Broker check
Broker Red Flag Scanner
Not sure if a broker, or the “manager” who messaged you, is real? Tick the warning signs you have seen. This free scanner scores the forex broker red flags in about two minutes and tells you what to do next. No broker name needed.
Sample scan, not a real broker
Every sign is weighted. Serious ones, such as paying an individual’s account, set the level to High on their own.
This scanner is a screening aid. It cannot confirm that a firm is genuine or a scam, and it does not store what you tick.
01Forex broker red flags: how the scan scores them
Each of the 21 signs carries 1, 2 or 3 points. 6 of them are marked critical: if you tick even one, the level is High, whatever the total. Otherwise the level comes from the sum, out of a possible 42.
| Points | Meaning | Non-critical signs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weak or common on its own | 6 |
| 2 | A real warning sign | 9 |
| 3 | Serious | 0 |
| Level | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
Low | 1 to 3 points, no critical sign | Few signs. Not a clearance. |
Medium | 4 to 8 points, no critical sign | Pause and verify before paying more. |
High | 9 points or more, or any critical sign | Treat as a likely scam until proven otherwise. |
The weights are our judgement, not a statistical model, and no scan can prove a firm is honest. They are chosen so that the signs that cost people the most money count the most.
02Four example scans
These are made-up scenarios, scored with the same rules as the tool above. Use the example buttons to load them.
| Scenario | Signs ticked | Points | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Telegram manager offers to trade for you | First contact came from a stranger on Telegram; Guarantees profit; Someone asks for your trading password; You are told to pay into a personal bank account; Urgency: limited slots | 12 | High |
| A big-bonus broker with vague terms | A very large deposit bonus or free-money offer; You must deposit more or reach a trading volume; The terms let the firm close accounts or cancel profits at any time; Urgency: limited slots | 5 | Medium |
| An ordinary promotion, nothing else | Urgency: limited slots; A very large deposit bonus or free-money offer | 2 | Low |
| No single deal-breaker, but many warning signs | No licence or registration number is shown anywhere on the website or in the contract; Only a company-registration or business certificate is shown; Sells a secret system; Offers fixed-income style plans (daily or weekly payouts) or pays you for recruiting others; First contact came from a stranger on Telegram | 10 | High |
03What we do not count as a red flag
A good scan avoids false alarms. These things look suspicious to a newcomer, but on their own they say little about whether a firm is honest, so they are not on the list.
High leverage
Some legitimate offshore brokers offer very high leverage. It raises your risk a lot, but it is a product choice, not proof of fraud.
An offshore licence
A licence from a smaller regulator is not a scam sign by itself. What matters is what it covers, who holds your account and whether you can verify it.
A welcome bonus
Published bonus terms are normal marketing. The warning is a bonus whose terms lock your withdrawals, or terms that change after you pay.
Partner links
Disclosed affiliate links are common, including on this site. The warning is being paid to recruit others, or a tier system. See our affiliate disclosure.
04A real case: a fake regulator website
On 20 May 2024 the Financial Services Authority of Seychelles warned the public about a fake website, fsaseychelles.com, which showed forged licences. The authority’s real domain is fsaseychelles.sc.
The lesson is simple: a licence check done on a link the firm sent you proves nothing. Type the regulator’s address yourself, search the register there and compare the company name, number and website with what you were given.
05If you have already sent money
- Stop paying. Do not send fees, taxes or deposits to unlock a withdrawal.
- Protect your accounts. Change passwords on your email, bank and trading accounts, and remove any remote-access software.
- Save the evidence. Keep chats, screenshots, receipts, account numbers and wallet addresses.
- Call your bank or payment provider. Ask at once whether a payment can be recalled or disputed. Speed matters.
- Report it. Tell the police and the financial regulator in your country, and the regulator that supposedly licenses the firm.
- Beware of recovery offers. Anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back for an upfront fee is a common second scam.
We cannot recover funds or give legal advice. Rules and chances of recovery depend on your country and how you paid.
06Questions
Does a Low result mean the broker is safe?
No. It means none of the listed signs, or only minor ones, were present. Always verify the licence and the company holding your account on the regulator’s site, and test a small withdrawal early.
Is my forex broker a scam?
This tool cannot say, and we do not name firms as scams. It shows whether the warning signs you have seen are minor or serious, and what to do about them.
How do I spot a fake forex broker?
Look at the money and the people. Fake firms usually ask for payment to individuals, promise returns, rush you and block withdrawals. Then check the licence on the regulator’s own register.
Why does the tool not ask for the broker’s name?
Because the signs are about behaviour, and a name can be copied by a clone. For company and licence checks, use our licence checker when it is live.
Is anything I tick saved?
No. The scan runs in your browser and nothing is sent or stored.
Open an account only after you verify it. If you want to compare brokers, run this scan and check the licence yourself first. These are affiliate links: we may be paid if you open an account. They are not ranked or recommended, and not available in every country. See the affiliate disclosure.