Investment Fraud Investigation: CFTC

Institutions, businesses, and individuals can all fall victim to investment scams, in turn suffering considerable financial and reputational harm. These sophisticated schemes are orchestrated by serious and organised crime syndicates. By employing pressure tactics and promising too-good-to-be-true returns, they will swindle your savings and vanish.

Don't lose your hard-earned money to an investment scam. A fraud investigation will unearth actionable evidence of the suspected crime that can be used to help recover your assets and prosecute the culprit.

Leveraging a global network of whistleblowers, expert witnesses and exclusive resources, CFTC is a world leader in fraud investigation. Our skilled investigators track down the offenders behind complex cyber-enabled frauds, uncover the money trail and bring to light strategic cyber threat intelligence about internet fraudsters' financial operations, physical locations and identity details.

Book a consultation for our fraud investigation service today.

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Investigate investment fraud worldwide with CFTC

CFTC conducts serious fraud investigations by utilising extensive intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, advanced cybercrime investigation methods and strategic profiling of suspects for civil and criminal action.

In addition, our skilled investigators work with internal legal experts who specialise in cross-border fraud and global asset recovery services in foreign jurisdictions. Using this expertise, we can freeze bank accounts and assets associated with offenders involved in serious fraud.

In recent years, CFTC has received law enforcement awards, plaques of recognition and commendations for uncovering major cyber fraud networks and syndicates whilst disrupting large-scale fraud gangs working in Asia, Europe and Central America.

Securities fraud

Securities fraud is also referred to as stock or investment fraud and is one of the many illegal operations targeted by CFTC's international investigative services. These types of scams involve deceptive practices relating to commodities and stocks, intending to fraudulently profit off investors.

CFTC has recovered millions of dollars for victims of fraud and continually manages complex class action lawsuits for large investor groups targeted by international internet fraudsters.

Cryptocurrency scam

A growing number of fraudsters are using cryptocurrency to scam their victims, due to the difficulty in reversing blockchain transactions and the lack of regulatory protections.

Cryptocurrency scams can take several forms. Individuals can be victims of crypto fraud through investments in scam currencies. It can also include digital heists where hackers steal cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum from individuals and large cryptocurrency exchanges.

An example of this type of attack is the large-scale theft of more than $32 million from Japan's Bitpoint exchange. This follows on from the massive $500million hacking operation that targeted another exchange, Coincheck.

This type of fraud investigation must trace the transaction to the offender's cryptocurrency wallet, before gathering intelligence to reveal their identity. This painstaking process demands the professional expertise and particular resources of renowned investigators like CFTC.

Binary options fraud

Binary trading scams are used to defraud investors of millions of dollars every year. They promise quick returns through the prediction of asset, commodity or index prices over a short period.

While many licenced firms trade in them as legitimate financial services, investment in binary options is high-risk with returns that are almost impossible to predict, even for professionals. This system of investment is often co-opted by scammers.

Forex scams

Traders can be lured into investing large sums of money with the promise of high returns in foreign exchange fraud operations.

Forex scams rose to prominence when currency trading first began to emerge as a common form of investment fraud. Because one trader's gain is another trader's loss, the foreign exchange market runs as a zero-loss game in the best-case scenario.

Once you factor in brokerage and other transaction fees the overall investment landscape becomes a negative-loss proposition. While forex trading is not always fraudulent by definition, there are large numbers of scams associated with the industry, making it a hotbed of potential scams.

Sports betting fraud

Sports betting scams are presented as legitimate investment opportunities under a range of guises. These can include the promotion of impressive-sounding computer prediction software that supposedly uses advanced data algorithms to predict sporting results based on the analysis of previous events.

Victims can also be lured in by betting syndicates or punters clubs which require the investor to set up a sports betting account and make regular deposits. In these cases, the scammers promise to make winning bets on behalf of the victim but in reality, drain the accounts of money and launder these funds for their own profit.

Ponzi and pyramid schemes

A Ponzi scheme operates by using funds from new investors to repay earlier ones, without any legitimate underlying investment to generate returns. As the scheme grows, the promised returns become unsustainable because there are no genuine investments to generate profits.

Eventually, the scheme collapses when the operator can no longer meet the expected payments to investors. When this happens, investors often lose their entire investment as the fraudster typically spends the money on personal expenses, hastening the scheme's demise.

Similarly, a pyramid scheme involves recruiting new investors to earn returns, rather than selling genuine products or services. While genuine multi-level marketing exists, pyramid schemes lack a legitimate underlying business, making their sustainability reliant solely on recruiting new participants.

Fraud investigation with a proven track record

Expert fraud investigations

Our fraud investigators, analysts and researchers have been collecting evidence to locate investment scammers around the world for years. With our unrivalled investigative skills on your side, you can maximise the chances of recovering your losses.

Worldwide resources

CFTC works closely with state, federal and international law enforcement agencies across the globe. Our fraud investigators can also collaborate with local and foreign correspondent lawyers to uncover money trails and hidden assets in almost any country.

Dynamic strategies

Harnessing direct access to local databases, confidential witnesses, cybercrime and cyber forensic experts, and a network of confidential informants, CFTC uses myriad techniques to conduct fraud investigations into the most intricate investment scams.

Actionable evidence

Whichever jurisdiction the scam operates within, CFTC can compile comprehensive intelligence for criminal proceedings. Equipped with actionable evidence of the offender's identity and actions, you may pursue legal action and recover your stolen funds.

Powerful results

As one of the world's leading fraud investigation firms, CFTC has played a crucial role in supporting international law enforcement agencies in dismantling serious and organised crime groups. Our provision of pivotal evidence has led to significant police operations, arrests, and prosecutions worldwide.

Complete discretion

CFTC performs every investment fraud investigation with exceptional professionalism, sensitivity and discretion. To protect client privacy, we encrypt all personal data and will only ever disclose case information with your explicit consent.

Investment fraudsters to watch out for

CFTC is actively investigating complaints about the following fraudulent investment companies:

Agard Union Trading
Capel Court
Horizon Capital Management
ASAL Group

View all scam alerts

Frequently asked questions

Top

Investment fraud occurs when scammers deceive investors by making false promises about returns, misrepresenting risks, or operating illegal investment schemes. These fraudsters may pose as legitimate investment advisors, brokers, or fund managers to steal investors' money for personal gain.
Common types of investment fraud include Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, fake cryptocurrency investments, boiler room operations, and advance fee fraud. Scammers often target vulnerable individuals through cold calls, emails, social media, or sophisticated websites that mimic legitimate investment platforms.
Investment fraud can result in devastating financial losses, with victims often losing their life savings, retirement funds, or inheritance money. The sophisticated nature of these scams makes them particularly dangerous for unsuspecting investors.
Investment fraud often involves several red flags that investors should watch for:
- Promises of unusually high returns with little or no risk;
- Pressure to invest quickly or "act now" to secure exclusive opportunities;
- Unlicensed sellers or unregistered investments;
- Secretive investment strategies or reluctance to provide documentation;
- Difficulty accessing your funds or receiving promised returns;
- Inconsistent or vague explanations about how profits are generated;
- Recruitment of new investors to pay existing ones (pyramid structure).
Always verify investment advisors' credentials through official regulatory databases and be skeptical of unsolicited investment offers, especially those promising guaranteed returns.
If you suspect you've been a victim of investment fraud, take immediate action:
- Stop all further payments or investments with the suspected fraudster immediately;
- Document everything - save emails, messages, contracts, receipts, and any other evidence;
- Report the fraud to your local police, financial regulators, and Scam Watch;
- Contact your bank or financial institution to report unauthorized transactions;
- Contact CFTC investigators immediately to begin tracking down the fraudsters and recovering your stolen funds through professional investigation services.
Time is critical in investment fraud cases - the sooner you act, the better your chances of asset recovery and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Investment fraud investigations typically take between one to six months, depending on the complexity of the case and the international scope of the fraud. Simple cases involving domestic fraudsters may be resolved more quickly, while complex international schemes requiring cross-border cooperation can take longer.
Factors that influence investigation timeframes include the sophistication of the fraud, the number of victims involved, the jurisdictions where assets are held, and the cooperation of financial institutions and law enforcement agencies.
Our experienced investigators work diligently to expedite the process while ensuring thorough evidence collection that can support criminal proceedings and asset recovery efforts.
The cost of investigating investment fraud varies significantly based on the complexity of the case, the amount of money involved, the number of jurisdictions affected, and the investigative techniques required to trace the stolen funds.
CFTC provides a comprehensive assessment of each case and offers a tailored proposal that outlines the investigation strategy, expected timeline, and budget required to maximize the chances of successful asset recovery.
Our transparent pricing approach ensures you understand all costs upfront, with no hidden fees. We work with you to develop a cost-effective investigation plan that aligns with your budget and recovery goals.
The likelihood of recovering stolen investment funds depends on several factors, including how quickly the fraud is reported, the sophistication of the criminal operation, the jurisdictions involved, and the availability of traceable assets.
Early intervention significantly improves recovery prospects. Cases reported within weeks of the fraud have higher success rates than those reported months later, as fraudsters typically move or hide stolen funds quickly.
CFTC's experienced investigators conduct a preliminary assessment of each case to provide realistic expectations about recovery potential. Our track record includes successful asset recovery in complex international fraud cases, working closely with law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and freeze stolen funds.
While no investigation can guarantee complete recovery, our comprehensive approach maximizes your chances of recovering your stolen investments and holding the perpetrators accountable.

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Understand the process and make an informed decision about engaging CFTC Recovery services. Complete our enquiry form and get started with your investigation.

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Please note: CFTC Report does not investigate frauds with under $10,000 USD in losses. The minimum fee to start an investigation into an online fraud is $500 USD.

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Investment Fraud Investigation