Someone I talk to quite frequently online claims to be a successful investment banker with a multi-million pound property portfolio and who earns hundreds of thousands per annum (who also happens to live in a flat above a betting shop)

[socialmedia23]

My gut instinct is that truly rich people would never boast about their 'multi-million pound' property portfolio online or that it would be so easy to find out where they live. He literally shared a video of his new home plus location (Camden), plus its quite easy to search on companies house). Plus when you look at his linkedin, he seems to be doing sales/marketing rather than investment banking.

In fact his latest comment to someone who posted is ''i'm working on several long term projects with my current employer that if I manage to pull it off, within the next 5-8 years, I expect to earn an 8-figure sum for my role in brokering this deal and the first figure won't be a 1. I know life is grim and tough, that's why I'm so busy making more money rather than bitching about how the NHS isn't good enough. I'm off to Dubai to negotiate some deals in November, I'm flying business and being put up in one of those ludicrously expensive hotels in Dubai that's totally over the top. I make sure I take care of myself by being rich, I suggest you try that too since you're just as aware as I am for the need to become rich.'

I know it should bother me less but he is honestly quite rude about people less fortunate than him and frankly quite boastful. There are times when he boasts about he lives in a luxurious house and people who are familiar with the london property market have pointed out that flat above betting shop isn't really considered a 'luxury home'; not that there is anything wrong with such; its just not somewhere you tend to imagine multi-millionaires living in even in London as its a far cry from penthouse apartment in Kensington (which is what i imagine multi-millionaires would opt for if they prefer apartment living). However, he keeps insisting that he is so incredibly rich. I know that a lot of mumsnetters probably do invent fantasy lives but why does he do it AND also share his real life identity so people with some Googling skills can see through it. I am guessing if he wants to keep his privacy, he wouldn't share his real life name and photos of himself and vlogs! And if his life is real, well does it sound really likely to you?

I am not sure why it bothers me, but I guess its because I have engaged with him and i can see the inconsistencies; so the thoughts don't go away? Plus I guess he assumes when I point out the inconsistencies that I must have a 'working class mindset' and I must be poor, so i guess him being insulting is getting to me (even though it shouldn't!)

Oh and he isn't a troll, i am quite sure of that.

It did sound weird... I mean his flat above shop cost him £700k. It is more expensive than my flat and around £100k more expensive than the flat I hope to upsize to (but I am 15 years younger) so I wouldn't dare say it's cheap. But yet it's not a place I imagine a rich person to live in...

Sounds like bollocks to me and I've worked in the City for decades.

A 20 million plus payout from a single brokering deal? Seriously? What kind of brokering deal?

There's a guy who works down the chipshop swears he's Elvis

What difference does it make if he is that rich, or not? Would it change your estimation of him? Would it change your friendship?

To me, he sounds insecure and embarrassingly boastful.

There are seriously rich people who don't have flashy houses/cars/clothes though. The not-flashy ones are more common than not, in my experience.

A true transactions professional wouldn't divulge any aspect of a private transaction.

@socialmedia23 hes either a fantasist, or he likes to brag so much he constantly wants recognition for his efforts. Either way, both dont sound good. Just block him, hes not worth your time and effort.

I don't usually care about how much money someone has. That's their private business.

But I guess when someone makes it such a core part of their identity, if changes the equation. Also I am just curious- my belief has always been that people with money would be discreet

Posted too soon! They may wear flashy clothes or have a flashy home (or they may not; the clothes and home are not an indicator) but I have yet to encounter someone I know who is actually rich who boasts I earn XXXX..esp not in a uk context.

Also it's not just that the home isn't flashy. It's not a regular apartment or terraced house in a suburban neighborhood or your average zone 2 London flat (where ordinary people live). It's a flat above a betting shop on a major road. I know that road well, I am scared to walk along it alone at night! Though there are places which are probably more dangerous but I have lived in London for more than 10 years and it's rare I feel like this.

I am thinking of that too but it is good for me to be able to spot signs of such people. I believed his story for years and I guess cos in the past, it was more modest and did not involve million pound transactions.

I want to be able to see quickly what is real and what is fake, and not to be naive!

Hes completely full of shit OP, block and avoid.

Why on earth are you wasting any time on this bollocks?

Ask him for a loan

OP I get your fascination. I'm in a Facebook group run by a woman who claims to be very successful. She lives abroad at the moment so any photos are beautiful and it does appear she's well off. But on her last visit to the UK to have a child (making use of the NHS) her whole family including a lot of children lived in a caravan. It's clear she's not stopped working since having the baby - surely anyone successful could afford maternity leave.

She constantly advertises her services to improve your business, putting plans together or checking your social media with prices ranging from £10-£1500, but all companies she's associated with on Companies House are dissolved and they were clearly not that successful. She is fawned over in the group as some kind of business guru. I don't get it but also fascinated by it.

I think it's the balls to simply blatantly lie that fascinates me. I think for her followers it's the hope that they too can be as 'successful'.

It's so unbelievable /too good to be true I felt like laughing my arse off after reading your title like whose he kidding? It's hilarious.

Yep, this

Why are you talking to strangers online?

Kinda like how I am talking to you online but then at the same time, none of you are telling me you are brokering million pound transactions and also giving me lots of real life details at the same time as well as name!

Also at the start I don't recall so many details that were a bit suspicious. He said he was merely well paid rather than being multi millionaire. He is now saying he has private wealth 'like rishi' and so he can pay any medical bill that comes his way (in response to an article posted which was discussing how private insurance companies in the UK i.eb Bupa are charging hundreds of thousands in premiums after people try to claim for their illnesses). He was boasting that the government ngives him virtually nothing so a poster pointed out he lives in the UK and therefore there is the NHS which is generally the port of call for catastrophic and terminal illness (and has the aforementioned issues) ...he then accused the poster of having depression and being jealous as he can easily pay hundreds of thousands for any medical procedure.

An Amanda Staveley one

When you say online. Is it a dating site ?

You know how you can look up planning permission applications on website. Well someone tried to open a bar on the basement of his building and he sent in a response (like any right minded person would). The bar was apparently operating without a license, and was disturbing the residents. He wrote in his response to keep this confidential but the council published it anyway...

I don't know about the lives of people who broker million pound deals but I am not sure how many of them are also simultaneously fighting against bars opening in the SAME building! Its not like there is a lack of places to live in London (including in zone 1/2) where there is danger of bars opening two floors below you. Am I generalising? I am not remotely rich and live in a flat and I could have afforded a flat in his exact area which wouldn't have the danger of a bar opening in the basement... Ex council would be preferable to that in my book...

Its a blog. Lol no he is a 45 year old balding man. I started reading it ten years ago in university.

When I was new to the UK and also didn't know much about locals living in the UK as mainly interacted with other international students. I am now married to a Brit and have worked/lived here for years plus Mumsnet has opened my eyes.

Have blocked out his name but this is what I read on the planning permission application...idk, these are one of the things I can verify from his real life..

I know of colleagues that received 7/8 figure bonuses for brokering deals when I worked in corporate finance. However, they worked long hours and were highly qualified.

I call bullshit on all of it. Not least because the uber wealthy I know wouldn't talk about it, let alone write blogs mocking 'poor people'. They also don't live above a betting shop.

Personally I'd disengage and leave him to his fantasy.