The Evidence
Regulation Status: ZERO
Claimed Regulation: Finexo's website displays logos for FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and FSA (Seychelles).
Actual Regulation: We verified with all three regulators. ZERO licenses exist. The logos are fake. The "license numbers" they display don't exist in any regulatory database.
Verified: FCA confirmed via email (Oct 2024) that Finexo is NOT authorized. ASIC database shows no match. FSA Seychelles has no record.
How to verify yourself: Search FCA register at register.fca.org.uk, ASIC at connectonline.asic.gov.au, FSA at fsaseychelles.sc
Website & Company Structure
- Domain registered: Jan 2022 (recent, red flag)
- Registrar: Privacy protected via Namecheap (hiding identity)
- Company address: 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ — virtual office (we visited)
- Phone numbers: VoIP numbers (not legitimate business lines)
- Email domain: Uses Gmail addresses, not @finexo.com
- SSL certificate: Let's Encrypt (free) — legitimate brokers use EV certificates
Platform & Execution Manipulation
Finexo uses a white-label MT4 platform with manipulated feeds:
- Prices don't match real market data (tested against TradingView feed)
- Stop losses triggered 5-15 pips before real market prices hit them
- Orders "rejected" when trades would be profitable
- Spreads widen to 20-50 pips during news (vs 2-5 pips at legitimate brokers)
- Account balances edited without trades (victim #23 lost $1,200 overnight with zero trades)
Victim Testimonials (Verified)
Victim #7 — Mark T., United Kingdom
"I deposited $500 to test. They let me withdraw $150 no problem. Built trust. I deposited $8,000 more. Suddenly my account was 'under review' and withdrawals blocked. They wanted more documents, then more documents. After 3 months, they stopped responding entirely. Account locked."
Verified: Bank statements, screenshots, email thread (47 emails), withdrawal requests
Victim #12 — Sarah K., Australia
"Their 'account manager' called me daily. Very professional. Convinced me to deposit more for a 'VIP account' with better conditions. I deposited $12,000. Two weeks later, they said I violated terms by 'scalping' and confiscated my balance. I never scalped—I held positions for days. They made it up."
Verified: Call recordings (legally recorded), full trading history, email correspondence
Victim #31 — James L., South Africa
"Biggest mistake of my life. I was up $6,000 after a month. Tried to withdraw $5,000. They blocked it, saying I needed to verify my income source. I sent payslips, bank statements, tax returns. They asked for more. After 6 weeks, my account balance showed $0. They said I 'agreed to aggressive trading' and lost it all. I didn't place a single trade in those 6 weeks."
Verified: Complete account history, screenshots showing balance manipulation, legal correspondence
How the Scam Works (Step-by-Step)
The Hook: Initial Deposit
Aggressive Facebook/Instagram ads promising "guaranteed returns" and "expert trading signals." Slick website with fake regulation badges. Victim deposits $100-$1,000 to test.
Building Trust
Small profits appear in account (often manipulated, not real trades). "Account manager" calls daily, very professional. Victim allowed to withdraw $50-$200 to prove withdrawals work. Trust established.
The Upsell
"Account manager" pushes for larger deposit. "VIP account with better spreads." "Exclusive trading signals." "Bonus 50% on deposits over $5K." Victim deposits $5K-$50K.
The Block
Victim tries to withdraw profits. Request denied citing "bonus conditions not met" or "account verification needed." Endless document requests. Support becomes unresponsive.
The Disappearance
Account balance suddenly shows losses (no trades placed by victim). Or account locked entirely. "Account manager" stops responding. Website may disappear. Money gone.
Red Flags (How to Spot Them)
🚩 Fake Regulation
Shows FCA/ASIC logos but no verifiable license numbers in official databases.
🚩 Aggressive Marketing
Facebook/Instagram ads promising guaranteed returns, Lamborghinis, "financial freedom."
🚩 Cold Calls
Unsolicited calls from "account managers" pushing deposits. Legitimate brokers don't cold call.
🚩 Bonus Schemes
50-100% deposit bonuses with impossible withdrawal conditions (must trade 50x bonus amount).
🚩 Withdrawal Delays
Endless verification requests, moving goalposts. "Need your birth certificate, utility bill from 2019..."
🚩 Virtual Office Address
London/Sydney address that's just a mailbox rental. No real office, no real staff.
What to Do If You Deposited
Immediate Actions:
- 1. Stop depositing immediately. Don't fall for "deposit more to unlock withdrawals" scams.
- 2. Screenshot everything: Account balance, trade history, emails, chat logs. Evidence disappears when they shut down.
- 3. Contact your bank/card provider: File a chargeback dispute immediately. Time-sensitive (usually 60-120 days).
- 4. Report to regulators: File complaints with FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), FTC (USA), or your local financial regulator.
- 5. Report to police: File a fraud report with Action Fraud (UK), IC3 (USA), or local police. Get a case number.
Chargeback Success Rate
Of the 47 victims we tracked:
- 21 victims (45%) successfully recovered full funds via chargeback (filed within 60 days)
- 12 victims (26%) recovered partial funds (15-70% of deposit)
- 14 victims (29%) recovered nothing (filed too late or used crypto/wire transfer)
Key insight: Card/PayPal chargebacks work if filed fast. Wire transfers and crypto are nearly impossible to recover.
How to Avoid Scams Like This
Before Depositing With ANY Broker:
- Verify regulation: Check official regulator databases (FCA, ASIC, CySEC, NFA). Don't trust logos on websites.
- Check domain age: Use WHOIS lookup. Scams use new domains. Legitimate brokers have 5-20+ year domains.
- Test with $50-100 first: Try withdrawing before depositing large amounts.
- Never wire large amounts: Use cards/PayPal for chargeback protection.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it is: "Guaranteed returns" and "risk-free trading" don't exist.
✅ Safe, Regulated Alternatives
If you need a legitimate broker, these are verified with real regulation:
- Startrader (9.3/10) — Real ASIC/FSCA, transparent about regulation
- IC Markets (9.2/10) — ASIC since 2007, verifiable
- Vantage (9.1/10) — ASIC + FCA, real licenses
- Pepperstone (9.0/10) — ASIC/FCA/CySEC, legitimate
- OANDA (8.7/10) — FCA/ASIC/NFA, transparent
All verified with real regulatory licenses. Test with small deposits first. See our full broker rankings for 89 tested brokers.