#online-trading

My 'broker' is now asking for a 'security fund' to unfreeze my account for withdrawal. Legit or scam?

Hey everyone, I'm really panicking here. I got into some online trading a few months ago through a platform I found on Instagram, thinking I could make some extra cash. Everything seemed fine, I even saw some 'profits' building up in my account. But when I tried to withdraw a small amount last week, my account got immediately frozen. Now, their 'support agent' is telling me I need to deposit a "security fund" of about 15% of my balance to prove I'm a legitimate investor and unlock the withdrawals. They say it's for 'anti-money laundering' compliance. I'm in Al Ain, and this whole thing feels really off. I've already put in about 8,000 USD and I'm terrified of losing it all. Has anyone encountered this specific 'security fund' demand? What do I even do?