing in these products.

My wish is that MAS will take action on behalf of the investors, to see if the financial institutions had failed in their duty to ensure that the products are suitable for the investors.