Shield is an independent information resource about fraudulent brokers, fake trading platforms, and the payment disputes that follow. We explain how these schemes are built, what warning signs appear early, and which steps a person can realistically take after money has already been sent.
No recovery promises, no regulator status, no legal advice. Just the mechanics, the paperwork, and the routes that exist.
Reading worth your time
The onboarding script scammers reuse across dozens of cloned sites. A walkthrough of the small, deliberate steps a fraudulent broker takes in the first two weeks to make a stranger feel safe.
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The pattern behind unlock fees, tax prepayments, and liquidity top-ups that victims are asked to pay after requesting a withdrawal.
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Card chargebacks, SEPA recalls, wire recalls, and internal bank complaints are not the same process and do not share the same deadlines.
Read the articleShield is an information resource, not a recovery service. Everything below is written to help you understand what happened, what to keep, and which route fits the way your money left the account.
Walk through the sequence a fake platform usually follows: the polished sign-up page, the assigned account manager, the demo dashboard, and the small test withdrawal that clears. Each stage has tells worth knowing before a second deposit.
Unregistered company numbers, pressure to move to a premium tier, withdrawal screens that stop working, and support that only answers on chat. We list the signals that repeat across cloned sites.
Tax prepayments, compliance deposits, liquidity top-ups, release fees. These requests arrive after a withdrawal is blocked, and they grow each time. The section explains how the script works and why paying again rarely changes the outcome.
A card payment, a bank transfer, and a crypto transfer are not disputed the same way. We compare the routes side by side: what each one requires, how long it usually takes, and where the process tends to stall.
Screenshots of the dashboard, chat transcripts, deposit confirmations, the platform's terms page, and any email from the account manager. A short checklist of what to save, in what format, and for how long.
A chargeback is a card scheme process, not a refund guarantee. It depends on the reason code, the deadline, and the evidence you can attach. We explain the limits honestly so you can decide whether to file.
If you want to see how these pieces fit together across the site, start with the solutions overview or look at the situations we cover.
There is no single correct route. What applies to you depends on how the money left your account, how much time has passed, and what records you still have. Below are the main approaches people take, what each one actually involves, and where to read the details before committing to anything.
If deposits went through a debit or credit card, the card issuer's dispute process is usually the most defined path. It runs on formal reason codes, has a stated filing window, and the bank investigates on your behalf. You will need transaction statements, the platform's terms as they appeared when you signed up, and any chat or email where a withdrawal was refused or conditioned on a further payment.
See how card disputes are structuredTransfers sent by SEPA, wire, or faster payment are not covered by card rules. A recall request depends on your bank raising it quickly and the receiving bank agreeing to freeze or return funds, which is far less certain and often fails once money has moved on. Speed matters more here than paperwork, but a clear written timeline of what you were told and when still helps the request.
Compare recall and dispute routesBefore filing anything, gather the account dashboard screenshots, deposit confirmations, the withdrawal request that was blocked, and every message from the account manager. Export chat logs rather than screenshotting them piece by piece. Note the exact dates of each deposit and each refused withdrawal. This pack is what every route below will ask for, so building it first saves a second round of digging later.
What a complete evidence pack containsNot every case ends in a return of funds. Crypto transfers are generally irreversible, and a platform that has already dissolved its payment accounts is hard to pursue. Reading the honest limits of each route before you start avoids paying anyone upfront for a guaranteed outcome, which is itself a common follow-up scam aimed at people already targeted once.
Read the limits and timeframesTell us what happened and which payment route the money left through. We will show you how a chargeback review works in practice, what evidence matters, and where the realistic limits are. No account, no obligation, and no promise of recovery.
What the call coversA screen-by-screen look at how a dispute file is assembled, which documents carry weight, and how the timeline is read by a card issuer or bank.
How long it takesRoughly thirty minutes. We keep it short so you can decide afterwards whether to file anything at all.