What Matters
If an AI trading platform looks fraudulent, the first objective is not to “win the argument” with the platform. It is to stop additional loss, preserve evidence, identify the correct regulator or law-enforcement route and prevent recovery scammers from taking a second payment. Reports are stronger when they include dates, wallet addresses, transaction hashes, screenshots, URLs, company names, contact details and the exact claims that induced the payment.
DN Evidence Block
Last reviewed: 15 November 2026.
Primary sources: FTC investment-scam guidance and ReportFraud route; FCA crypto-investment-scam guidance and reporting route; CFTC complaint route as referenced by FTC investment-scam guidance.
Boundary: this guide helps preserve and route evidence. It does not guarantee recovery, determine criminal liability or replace legal advice.
1. Stop Sending Money
Fraudulent trading platforms often create fake dashboards showing profits, then demand another payment to release withdrawals, pay “tax,” unlock an account or verify identity. The FTC warns that cryptocurrency investment scams can show fake account growth and then disappear when victims try to recover funds.
Do not treat a new fee as proof that the original balance is real.
2. Preserve the Evidence Before Accounts Disappear
| Evidence | What to save |
|---|---|
| Platform identity | Domain, app name, company/legal name, claimed registration, support emails, social handles. |
| Money trail | Wallet addresses, transaction hashes, bank references, payment processor receipts, deposit/withdrawal IDs. |
| Sales claims | Guaranteed-return language, “AI” claims, promised win rate, testimonials, screenshots of dashboards. |
| Communications | Emails, DMs, chat logs, phone numbers, Telegram/WhatsApp usernames. |
| Withdrawal evidence | Failed withdrawal attempts, extra-fee demands, frozen-account messages. |
| Timeline | First contact, deposits, claimed profits, withdrawal request, additional demands. |
3. Check Whether the Firm Exists Where It Claims
Before reporting, record whether the platform appears on the relevant regulator or company register. The FCA tells UK consumers to check its Financial Services Register and verify that the firm’s contact details and permissions match the service being offered.
A missing registration is useful evidence. A present registration is not proof that every activity is authorised or legitimate.
4. Where to Report
| Route | Use it when | Official route |
|---|---|---|
| FTC | US consumer fraud / investment scam | ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
| CFTC | Commodity, derivatives or certain trading-fraud complaints | cftc.gov/complaint |
| SEC | Securities-investment complaints in the US | sec.gov/tcr |
| FCA | UK financial or crypto scam concern | FCA contact/reporting route |
| Police / cybercrime authority | Loss, theft, extortion, identity theft or criminal conduct | Your local national reporting channel |
| Exchange / wallet provider | Funds passed through a known custodial platform | Submit transaction hashes and destination addresses quickly |
5. Report the Same Facts Consistently
Do not embellish the story. A clean report distinguishes what you personally observed from what the platform claimed. If the dashboard said you had a $40,000 profit, report that as a displayed platform balance, not as money you independently verified existed.
DN Scam Evidence Pack Builder
This tool identifies the evidence fields still missing before you submit a report.
Do not share seed phrases, passwords or private keys with a regulator, investigator, recovery service or publisher.
6. Watch for Recovery Scams
The FCA warns that people who have already lost money can be targeted again with offers to recover funds or buy back the investment for another fee. Treat unsolicited “recovery agents,” fake lawyers and supposed investigators with the same skepticism as the original platform.
Security Warning
If you exposed an API key, wallet approval, password or identity document to a suspicious platform, reporting the fraud is only one part of the response. Revoke permissions, rotate credentials, isolate affected accounts and contact the relevant exchange or wallet provider. Never send a seed phrase or private key to anyone claiming they need it to recover funds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a regulator recover my crypto?
A report does not guarantee recovery. It can support enforcement, pattern detection and investigation, but crypto transfers may be difficult or impossible to reverse.
Should I pay a tax or unlock fee to withdraw?
Unexpected demands for additional money to release a supposed balance are a major scam warning sign.
What is the most important evidence?
Transaction hashes, destination addresses, platform URL, communications and a dated timeline are especially useful because they link the money trail to the representation that induced payment.
Where should a US victim report?
FTC guidance points investment-scam victims to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, depending on the instrument, the SEC or CFTC complaint channels.
Where should a UK victim report?
The FCA accepts scam reports and tells people who have lost money to also report the crime through the UK’s fraud-reporting route.
Final Verdict
The strongest fraud report is a boring one: dated, specific, evidence-backed and free of speculation. Preserve the money trail, preserve the promises, report quickly and do not pay a second party simply because it promises recovery.
Primary Sources
