Funded-Trader.com
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Honesty
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Quality
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Cost
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Support
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Verified Trades
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User Experience
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Prop Trading Opportunity
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Summary
Funded-Traders.com is the latest “We will fund your trading account” scheme.
The company proclaims to be a “Global Proprietary Trading Firm” and fully registered with the FCA or UK’s Financial Conduct Authority.
They claim that if you spend $4,500 and pass their “trading test” then they will give you $3,200,000 to trade. All risk-free. You just give them a portion of the profits.
Additionally, the company requires hundreds of dollars each month for “software and training.”
However, upon closer examination, this so-called proprietary trading company is nothing more than an online job scam. The owners of the company refused to be interviewed, refused to identify themselves, refused to disclose whether a relationship exists with a broker, refused to verify that they have millions of dollar to “fund traders,” and appear to be lying about being “fully licensed and registered” with the Financial Conduct Authority.
This is an absolute shit show. The company appears to be run a Nigerian prince promising all manner of whack-a-doodle and free money to the naive sucker class.
Avoid.
Pros
Good marketing strategy
Clever sales pitch
Cons
No verifiable funding for traders
No relationship with licensed brokers
Not registered in any capacity
Refused to identify themselves
Caught lying in multiple email exchanges
Thanks for reading today’s review of Funded Traders
What is Funded Traders? The company proclaims to be a global proprietary trading firm with millions of dollars in assets. Further, this company claims that they are in the business of providing trading capital to retail traders.
The company also claims to be a fully licensed proprietary trading company, and in good standing with the FCA or Financial Conduct Authority. What is the FCA, or Financial Conduct Authority? The FCA is the regulatory body in charge of overseeing brokers that offer stocks, Futures, and Forex trading in the United Kingdom. Think of them as a hybrid of the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission).
In the last 60 days, TradingSchools.Org has received 12 requests to review this company.
What is Funded Traders selling?
According to its website, the company is offering “fully funded” trading accounts to anyone that can successfully pass their “trading test.” Of course, in order to pass this so-called “trading test,” the user must pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars in “testing fees.”
We have all seen these scams before. The supposed proprietary trading company is offering a “job” or “stay at home” work opportunity — but the consumer must first pay thousands of dollars in fees and tests which the company describes as “training” or “education.”
Most of these companies can usually be found offering a “job” on Craigslist, or Monster Job, or related Help Wanted websites. This company is no different, except they are aggressively offering this supposed opportunity via well placed advertisements on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
The consumer will casually glance through their social media feed, and then the following video will surreptitiously appear…
As you can see from this video, it is quite innocuous and extremely attempting. However, before you start clicking on this offer of “free money to trade,” there are a few things you should know.
Nobody is giving away “free money” to trade. Instead, you must pay a huge fee. Let’s take a closer look at those fees and costs.
Funded Trader: The Forex Program
Funded Trader offers three Forex trading programs:
Program A: The consumer must pay a one-time fee of $299 and is supposedly given a “live” and “real” trading account of $10k. The consumer is allowed to keep 40% of the profits but is only allowed to lose $120.
Program B: The consumer must pay a one-time fee of $549 and is supposedly given a “live” and “real” trading account of $30k. The consumer is allowed to keep 50% of the profits but is only allowed to lose $300.
Program C: The consumer must pay a one-time fee of $1,499 and is supposedly given a “live” and “real” trading account of $40k. The consumer is allowed to keep 50% of the profits but is only allowed to lose $1,050.
Obviously, this is a shitty deal. The consumer is paying hundreds of dollars in the hope of winning back his “testing fee.” And let’s not forget that for every dollar that a trader earns, he must surrender 50% of his profits.
How is this a good deal? It’s not. In fact, it’s just a marketing gimmick looking to take advantage of the financially desperate and naive.
To make matters worse, the company proclaims “pass the test and we will give you $1,200,000 of company funds to trade Forex. However, they aren’t actually giving you anything whatsoever. As the fine print states, any increase in funds must be from the traders own profits. Truly amazing, how could anyone be so stupid?
Funded Trader: The Stocks Program
Funded Trader offers yet more financial ridiculousness through their stocks trading program. The company boldly proclaims on its website, “All stocks are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.” Really? Let’s take a look at this supposed offer:
Stocks Program A: The consumer must pay a one-time fee of $1,250 and is supposedly given a “live” and “real” trading account of $50k. The consumer is allowed to keep 40% of the profits but is only allowed to lose $1k.
Stocks Program B: The consumer must pay a one-time fee of $2,250 and is supposedly given a “live” and “real” trading account of $50k. The consumer is allowed to keep 50% of the profits but is only allowed to lose $2,200.
Stocks Program C: The consumer must pay a one-time fee of $4,500 and is supposedly given a “live” and “real” trading account of $50k. The consumer is allowed to keep 50% of the profits but is only allowed to lose $4,000.
Additionally, the consumer must also pay a MONTHLY FEE of $180 for software, $6.50 per trade in commissions, and $200 per month for data fees.
Think about this a moment, you are paying an upfront fee ranging from $1,250 to $4,500 and all they are doing is allowing you to lose your own money. To make matters worse, they are also charging you $480 per month in fees and $6.50 per trade!
But no worries, because if “we like your trading style, we give you $3,200,000 of our money, once you have completed the trading test. However, once again, the fine print clearly states that any increase in funds come directly from the money that the trader earns.
In the grand pantheon of bullshit scams, this has to rank near the top.
But the bullshit keeps flowing. Let us continue.
Who owns Funded Trader?
That’s a great question. Glad you asked. Over the course of our three-week investigation, we sent out various messages to this company, all using alias emails and contact information.
Our first related questions: The company claims to be fully licensed and registered with the United Kingdoms FCA or Financial Conduct Authority — so where is the company listing on the FCA? The company responded “Our business methods are proprietary in nature, and ownership deemed this information unnecessary to you.”
Our second related questions: Who are the people that are supposedly providing millions of dollars to Forex and stocks traders? The company responded, “We do not share confidential information on our investors or traders. That is very private information.”
Our third related questions: You state that you are providing live trading accounts with real money. Which broker is holding these funds? Where are my trades being executed? The company responded, “The funded accounts are not being traded via brokers. We use professional technology which provides the best pricing across 180 brokers at any given time, this means lower spreads for you.”
Conclusion: This is a BUCKET SHOP
At least the company was honest about one thing, “the funded accounts are not being traded via brokers.” In other words, this is just a bucket shop. (how can they also charge $6.50 per trade in commissions?)
None of the funds are live. Consumers are paying their money for the opportunity to “play a video game” on a trading simulator. The company is betting that you will lose. This is how they make money. When you lose, they win.
Further, suppose that you are lucky enough to win on their video game simulator, then who in the heck is supposed to pay the winnings? It’s not a good sign when they won’t even disclose who owns this company.
In actuality, this appears to be nothing more than an online bookmaker, disguised as a legitimate prop trading company.
Wrapping things up
If you really want to understand how these “we provide funding” scams really work…you should read the following articles in succession. These articles are relating to Meir Barak at TradeNet and Colmex Pro. Which is yet another social media-fueled bucket shop.
Article 1) Colmex Pro and TradeNet
Article 2) Colmex Pro CFD’s and Trade Net. Its a dumpster fire!
Thanks for reading.
They are not traders. Just bunch of sales guys knowing that you will loose the game sooner or later. No legal obligation if they runaway or close down your account.
Hi there, they recently changed their accounts to make it completely risk free (I think). You use their link to sign up to IC markets, then fund your account with $x. If it’s a scam then there’s no risk to you, as you control your IC markets account (which is a very good broker as many of you know).
Yes so they can earn referral bonus from people when use their link to register. Free money to them.
They have a customer service guy name as Chris. Is that you?
This is where you can find this company registration details.
(https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/11955073)
I have no desire to pay any fee as I have no desire to mange funds – especially funds of someone who has no proof their funds are from legitimate sources and do not fall foul of Western money laundering laws.
Funded-traders.com claim they are a company (but un-registered) – wow – warning signs.
They themselves have admitted to not being legally regulated, and they have provided zero proof of their own trading success or that of others. They cannot explain why only those who pay a fee can be eligible for their program yet those who have proven verifiable proof cannot DESPITE saying they are looking for good traders who will earn them money.
They are registered, look: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/11955073
Plus no more fee, I would rather take a chance with them because its free and I keep my deposit/ profits as opposed to paying the fee with these other prop firms so I agree with you there !!
If they provide and fund an account for you, it is your responsibility to ensure that the funds are from a legitimate source. If the company has not been legally registered and gone through legal checks and been given a clean bill of health by the legal authorities, you have no way of knowing that you are helping top launder dirty money. But this still makes you liable to be prosecuted as it’s your responsibility to make sure you know where the funds you are trading comes from. You would be prosecuted for aiding and abetting a criminal enterprise.
And the fact that someone is prepared to give funds to a stranger on the net to trade without due diligence and legal checks, should be a huge warning sign. Every single trader at a bank or fund is legally checked for “fit for purpose” yet here, no such checks on any individuals are made. This is a MAJOR warning sign.
Just because they are not a brokerage does not mean it excludes them from money laundering regulations.
If any individual is dealing with money where they do not know the origin of, which then turns out to be from illegal sources, they can get prosecuted under money laundering laws and can spend a maximum of 14 years in prison (in the UK anyway). Am sure the rest of the Western World is equally harsh now.
If company is not regulated or no registration details shown then there is no doubt that it is a scam. funded-traders.com also a scam same as other funded trading programs.
There is no regulation authority to complain if something goes wrong. Then your money will vanish in to the air.
Best way is to trade your own for that money at least you will get the experience of trading which will be worth more than anything when comes to Forex trading.
LOL how are you guys all not seeing their initial registration details above, its here: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/11955073
The company is not regulated.
Stop being taken in by all the Bull Crap. Chances are you will have to pay them something and the chances are, you will never ever get your money back.
People who offer such services, are playing on the dreams of newbies. All to often, the newbie has to pay something to qualify and then they are told, they do not meet requirements.
If you think you are genuinely good trader, take your results to a hedge fund and they will happily employ you provided you can pass their interview and you will earn millions. I bet you not a single person here can. That is why people sell you the dream that you can someone manage their money if you pay an upfront cost to prove how good you are.
Anyone who falls for this and ends up paying a single cent to “qualify”, I hope it’s money you can afford to lose as I can guarantee you that you will not be getting it back!!!!
If something is too good to be true, it usually is.
If by some miracle, you do get handed some money to trade, how do you know the money they do give is legitimate money? Do you really want the police/authorities knocking on your door saying you are helping to launder dirty money? 20 year prison in some countries for money laundering crimes.
Yes it is a scam company. There are other prop firms to deal with than an unknown hidden company.
Hi there,
It is always great having websites like you review firms but a lot of things you wrote are incorrect.
You write that the firm claims to be FCA regulated but on the website: (https://funded-traders.com/faq/), they clearly indicate they are not!!
You also write that they claim hundreds on a monthly basis for software & training but if you go on the site, you will notice, each FX Page title clearly states “One-Time fee” >> (https://funded-traders.com/beginner-account/). Only the Stock accounts have a monthly data feed cost (which is free for the first 4 months) and this is clearly written on the page if you scroll down >> (https://funded-traders.com/stock-funding-beginner-account/). Additionally you list commission rates for Stock accounts are $6.50 per trade but the website clearly states $3.27 per 1,000 shares.
I think it’s important to highlight firms that are not genuine but similarly I don’t think it’s fair to write false information about a firm (& give them bad press), it also makes you guys look bad because clearly you did not read the website and as a result you are providing your readers with incorrect information.
Thanks
How about maverick trading any review of them?