Have I been scammed?

Beginner Questions
1

I recently signed up to a broker and had an account manager do my trading for me. I transferred my manager £500 to set up my account and being trading. Day 3 my account was at £4000. My manager contacted to say I’d reached capacity and my account was suspended until I upgrade my account for £1000. As I could see the 4K in my balance I decided to go ahead and upgrade. I had to make a separate payment I couldn’t use the funds in my account.

A few days later my account had reached 31k and my manager said I could withdraw, so I tried to withdraw and received an email from the company saying I have to pay 15% commission tax to their bitcoin account BEFORE the funds were released. Which was £4700. I don’t have the money to pay them so I can’t withdraw my funds.

The brokers website is viaforextrade. com
Have I been scammed?

My manager had so many bank screenshots from various people who all verified he was genuine.

What should I do? I’ve spend £1500 so far and had nothing back.

1 Like
2

Yep looks like a bait and snatch scam

3 Likes
3

Sounds like a scam to me, am sorry for your loss, :pensive::pensive: I pray you get back from it. Please be more cautious. Enquire form the brokers their license number check it to see if there are regulated and registered for operation. I am really bittered on seeing this, I really hope seeing the perpetrators of this act get arrested and jailed. And the key thrown away to the Atlantic ocean

2 Likes
4

I am sorry it sounds more of a scam to me, a friend of mine fell prey for such a scheme, it saddens me to hear this again, am sorry for your loss and pray you recover in full, with more extras. Do beat your self up about it, try to report to police if the brokers reside in your country, and let them fish these culprit of evil and jailed them. Once again am sorry to hear this.

5

yes it’s a scam.

since when screenshots are proofs?
you think it’s hard to modify an image made up of blocks of color and text?

6

Yeah, its got absolute scam written all over it.

Only time you would pay someone in bitcoin is when your buying persian rugs.

Its a shame to hear people are falling for $hit like that.

Really hope you have learned a lesson.

Sorry for your loss, and hope you recover from it sharper.

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7

Sadly, you have been scammed. It would be pointless to inquire on how you came across the broker but hopefully you’d be more careful in choosing your next one.

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8

Was going to have a quick check on that site but will not go there because:

viaforextrade
viaforextrade978×530 29.5 KB

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9

According to their website, they are based in malta, but they are not regulated by the malta financial services authority.

I agree with the others, this has all the hallmarks of a scam. Stop and don’t send any more money.

Request your original deposits back as a withdrawal. If they refuse or give you excuses, inform them that they cant legally withhold it. you will complain to the financial regulator and file a police report. They can’t operate in Malta without a license.

Don’t give up, wear them down for your money back. Send emails several times a day or you will report them. Let them sweat.

Best case scenario, you get your money back. Worse case scenario, you lose your original deposits. I would right off the profit, that’s probably fake to bait you in to sending more money.

1 Like
10

What funding method did you use and when did you do it?

11

Sorry for your loss, but surely the red flags were out from the beginning of the trading, account manager, £500 to £4000 in 3 days, 12.5% increase on your account, I can see how the scam works, but it comes back to fundamental in sales strategy and parallels with trading, greed.

12

If anybody asks you for payment to access money that’s yours that’s a scam.

You can always test by telling them to “deduct the fee from my balance” or “I’ll withdraw the amount minus the fee.”

Live & learn,

KC

2 Likes
13

I agree, this is a very good tack-tick to spot scammers early on.

14

Sound like scam. Don’t give more money to them. Never believe anyone who promised unbelievable profit un short term. If they were able to do that they won’t need to trade with other people money. Already they would have been rich.

15

I love this quote. Live and Learn. Scam everywhere. My advice to OP is to also report their domain name as it is being used for fraudulent activities. Get screenshots or proof of emails demanding for money and send to the right Authorities, including those in Malta. Don’t send any more money.

16

Similar thing happened to a friend of mine. I did not end well…

17

Yes, you have been scammed. You were greedy as well. Sorry for your loss. Only invest with a company that accepts paypal or bank card payment. At least your chargeback or trace their bank accounts and report to the bank.

18

yes, it is scam.
don’t send anything, you will lost more money, because, they will say with you: need more money to process…

you should choose a broker to trade, or copy signal of other trader. you can use program Exness social trading , let use google to check : Exness social trading, or read this post : EXNESS SOCIAL TRADING, COPY TRADE REVIEWS - BrokerTop10

Remember, don’t send anything to them, this is definitely a scam.

19

same broker?

Sorry to hear about this @emma.ahh. They don’t have any license regulation posted on their website. I hope you get your money back.

20

I am sorry to say but this sounds to be a scam, you need to be more cautious when you undertake such trading, Enquire form the brokers their license number and check to see if they are regulated and registered for operation. The best way to avoid being a victim, and avoid getting scammed, is by getting a good forex trading education before you enter the markets.