01
Backend linkage
Determine whether multiple scam brands share hosting or wallet treasuries.
Fake trading
Brokers that exist only on your screen
Fake trading platforms mimic licensed FX and crypto exchanges—complete with margin calls and account managers—while blocking real settlement.
Defining fake trading platforms
Victims interact with web or mobile interfaces showing live charts, order books, and profit curves that are not connected to regulated markets.
Deposits are real crypto or fiat; displayed gains are ledger entries operators adjust manually.
Support teams apply AML, tax, or liquidity excuses when victims attempt withdrawals above seeded trust amounts.
Platform mechanics
- 01
Acquisition
Ads, influencers, or pig-butchering contacts drive sign-ups to cloned MetaTrader or custom WebTrader skins.
- 02
Account seeding
Victims fund via wire, card, or crypto; small early withdrawals may succeed.
- 03
Simulated performance
UI shows winning trades during coached sessions; victims increase size.
- 04
Withdrawal theater
Pending statuses, compliance queues, and fee invoices appear once balances grow.
- 05
Hard stop
Accounts lock, sites go offline, or rebrand under a new domain with the same backend.
Platform red flags
- Domain registered recently yet claims decades of history
- No verifiable regulatory registration matching stated jurisdiction
- Downloads outside official app stores with excessive permissions
- Customer service only via WhatsApp or Telegram
- Withdrawal requires sequential tax or insurance payments
- Chart prices diverge from major public feeds during the same timestamps
Movement of deposits
Unlike legitimate brokers, customer crypto rarely stays in segregated omnibus accounts visible to victims.
- — Deposit addresses rotate but converge on operator-controlled clusters
- — Internal swaps obfuscate asset type before exchange off-ramp
- — Fiat wires land in payment service providers unrelated to stated broker name
- — Fee payments for fake withdrawals go to separate wallet sets
Evidence checklist
- Account statements exported as PDF or CSV from the fake portal
- All deposit TXIDs and bank references
- Recordings of support calls demanding fees
- Comparison screenshots of chart vs public market data
- WHOIS and SSL history for platform domains
Investigation priorities
02
Deposit tracing
Follow victim crypto from first deposit through consolidation.
03
Withdrawal block analysis
Document fee wallet addresses repeated across victims.
04
Marketing attribution
Identify ad networks and affiliate funnels feeding the platform.
Immediate actions
- 01Stop paying withdrawal or compliance fees—they rarely unlock balances
- 02Download every account statement while login still works
- 03Preserve marketing links that led you to the platform
- 04Do not grant remote access to anyone posing as platform IT
Never provide a seed phrase, private key, or authentication code to anyone claiming they can recover funds—including parties who contact you unsolicited. Legitimate investigators do not need wallet secrets to begin a case review.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
Was any trade real?
Generally no—UI simulates market exposure while taking real deposits.
Why allow small withdrawals?
To prove legitimacy before larger blocks.
Can licenses be checked?
Always verify registration numbers with official regulators—not PDFs on the site.