Mark Lagarde | FinTelegram News

Author: Mark Lagarde

September 27, 2020

Investor Warning – FCA warns against MigoTrade

This week, the UK regulator FCA issued an investor warning against the broker scam MigoTrade (www.migotrade.com). According to the website, the broker is operated by Smart iSolution LLC, which is allegedly registered in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The domain www.migotrade.com was registered in March 2020 and the associated IP address refers to the hosting of the German Hetzner Online GmbH.

September 26, 2020

Austrian FMA and other regulators warn against StarkMarkets broker scam

The Austrian Financial Market Authority FMA has issued an investor warning against the scam broker StarkMarkets (www.starkmarkets.com) which is allegedly operated by Krisimark Ltd and SWISSGEM Ltd in Sofia, Bulgaria. Already in June 2020, the Canadian British Colombia Securities Commission (BSC) issued an investor warning, and in July the New Zealand FMA (here). In May 2020, the Italian CONSOB blocked the website of broker scam MarketsCFD (www.marketscfd.net) of SWISSGEMS Ltd and Media Solutions Ltd.

September 23, 2020

UK FCA and Austrian FMA warn against InterCryptos

The UK regulator FCA has already warned in July 2020 against the Crypto CFD broker scam InterCryptos (www.intercryptos.net) and its operator Intercryptos Ltd. On September 23rd, 2020 the Austrian Financial Market Authority FMA also issued a warning. Allegedly InterCryptos Ltd is located in London. However, we could not find the company. The domain was only registered in April 2020 via Seychelles.

September 22, 2020

Another warning against PumaTS white-label scam BlueSave

After the UK FCA had already warned against the PumaTS white-label broker Scam BlueSave in July 2020, the Spanish regulator CNMV also issued an investor warning. The scam is operated under the domain www.bluesave.io via the Buen Solutions Ltd, a company registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The scam is still active as we have checked but the payment processors have changed.

September 22, 2020

Spanish Watchdog CNMV warns against GlobalspotFX and Trade Com

The Spanish regulator CNMV has issued an investor warning against the scam broker GlobalspotFX (www.globalspotfx.com). The scam is allegedly operated by Trade Com Limited for an office in London. As a payment provider we have found the Russian PayeCards (www.payecards.com). Already in July 2020, the Italian regulator CONSOB had issued a warning against the scam.

September 18, 2020

BridgerPay – Another Israeli high-risk payment processor ind Cyprus

We have identified BridgerPay as a payment provider of some broker scams in the last few weeks and subsequently put it on the Payment Processor Blacklist. We are of the opinion that without the intentional or negligent involvement of payment processors most of the scams would not be possible in the first place. FinTelegram wants to warn consumers, investors, and the payment industry about these bad payment processors via the blacklist. BridgerPay is no longer on it.

FinTelegram

September 14, 2020

TrustPilot – Facilitating scammers by deleting critical reviews and scam warnings

TrustPilot is increasingly proving to be a dangerous source of fake realities. At least when it comes to protecting consumers and retail investors against scams...

September 10, 2020

UK Watchdog FCA warns against Capital Way Group scam

The UK regulator FCA issued an investor warning on 9 September 2020 against the scam broker Capital Way (aka Capital Way Group) operating with the domains www.capitalway.com and www.capitalway-group.com. According to the information on the website, the broker is operated by Eastridge Capital Ltd in the Marshall Islands and Usein Power Ltd allegedly registered in Bulgaria. Praxis Cashier from Amit Klatchko is the payment processor.

September 10, 2020

FCA warns against scam broker TradingTeck

The UK FCA issued a warning against the scam broker TradingTeck (www.tradingteck.com) on 9 September 2020. The broker is a brand of SecVision Limited, allegedly registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Victims can lose their money via credit and debit card payments as well as payments via Klarna. Stay far away for TradingTeck.

September 7, 2020

UK FCA warns against broker scam ApcoFX operating with Estonian crypto entities

The UK FCA has issued an investor warning against the scam broker ApcoFX (www.apcofx.com), allegedly based in Germany and London. The scam is being developed in cooperation with the Estonian crypto payment processors CryptoFactory OÜ and their crypto exchange Bitxtech (www.bitx-pay.com) and Zichain OÜ and their Rashbe (www.rashbe.com) Crypto Payment Platform. Both companies have one of the worthless Estonian FIU licenses.

August 31, 2020

Instagram hashtag broker tsunami – Red-listed EagleFX and its influencers

The world has changed massively for investors in recent years with social media. As in politics, decisions about investments are increasingly being influenced by Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or WhatsApp, and Telegram. The old-fashioned bank or investment advisor has been replaced by apps and by the new guild of influencers which often work as affiliates of financial services providers such as EagleFX. Influencers are a new profession and social role model. Hashtags are the most important sales instrument for financial providers and their influencers.

August 19, 2020

Money laundering – Ukrainian cyber police crushes crypto laundromat with Binance support

Increasingly, cybercrime organizations, scammers, and hackers are using cryptocurrencies for their illegal transactions and the associated money laundering. In Ukraine, the local cybercrime unit smashed a crypto laundromat which allegedly laundered $42 million. Three suspects have been arrested in a law enforcement action in June 2020. Experts from the crypto exchange Binance helped the Ukrainian police in this.

Cash Cow Crypto: U.S. CFTC Enforcement Sets Records in FY 2024 with $17.1 Billion in Monetary Relief!

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) achieved a landmark year in FY 2024, securing over $17.1 billion in monetary relief, including $2.6 billion in civil penalties and $14.5 billion in restitution. The agency’s groundbreaking actions spanned digital asset (crypto) markets, voluntary carbon credits, and major compliance cases, highlighting its leadership in safeguarding market integrity.

U.S. DOJ’s Whistleblower Pilot Program: 250+ Tips in Just Months!

Whistleblowers are the only effective way to fight financial crime. The U.S. DOJ whistleblower pilot program has already proven effective, generating over 250 tips of potential misconduct since its launch in August, according to Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Marshall Miller. According to a Reuters report, the initiative targets corporate malfeasance and encourages internal self-disclosure by companies.

Online Gambling: Lokinvestigation in Curaçao, its Maltese Connections, and How to Shut Down!

For many years, the far-far-away Curacao was the regulatory mecca of global online gambling. But that is over. The Lokinvestigation, spearheaded by opposition politician and forensic investigator Dr. Luigi Faneyte, reveals systemic failures and alleged corruption in Curaçao’s online gambling sector. With ties to Maltese investors and global financial networks, the report demands transparency but also carries political implications.

KTM’s Collapse: How Pierer and Blazicek Possibly Misled Investors and Profited Amid a €2.9 Billion Crisis!

The recent insolvency filing by KTM AG, Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer, has unveiled significant managerial failures under CEO Stefan Pierer and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Josef Blasicek of Pierer Mobility AG. Despite clear indicators of financial distress, the company continued to distribute substantial dividends, misleading investors about its fiscal health. Here is an investor update on the KTM case.

Investor Briefing

Investor Briefing: Why Elon Musk’s SpaceX is valued at $350 Billion!

SpaceX, Elon Musk's private aerospace company, is reportedly in discussions to sell insider shares at a valuation of approximately $350 billion. This would be double what the company was reportedly selling shares at one year ago. In December 2023, Bloomberg reported SpaceX shares were being sold at a $175 billion valuation. Musk's closeness to Trump is apparently paying off.