#profit-release-fee
2 questions tagged with #profit-release-fee
My unregulated broker is demanding a 'profit release fee' to access my funds. Is this a new scam?
Hey everyone, I'm feeling pretty sick to my stomach right now. I've been trading with this broker, let's just say they're not exactly top-tier regulated, for about six months. Started with a small deposit, like 500 Euros, and through some lucky trades, I managed to build it up pretty well. I thought I had like, 12,000 Euros in my account. I tried to withdraw 3k for a new car, and suddenly they're telling me I can't. They said I need to pay a 'profit release fee' of 15% of my balance to unlock the funds. They said it's 'standard procedure for large profits' with offshore accounts. This sounds really dodgy to me, but I'm desperate to get my money. I've sent them scans of my ID and everything. They're based somewhere in the Caribbean, I think. Has anyone else encountered this 'profit release fee' before? Is there anything I can do, or is my money just gone? I'm in Stuttgart, btw, so maybe BaFin could help? But they're not regulated there.
My 'broker' is asking for a 'collateral deposit' to release my withdrawal. Is this even a thing?
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a panic here. I've been trading with this online platform for a few months – got into it through an ad, yeah, I know. It's called 'GlobalTradePrime' (not in your list, sorry), and they seemed legit at first. I've made some decent 'profits', about 8k USD showing in my account, which is huge for me. Now, I tried to withdraw a smaller amount, say 2k, just to see how it works. They processed it, then suddenly my 'account manager' (who's been super pushy tbh) tells me my withdrawal is on hold. Apparently, because my account activity is 'high' and I'm withdrawing a significant portion of my 'profits', I need to put down a 'collateral deposit' of 15% of my total balance to prove I'm a serious investor and won't just yank all my money out. They said it's a 'standard security protocol'. Is this *ever* a normal thing with real brokers? I've never heard of it. I'm scared to put more money in, but also scared to lose the 8k. Any advice?