Lesson 9 · 7 min
Spotting scams
Most trading scams follow the same few scripts.
They contact you
A stranger on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram or a dating app who mentions trading, crypto or an “account manager” is the most common start.
Clone firms
Scammers copy a real firm's name, logo and licence number on a look-alike website. Regulators list these. Check the web address character by character.
Pay to withdraw
Being asked for “taxes”, “fees” or a bigger deposit before you can withdraw is a sign the money is gone.
Guarantees
No one can guarantee returns. Signal groups and “managed accounts” promising fixed profits are red flags.
If it happened
Stop paying, keep records, tell your bank, report to your regulator and police. Beware of “recovery” firms that contact you: many are the same scammers.