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The UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) has written to a total number of 76,732 people to let them know they are targets for fraudsters trying to con them out of their money.

Expats have well and truly learned the art of international living. Concerns that beset their time abroad five years ago, now no longer trouble them. Today’s expats are thriving as they become more integrated into their host country’s society. The latest expatriate research from NatWest International Personal Banking - it’s Quality of Life Index - makes for cheerful reading.

NatWest International Personal Banking’s research from its latest Quality of Life Index shows how the motivation and triggers for expats have changed over the last five years. British expats are now more likely to move abroad primarily for career progression and challenges – with lifestyle as a secondary factor.

The booming economy of Hong Kong is attracting increasing numbers of British expats who are turning their backs on more traditional destinations, says international financial advisers Guardian Wealth Management (GWM).

Allied Irish Bank has announced plans to shut down two of its offshore businesses in Jersey and the Isle of Man following the news the bank will close AIB Bank and AIB International Savings (AIBIS).

HSBC says it is in talks to sell off operations in Pakistan and Korea as it continues with plans to scale back in territories which are not deemed profitable or have become underperforming retail operations.

New investors in highly personalised offshore bonds will now only be able to offset deemed gains if UK tax has previously been paid. The move announced in the UK FInance Bill 2012 is an effort to stop investors being able to accrue deemed gains as a non-UK tax payer to later offset against actual gains as a UK tax payer once they’ve returned to the UK, .

Rising sovereign bond yields, political strikes, harsh austerity and the threat of a Greek default are growing concerns that have caused the euro to lose significant value against other currencies, including sterling.

British expats have remained untouched by the global turmoil experienced by those in the West as 72% of this community confirms the quality of their lives has not reduced over the last five years. NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Index further confirms that the number of expats planning to return to the UK has fallen to just 17%, compared to 23% in 2007.

Currency Index is warning overseas property buyers to pay attention to currency exchange matters as still one of the biggest obstacles to the purchase is the exchange of what is a considerable amount of currency. The company sees far too many people buying abroad neglect to think about currency exchange until it is too late, and end up stressed and paying more than the need to.

Barclays Capital is offering its latest structured deposit account for offshore bond investors. This UK Equity index-linked account gives investors return of their capital on maturity, along with potential exposure to the FTSE 100 Index and has been designed exclusively as an investment link for use within offshore bonds.

Here’s a tale of the price of romance for Valentine’s Day. Gray and Farrar, a matchmaking agency whose clientele are the well off international set, reports a 50% growth in international sales over the last year, which it claims proves that bespoke global matchmaking is one industry unaffected by the economic downturn.

The high cost of living in the Antipodes is denting its popularity as an expat and student gap year destination and Lloyds TSB’s latest expat survey reveals that whilst the Antipodes are still highly rated for quality of life, with 77% in Australia and 79% in New Zealand feeling their living standards are better, these two countries are not as highly ranked for happiness, with 64.7% of expats i

Expats are urged by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to be on their guard against falling victim to ‘phishing' emails sent out by fraudsters in the run-up to the self-assessment deadline of 31 January. Expatriates are a particularly vulnerable group targeted by such scams as they are much more likely to respond to a seemingly “official emailed instruction.”

The popularity of QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes) over the last four years has seen the market grow to over £1.5bn, yet expats are still being blinded by tax sweeteners, rather than taking full stock of the right scheme for their particular retirement aspirations.

The ultimate cost of a European wide financial transactions tax would be borne by consumers building up savings through deposits and pension plans, warns the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA).

Britons owning properties overseas are urged to inform HMRC if no disclosure has been made already. Tax specialist Peter Howarth is warning foreign property owners of a new investigation team established by HMRC to track down people who own land and property abroad by ‘data mining’ publicly available records.

A newly formed wealth management group plans to  use cutting edge technology and a contemporary approach to its financial advice service.

Despite economic unrest across the world leaving expats with little confidence in their local economies, the latest survey from HSBC shows that expat wealth has withstood global economic troubles, even in countries which have experienced significant turbulence over the past year.

The green, green grass of home that Tom Jones sung about no longer seems so fresh and green for British expats. New evidence reveals that an estimated 825,000 expats have cancelled plans to return to Britain in the last year. Home economy blues, neighbourhood safety concerns and a reduction in the quality of life, are the three main reasons given.

Recent rate rises on expat savings accounts is seeing annual interest rates of over 4 per cent now on offer on 5 year fixed term deals. And rates are beginning to rise on shorter term deposits.

Seventy per cent of all expat entrepreneurs put their success down to the fact that they’ve started up a business abroad. These compelling findings drawn from NatWest International Personal Banking (IPB) Quality of Life Index, place Singapore, Hong Kong and the US as expat entrepreneurs’ favourite top three countries for nurturing enterprise.

A life 'down under' is top of the list for Brits considering starting a new life abroad according to the latest research from Post Office International Payments. The survey found that over a quarter (27%) of people have considered a move overseas, with a further fifth saying they remain open to the idea.

The latest research from currency specialists Moneycorp has revealed that 80% of UK expats believe their children have a better quality of life since they moved abroad. It seems ‘la dolce vita’ is coming true for many Brits living overseas as 85% of those surveyed say they intend to stay living abroad for the foreseeable future.

NatWest International has launched issue 8 of its Navigator International Account offering customers the chance of some positive returns in both rising and falling markets along with capital protection.

Yorkshire Building Society has announced it will wind-down its offshore subsidiary, Yorkshire Guernsey. The building society was established in St Peter Port in 1990. It has around 6,000 customers with balances of approximately £800m and employs 14 people.

It may be a small sovereign state compared with Italy and Spain, but fears that Cyprus may be the next EU member state to seek a bailout show no signs of diminishing.If one of its financial institutions were to go to the wall, many expats could their financial arrangements running into trouble.

The number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased with Spain handling the most cases (1,024) followed by Greece. Proportionally Brits are most likely to be hospitalised in Thailand.

Current extreme market volatility should be seen as an opportunity rather than an excuse to become more defensive, according to Anthony Bolton.As manager of the Fidelity International China Special Situations Investment Trust, he points out that at times of sharp volatility all markets tend to be affected equally.

As the sovereign debt crisis continues to impact on currency movements, an ExpatMoneyChannel currency survey reveals that the majority of expats still misunderstand currency movements and the impact on their finances, but not for the lack of trying!