Being scammed in the forex market is certainly disheartening, but it's not the end of the world. You can recover yourself by trying to get reimbursement and will yourself to recover from the loss.
The best way to avoid losing money unnecessarily in the forex market is to choose a good broker who does not get involved with broker scams from the start. Nonetheless, sometimes it is unavoidable. A certain broker who has a good reputation among traders suddenly turns 180 degrees into someone who cheats and fakes quotes.
Recovering from a forex broker scam can be a challenging and frustrating experience, but there are steps you can take to seek recourse and mitigate your losses potentially:
- Gather evidence: Find proof of how they scam you.
- Report to authorities: This includes the police and regulators.
- Seek legal advice: Scam is a crime; contact your lawyer.
It's important to note that reporting and investigating a broker scam can vary in duration and outcome. Here is why those steps are important.
Three Ways You Can Recover From Scam
While you might be in panic mode and disappointed, there are still some ways you can recover from this unfortunate incident.
1. Gather Evidence
Collect all relevant documents, communications, and transaction records related to the scam. This evidence will be crucial when filing complaints or seeking legal assistance. Once you gathered enough evidence, try to reach out to the forex broker involved in the scam to express your concerns and request a resolution. Although scammers are unlikely to cooperate, exhausting all possibilities before taking further action is essential. Some evidence you can gather are:
- Screenshot of your trades
- Communication records
- Account statements
- Transaction history
- Terms and conditions of your broker
- Testimonials from other traders
Broker scams are not an uncommon occurrence in the world of trading. It's important to always protect yourself by keeping this evidence beforehand.
2. Report to Authorities
File a complaint with the regulatory authorities governing the forex market in your jurisdiction. It would be even better if your broker is regulated by top agencies like FCA, ASIC, CFTC, or CySEC. Provide them with all the evidence you have gathered, including details of the scam and the broker involved. This step can help alert the authorities and potentially initiate an investigation.
If you made any payments or transactions through banks or payment processors, inform them about the fraudulent activities. They may be able to provide assistance or initiate an investigation into the scammer's accounts.
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3. Seek Legal Advice
Consult with a lawyer experienced in financial fraud or securities law. They can guide the legal options available to you and assist in pursuing legal action against the scamming broker. Share your experience on reputable forex trading forums or online communities to raise awareness and prevent others from falling victim to the same scam. By sharing your story, you may connect with others who have experienced similar situations and can offer guidance or support. Scams can happen in many ways, including WhatsApp or even Telegrams. The more traders you reach regarding these scams, the better it will be for everyone's safety.
Get Yourself Back
How do you feel after realizing that you are scammed? You may feel mad and lose your spirit. Some traders even go so far as avoiding the financial market altogether. Well, that is your choice. But if I may suggest to you, don't give up.
This is a wide, wide world. Sometimes the going gets rough, but there will come a time when you will look back and laugh at your past. Some brokers are scammers, but there are also legitimate and trustworthy brokers. So, try again. You've already had the experience now and can choose better. If necessary, check them out with your local financial authorities, and ask what they can do if you are scammed again. Manage your money better, don't put them all in one basket. In addition to that, there are several things you can do to protect yourself further.
- Take immediate steps to protect your financial accounts and personal information.
- Contact family, friends, or support groups to share your experience and seek emotional support.
- Learn from the scam experience by educating yourself about common fraud tactics, warning signs, and ways to protect yourself in the future.
- Use the experience as an opportunity for personal growth and learning.
- Recognize that scams can happen to anyone, and it does not reflect your intelligence or competence.
Can You Get Reimbursement?
The most common question is, can we recover our money from forex broker scam?
Sadly, the answer is most probably not. The first reason is that forex investments generally don't receive the same protection in the eyes of the law compared to instruments like stocks and futures. The second reason is modern forex trading through the net, where people could easily get in and out, even erasing their trails. Third, forex traders often deal with foreign brokers, which means that fund reimbursement becomes more complicated due to legal differences.
If you are registered with an unregulated broker, then it is most definitely hopeless. If you are registered to a regulated broker, then you can complain to the governing body. If it is a foreign broker unregistered in your country, then it is up to those countries' regulations whether you will get your money back or not. If the broker is regulated in your country, then the probability is greater, although I would suggest you not be overly optimistic. Your case may be resolved, but your money problems are not necessarily so. Investopedia mentioned that US NFA settled 166 cases in 2008, but only 23% received lost funds.
It's always best to find a regulated broker. Some of the best broker regulations that most people swear by include (but are not limited to) those from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
There are forums where you could share your woes with fellow forex traders. Simply talking about your experience won't get your money back, but it is an excellent way to hear your complaint and warn others of forex broker scams.
Sometimes, customers support your complaints, but once they realize they are affecting their reputation, they may be willing to discuss the matter. There are even cases when settlement is attained.
Of course, that is only if you deal with a good broker, not one that aims to cheat you from the beginning.
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2 Comments
Nov 19 2022
The article just warned us! No money back! Once you are scammed by brokers there is no way to get your money back. Your money will disappear the first time you deposit it. While some regulated brokers have gone out of business due to some event, a scam broker won't do that and you wouldn't dare hope:Your money will be returned. I think the most important thing to do is learn from the past and in fact this article will tell the hard truth about the scam. You will never get your money back, so you must learn more about the broker's platform, check if they are regulated in your country or outside of your country, and see if they promise something bigger without the cost, I think it would be wise to be careful.
Nov 19 2022
Kendrick Alba: I think you are never scammed so you just mentioned some factors that even the average person with little knowledge about investing knows! I had a case where my friend actually survive his money from a Ponzi scheme. It started when my friend's sister asked my friend A to deposit money into a local exchange funding program called "Freedom Money". Minimum deposit is about $100, after 1 month it will return to $150, so its rate of return is about 50%. You can continue to use that $150 to generate more income. For the first 9 months, he received a lot of income (you can count, for every income he put in, next month he will get 50% more before the deposit). Right after 9 months, he withdrew all the money he received and it was actually transferred to his bank account. So his parents started depositing more money there, and more people after hearing that story started sending money. Suddenly, after about 4-5 months, all the deposits they wanted to withdraw started disappearing, all the CS numbers could not be contacted, website errors, etc. And they realize that they have been cheated. And I almost deposit my money in there!! I mean sometimes it's hard to identify an investment broker that doesn't scam you. My friend is actually getting paid for what he invests, but he is lucky because after his transfer, he deposits again with a smaller capital so that he somehow still profit after some of his money being scammed. I mean how can this be a scam? My friend actually getting paid! And everyone will see this will be interested. Sometimes we don't even know how the broker will deceive us. I mean, I don't know how the forex brokers cheat and scam us, because some of their ads sometimes say nothing about big earnings. How to really determined that broker is red-flagged brokers