In the past few weeks, the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) has received numerous complaints from worried consumers about fraudulent trading platforms in Belgium. These platforms pretend to offer legitimate investment opportunities but use deceptive methods to attract unsuspecting victims.
Tricky Ads
Fraudulent platforms often use misleading ads on social media and video platforms to catch people's attention. These ads might feature well-known figures promising quick money through trading. Some platforms also use mobile apps to draw people in.
Aggressive Tactics and False Claims
Once people engage with these platforms, scammers can be very pushy. They might claim to be authorized by fake financial authorities to seem trustworthy. In some cases, they even try to take control of victims' computers to move money without permission. Victims are often pressured into investing more money with promises of high returns but end up losing everything.
Warning Signs and Affiliated Programs
The FSMA has noticed several warning signs associated with these fraudulent platforms. For example, they might offer "affiliate programs" that resemble pyramid schemes. Also, be cautious if they contact you through WhatsApp, Telegram, dating apps, or fake social media accounts.
List of Suspicious Platforms
The FSMA noticed that the following websites for trading softwares and courses refer to fraudulent online trading platforms:
- Bitcoineer (https://btceer.com/; https://bitcoineer-official.com/);
- Admirria (https://admirria.com/);
- Immediate Alpha (https://immediatealphaapp.com/; https://immediate-alpha-app.com/);
- Immediate Bitwave (https://immediatebitwave.com/);
- Traderai (https://traderai.me/contact/).
Various new trading platforms have appeared on the internet in recent weeks.
The FSMA strongly advises against responding to any offers of financial services made by the following new trading platforms:
- Absolutecoinmarkets (https://absolutecoinmarkets.com);
- Advanced Traders (https://advanced-traders.com/);
- Arbitrage Genius (https://arbitrage-genius.ai/);
- Assets Premium (cloned firm) (https://assets-premium.com)
- ATB Markets Pro (http://www.atbmarketspro.com/; https://atbmarkets.com/);
- Bitcoin Knight (cloned firm) (https://trade.bitcoin-knight.com/);
- CFX Fund (https://cfxfund.com/);
- City Markets (www.city-markets.com);
- Coinexmax (cloned firm) (https://coinexmax.org/);
- Coscoin (https://coscoins.com/);
- CTRL Investments (https://www.ctrl-investments.cc/);
- Dax.Pro (https://www.dax.pro/);
- Digital Century (http://digital-century.net/; http://digital-century.co/);
- DOEX (cloned firm) (https://doexgf.co/);
- EdgeFinance Ltd (https://edgefinance.ltd/);
- Equities Reserves (https://equitiesreserves.com/);
- Exopip (https://www.exopip.com/);
- Flaregain (http://flaregain.com/; https://platform.flaregain-tech.com/);
- FMasters (https://fmasters.io/);
- Fundiza (https://fundiza.com/);
- FVP Trade (https://fvptrade.com/);
- Golden Currencies (http://(client.)golden-currencies.net/);
- Hfinvest (https://hfinvest.net/; https://hedgefunds.website/);
- Ibplatform (http://ibplatform.tech/; http://ibplatform.info/);
- Intrafund (https://www.intrafund.com/; https://www.intrafund2.com/);
- Ixxen (https://ixxen.com/);
- JBY Capital (https://jbycapital.com/; https://jbycapital.net);
- JSS Investments (https://www.jss-investment.com/);
- Ltd Capital (https://www.ltd-capital.com; https://www.ltdcapital.com; https://www.ltdcapital1.com/);
- Market2cap (https://market2cap.com/; https://mrk2cap.com)
- Merrix (cloned firm) (https://merrix.pro/)
- Mobatrade (http://mobatrade.com/; https://www.mobatrade.co/);
- Naristech (https://naristech.com/);
- NFG Finance (https://www.nfgfinance.com/);
- Onewiex (https://onewiex.com/);
- Parallel Investment (https://parallelinvestment.io/);
- PrimefinanX (https://primfinanx-flow.com/);
- QCFinances (https://qcfinances.io/);
- SGX Digital (http://www.sgx.digital/);
- Skyhigh Traders (https://skyhigh-traders.com/);
- Tpc Invest (https://tpcinvest.com/);
- TradeAI Group (https://tradeai-group.com/; https://platform.tradeai-group.net/);
- TradeCryptoMasters (https://www.tradecryptomasters.com/);
- Trademay (https://trademay.com/);
- Tradiora (https://tradiora.com/);
- Uxcoins (https://uxcoins.io/);
- Vivoholding (https://vivoholding.io/);
- Wells Trader (https://wellstrader.com/);
- Wisewealth (https://wisewealth.ai/);
- Xtrader365 (https://www.xtrader365.com/);
- Zertom (https://www.zertom.com/).
Advice for Investors
To avoid falling for investment scams, here's what the FSMA suggests:
- Check Company Details: Verify the identity of the company, including its name and location. If you can't find clear information, be cautious.
- Look for Authorization: Make sure the company is authorized by regulatory authorities. Be wary of companies pretending to be something they're not.
- Stay Alert: If something seems fishy, don't make any payments. Contact the FSMA for help and report suspicious activity.
- Report Fraud: If you've been scammed, report it to local authorities or the police.
- Protect Yourself: If scammers gain access to your computer, contact your bank and consider changing passwords to prevent further damage.
