Unauthorised use of ESMA’s identity and logo

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has been informed that its identity and logo have been used in communications targeting company employees in order to request the transfer of company money.

In addition, ESMA has been informed that attempts were made to use the name of a senior member of ESMA staff also for the purpose of fraudulent scams targeting a savings bank and a listed issuer.

Please note that all references to ESMA or any ESMA employees in these communications, which do not originate from ESMA, are entirely false and have been made without ESMA’s knowledge or consent.

In order to protect yourself against these unauthorised communications, ESMA advises you:

• To check whether the e-mail received is genuine;
• To inform your superior in case of suspicious e-mails;
• To contact ESMA if any suspicion arises;
• To contact the police;

Be aware that fraudsters might use ESMA’s name, logo or the name of an ESMA staff member, a bogus website which appears to be that of ESMA, and/or make bogus references to people said to work in ESMA. Be aware of the following when making your checks:

• ESMA is a European Supervisory Authority established by a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council;
• ESMA is based in Paris, France and has no affiliates or branch offices elsewhere;
• ESMA’s emails end with the address @esma.europa.eu;
• ESMA’s telephone number begins with the prefix +33 for France, no other prefix is valid;
• ESMA’s official website can be found at www.esma.europa.eu

The purpose of this document is to promote common supervisory approaches and practices in the application of MAR and its implementing measures. It does this by providing responses to questions posed by the general public and competent authorities in relation to the practical application of the MAR framework

The content of this document is aimed at competent authorities to ensure that in their supervisory activities and their actions are converging along the lines of the responses adopted by ESMA and at helping issuers, investors and other market participants by providing clarity on the content of the market abuse rules, rather than creating an extra layer of requirements.