Forex broker fraud is undoubtedly one of the nastiest forms of foreign exchange trading fraud out there. Forex brokers can make deceptive promises to new investors or employ unethical and aggressive marketing tactics in order to lure potential clients into turning over their hard-earned cash to the broker. Unfortunately, many people fall victim to this sort of fraud and do not even realize that they have been scammed until it is too late. In order to avoid being a victim of forex broker fraud, here are a few tips on how to spot forex fraud…
Many forex brokers claim to be independent or private firms when in actuality they are often owned or controlled by large financial institutions. Banks and other financial institutions are the absolute greatest threat to the integrity of forex foreign currency trading fraud because they have the ability to influence the buying and selling prices of currencies throughout the world. By colluding with other major financial institutions, banks can greatly influence the value of a certain currency, which can have a dramatic effect on investors around the world. As a result of their enormous financial power, these banks routinely provide incentives to forex brokers to steer customers to their websites. For example, if a broker receives a large bonus from a large bank, they will likely be more likely to recommend that new investors use the bank’s website to place their trades.
There are many different criminal penalties that can result from foreign exchange trading fraud, but the most severe penalties are criminal jail time. Those who are found guilty of FX broker fraud can face years in prison. The minimum imprisonment sentence that a judge is able to impose is ten years in federal prison. Those who commit multiple counts of Currency Fraud will face additional charges. Multiple counts of Currency Fraud will lead to additional financial consequences for those who are found guilty. Each time a defendant is found guilty of Currency Fraud, they will be subject to enhanced monetary penalties and interest.
The primary financial consequences that result from FX broker fraud are the millions of dollars of losses that can occur during any single trading day. These losses can include hundreds of thousands of dollars that an investor would have lost if they had relied on an experienced forex broker to manage their trades. Because forex brokers are usually well-known figures in the local community, they often have access to bank accounts where their clients can deposit funds. If they were to use this account to conduct illegal transactions on behalf of their clients, they could face serious financial consequences.
Those who are found guilty of FX broker fraud may also be forced to pay heavy fines. In addition to paying fines, the guilty party may also be required to reimburse any fees and charges that were assessed against them as a result of their crime. In many cases, this fine may also include jail time. For most people, jail time is the biggest financial consequence of being found guilty of Currency Fraud.
While some people become lucky and avoid being charged with any criminal wrongdoing, there are others who do end up facing charges for FX broker fraud. Forex trading is extremely popular among people who want to make large profits. Because of this, many brokers prey on inexperienced traders who are looking to start up a profitable forex trading business. They lure these individuals into signing up with them by providing highly exaggerated claims about how much money they can make through forex trading.
One such forex broker was sentenced to prison for his role in currency trading scams. Arkady Babaev was sentenced to five years in prison after he was found guilty of running a foreign currency trading fraud scheme. According to court documents obtained by the FBI, Babaev misrepresented to investors how much money they could make through foreign currency trading. The investors in turn invested with him believing that they were making money when in fact, they were losing money. As a result of this fraudulent activity, several thousand dollars went missing from both investors and brokers alike.
Another example of forex broker fraud was uncovered by the FBI where an investor was cheated out of his money. This investor was working with an individual he believed was a broker but was actually an accomplice. After the transaction was complete, both men went back to Babaev’s office, removed the money, and hid it. Authorities later found the money had been used for personal use by Babaev and another accomplice.