According to the FCA, these eight 8 firms appear to have connections to each other. None of the firms has ever been permitted to provide regulated investment services, but consumers may have invested substantial sums with at least 2 of the firms. The firms failed to respond to the regulator, who believed that they posed a significant risk to consumers. FCA took action to prevent these firms from causing further harm to consumers and to freeze any assets for the benefit of anyone owed money by the firms.