The conversion & retention agent playbook
Scam brokerages run their callers in two stages — and they even have internal slang for it. The friendly 'personal advisor' is the central figure of the scam, and their job is not to help you.
Conversion, then retention
As soon as you register, the first caller — the "conversion" agent — gets in touch. Their single job is to talk you into that first small deposit, around $250 / €250, to "test" the software. The moment you deposit, you are handed to a second person: the "retention" agent, your assigned "personal advisor", presented as a market expert. In reality, an estimated 98% of them know next to nothing about trading — they are salespeople reading a script.
The tell
Ask your "advisor" one precise market question — about spreads, margin, how an instrument settles, or why a position moved — and judge the answer. A real professional answers cleanly and specifically. A scammer deflects, turns vague, or steers you straight back to depositing. Their real job is to keep you depositing, to talk you out of withdrawing, and sometimes to get you to install remote-access software.
How to spot it
- Unsolicited calls, often right after the first deposit
- Pressure to deposit more or "upgrade" to VIP
- "Exclusive" trade tips or profit promises
- Vague, deflecting answers to specific market questions
- Requests for remote access, or contact only via WhatsApp/Telegram
How to protect yourself
- Hang up on unsolicited calls — genuine brokers do not cold-call retail clients
- Never place trades on a caller's instruction
- Never grant remote access and never accept a deposit "bonus"
- Ask one precise market question and judge the answer
Other warning signs
Aggressive video ads on social media
Slick Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube ads promising fast profit — often with a deepfaked celebrity.
An "AI bot" that "trades for you"
"Our AI trades automatically and guarantees profit" is a pure lure — no licensed product can guarantee returns.
The €250 / $250 starter deposit
The near-identical ~250 opening figure is the fingerprint of countless scam funnels.
Guaranteed or unrealistic returns
"Risk-free", "guaranteed daily profit", "double your money" — certainty is the lie.
Withdrawal problems and shifting goalposts
Suddenly there is a "tax" or "release fee" before you can withdraw — each one just another deposit.
Vague, offshore or fake regulation
Official-looking badges that link nowhere, mismatched licence numbers, or clones of real firms.
Dubious contracts and hidden clauses at sign-up
Bonus terms that lock your funds, rights waivers, and impossible trading-volume conditions.