Ben | FinTelegram News

Author: Ben

January 30, 2023

Whistleblower Request About SettlePay, CheckoutFX, And Their Shabby Binance Pay Services!

We have found the CheckoutFX payment platform dozens of times among the many broker scams we analyze. This is operated anonymously from Russia and/or Ukraine. Most recently, we found CheckoutFX in the PocketOption broker scheme PocketOption together with SettlePay, a supposedly exclusive Binance partner for the CIS countries, including Ukraine. Through CheckoutFX and SettlePay, deposits from PocketOption clients were misrepresented as food transactions. We would like to know more.

January 30, 2023

Warning Against Russian PocketOption and PO Trader Broker Schemes Disguised As Ice Cream Seller!

In December 2022, we brought our initial report on the offshore broker PocketOption, allegedly operated by the offshore entity Gembell Limited in the Marshall Islands. PocketOption is connected to PO Trade, operated by PO Trade Ltd. The Russian Evgenii Kalashnikov controls the schemes. According to the latest Similarweb statistics, PockeOption acquired almost 18% of its clients in the U.S. Deposits are possible with credit/debit cards, Jeton, Perfect Money, Webmoney, Advcash, or via crypto. Stay far away and protect your financial health.

January 30, 2023

Offshore Broker Direct TT Expanding With New Regulatory Permissions!

In June 2022, FinTelegram published the initial review of Direct Trading Technologies UK Ltd d/b/a Direct TT or DTT, an investment firm regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In addition, the DTT Group operates offshore brokers with regulatory permissions in Vanuatu, Colombia, and UAE. DTT Group is seeking to expand into various jurisdictions via regulatory permissions. This is a thoroughly trustworthy approach that we welcome. Here are the latest updates.

January 29, 2023

Introducing Czech Payment Processor GMPays With Strong Russian Connections!

GMPays a/k/a GameMoney are the trading styles of the Czech-based Mercurius Partners s.r.o., which has been regulated as a payment institution by the Czech National Bank since 2017. The institution is owned and controlled by the Latvian national Aleksandrs Bikovs. Similarweb statistics for GMPays a/k/a GameMoney suggests strong connections to Russian websites. The majority of website visitors are referenced from Russian video and gaming sites.

January 29, 2023

Key To Markets: Offshore Broker Lost

KEY TO MARKETS is an offshore broker in Mauritius regulated by the FSC Mauritius. In the UK, the broker is registered with the FCA as an exempt CAD, not allowed to carry on any investment services and activities to which MiFID applies. Like many regulated brokers with offshore mutations, most clients are onboarded offshore, which creates problems. Lastly, we have noticed that Cyprus-based Payabl processes a significant part of KEY TO MARKETS' payments. Here is our update.

Illegal Broker Activities

January 28, 2023

German BaFin Warns Against Crypto Fraud Scheme SkySailBit!

BaFin clarifies that Skysailbit Inc., operator of the website skysailbit.com, does not have a license to provide financial, securities or payment services. The operator is not supervised by BaFin. SkySailBit gives an address in Munich and falsely claims to be registered in the commercial register and to be licensed by BaFin. The documents used in this context are forgeries. Stay far away; this seems to be just another fraud scheme!

January 27, 2023

Bloomberg: Cybercrime Mastermind Gery Shalon Free And Back in Israel Since 2021!

Gery Shalon, the cybercrime mastermind behind the online casino schemes, pump-and-dump schemes, and one of the partners of Gal Barak, returned to Israel after being allowed to leave US custody two years ago, his father Shota Shalelashvili allegedly said in an interview broadcast in the Republic of Georgia. Shalon was extradited from Israel in 2015 and faced 23 counts and potentially decades in prison. He also was accused of running global money-laundering operations.

Illegal Broker Activities

January 27, 2023

Urgent Warning Against Exteom Broker Scheme Powered By PandaTS

We received emails yesterday and today where a new robot trading solution was advertised to us. The link in the email led us in the reviews to several fraudulent crypto campaigns like Bitcoin Millionaire Pro or Bitcoin Bank running on https://hot-investing-news.com. After registering, we were immediately redirected to the payment page of the Exteom broker scheme. This is implemented as a PandaTS white-label solution. Stay Far Away; it's most likely just another scam!

January 26, 2023

Urgent Investment Warning Against Waterman Capital Investment Scheme!

We have received information from a client of the Waterman Capital investment scheme. This client has transferred money to the scheme through East Breton Solutions Ltd, registered in Mauritius. Despite several attempts, the customer subsequently failed to withdraw money. The payout is refused to him for various reasons. According to the customer, Waterman Capital is run by British people who act very professionally. The scheme does not have a license for offering financial services. Stay away.

January 25, 2023

German EY Auditors Renounced Licenses And Escaped Potential Sanctions!

The Auditor Oversight Authority APAS, part of the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control, has been exercising profession-independent oversight of auditors in Germany since 2016. According to a Financial Times report, APAS closed investigations against four current and former EY auditors involved in the audit procedures of collapsed Wirecard. They renounced their professional licenses and left the profession earlier this month.

High-risk payment processors

January 25, 2023

Another Guest Post Elaborating The Background Of Vanished OctaPay!

In 2020, when high-risk payment processor OctaPay was formed, they took payment solutions from OpenNode via Afnan Rehman. OpenNode, at that time, was a platform where users could purchase Bitcoins (BTC) and pay via their credit cards. Their credit card solution was provided to them via Wyre. It was a chain of facilitation. We have proof that OpenNode seized $150,000 owed to its client, OctaPay. Many other OpenNode clients have also not received their payments.

January 25, 2023

U.S. Regulator Awards $28 Million To Joint Whistleblowers!

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced an award of more than $28 million to joint whistleblowers who provided critical information and assistance in an SEC enforcement action. Their detailed information prompted the opening of the SEC investigation and significantly contributed to the success of the action. They provided substantial analysis and ongoing assistance resulting in the return of millions of dollars to harmed investors.