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Is convicted ex accountant Darren Upton practicing?

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  • BrilloPad
    replied
    Originally posted by Darren at Fox-Bartfield View Post
    Very true about the awards. I’m back from holiday next week and sending across to Admin copies of my photo ID when get back. As for reasons leaving Dynamo as previously posted, I’ve known the tax partner in the main practice for over 25 years having trained together so the guys there have know me for many years. Left because of the level of partnership offer received from them and differences in vision, plus the Bartfields opportunity being too good to turn down in light of the above offer.
    Does this mean Dynamo knew of his history if he knew the tax partner for 25 years?

    With thanks to my mate "IHaveAnIphoneX-YouHaveASamsung-ImSorryToHearThat" for pointing this out to me. And he is still wondering what other Dynamo clients will do.....

    Leave a comment:


  • quackhandle
    replied
    Thread of the year, well done to all in outing the swindler.

    qh with a golf clap. ?

    Leave a comment:


  • Fred Bloggs
    replied
    Originally posted by WordIsBond View Post
    FTFY.

    As to the first, if they were up-front about it, and explained what controls they had in place to protect clients, I'd have been fine with that. Second chance and all that. Better that he work than be on benefits, and I'm not opposed to helping with that.

    As to the second, if they made a mistake and have thoroughly reviewed to make sure there's been no fraud, and taken steps to make sure it never happened again, I'd probably be fine with that, too. Again, second chance, this time for them.

    That's not what happened, though.
    I think most folks would take the pragmatic, rather charitable view too. But I think one of the quite telling things that seems to be emerging is that, just like a leopard can't change it's spots, Upton/Roberts can't change his demeanour. I rather think that given the choice of telling the truth and being humble or taking a chance and hoping to get away with it - I think every single time, Upton/Roberts will take the second choice. I really suspect he just can't help himself.

    Leave a comment:


  • Invisiblehand
    replied
    Originally posted by BrilloPad View Post
    I have a friend(well okay someone I work with) who is with Dynamo and watching this thread very carefully to see who jumps ship.
    We'll never know I guess. Just like I assume the majority of Dynamo / FB clients will probably never know who Darren really was.

    FYI Hentons have deleted the tweet which pictured Darren.

    Leave a comment:


  • BrilloPad
    replied
    I have a friend(well okay someone I work with) who is with Dynamo and watching this thread very carefully to see who jumps ship.

    Leave a comment:


  • WordIsBond
    replied
    Originally posted by pr1 View Post
    It's just my opinion, but Dynamo and FB either knew they were working with a convicted fraudster AND DIDN'T DISCLOSE IT, or they didn't know they were working with a convicted fraudster AND NOW THAT THEY KNOW THEY AREN'T COMING CLEAN.

    Either of the above would be enough for me to take my business elsewhere, yes the next place may also be working with a convicted fraudster but I don't know they are.
    FTFY.

    As to the first, if they were up-front about it, and explained what controls they had in place to protect clients, I'd have been fine with that. Second chance and all that. Better that he work than be on benefits, and I'm not opposed to helping with that.

    As to the second, if they made a mistake and have thoroughly reviewed to make sure there's been no fraud, and taken steps to make sure it never happened again, I'd probably be fine with that, too. Again, second chance, this time for them.

    That's not what happened, though.

    Leave a comment:


  • pr1
    replied
    Originally posted by DeludedKitten View Post
    How do you know that any of these plethora are who they say they are?

    For years, posters on this forum (and others) have argued that there is no need to have a local accountant because you never need to see them, you never meet your accountant, and as long as they are on the end of the phone or on an email then it is unimportant about where they are based.

    Assuming that the main part of this thread is accurate (and I think it is), then the advice that it doesn't matter becomes poor. I used to have a local accountant who was good (but expensive) - I could meet up with them (and I did), they were on the end of the phone, I could email them. I had a dedicated accountant and I would see him periodically during the year. I then moved to an online accountant, based on the advice of people here and the posts that the accountant made - I trusted them, I had confidence in them, but I never met them and wouldn't be able to pick them out of a lineup if I needed to. After that, I moved to Dynamo with Darren for much the same reason - he gave good advice, he was personable, he seemed trustworthy, but again I never met him and wouldn't (until recently) have any idea what he looked like or be able to identify him.

    There are a plethora of alternative accountants in the same price bracket, but whether I trust (m)any of them is the question that I'm struggling with.

    At the moment, it's looking more likely than not that it will be DIY from here - at least then I know who is pressing the button in FreeAgent.
    It's just my opinion, but Dynamo and FB either knew they were working with a convicted fraudster, or they didn't know they were working with a convicted fraudster

    Either of the above would be enough for me to take my business elsewhere, yes the next place may also be working with a convicted fraudster but I don't know they are.

    Checking whether your assigned accountant has a cartoon picture on linkedin would be a nice quick first step that everyone could do!

    Leave a comment:


  • DeludedKitten
    replied
    Originally posted by pr1 View Post
    Given the plethora of alternative accountants in the same price bracket I'd say it's pretty easy
    How do you know that any of these plethora are who they say they are?

    For years, posters on this forum (and others) have argued that there is no need to have a local accountant because you never need to see them, you never meet your accountant, and as long as they are on the end of the phone or on an email then it is unimportant about where they are based.

    Assuming that the main part of this thread is accurate (and I think it is), then the advice that it doesn't matter becomes poor. I used to have a local accountant who was good (but expensive) - I could meet up with them (and I did), they were on the end of the phone, I could email them. I had a dedicated accountant and I would see him periodically during the year. I then moved to an online accountant, based on the advice of people here and the posts that the accountant made - I trusted them, I had confidence in them, but I never met them and wouldn't be able to pick them out of a lineup if I needed to. After that, I moved to Dynamo with Darren for much the same reason - he gave good advice, he was personable, he seemed trustworthy, but again I never met him and wouldn't (until recently) have any idea what he looked like or be able to identify him.

    There are a plethora of alternative accountants in the same price bracket, but whether I trust (m)any of them is the question that I'm struggling with.

    At the moment, it's looking more likely than not that it will be DIY from here - at least then I know who is pressing the button in FreeAgent.

    Leave a comment:


  • pr1
    replied
    Originally posted by malvolio View Post
    It's a personal decision. Do you trust your business to a company that seems to have dropped a clanger with their due diligence or a company that appears to have colluded in helping a known fraudster? Or do you stay with companies who are brave enough to give a time-served fraudster a second chance? If the companies do not have access to your money and you are careful about where you send money yourself, is there actually any risk?

    Not easy, is it...
    Given the plethora of alternative accountants in the same price bracket I'd say it's pretty easy

    Leave a comment:


  • malvolio
    replied
    Originally posted by moggy View Post
    Having just read the previous thread from 2010 and seeing a few people giving advice to contractors telling them get out and take your accounts elsewhere as it sounded risky.. i wonder if there was any of those that ignored that advice as the service had always been great.. but then went on to regret it..
    It's a personal decision. Do you trust your business to a company that seems to have dropped a clanger with their due diligence or a company that appears to have colluded in helping a known fraudster? Or do you stay with companies who are brave enough to give a time-served fraudster a second chance? If the companies do not have access to your money and you are careful about where you send money yourself, is there actually any risk?

    Not easy, is it...

    Leave a comment:

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