Frequently Asked Questions

IsYourTraderReal is a free, independent verification platform operated by Trading Integrity Bureau (a Signal Core s.r.o. project). We investigate traders, mentors, signal providers, and trading groups to assess whether their claims are supported by evidence, helping retail investors make informed decisions.

Unlike review sites that aggregate opinions, we conduct direct account verification via third-party platforms and read-only credentials, multi-source investigations across regulators, review platforms, social archives, domain history, and corporate registries. Our methodology is guided by GIPS principles, and every verdict is evidence-based.

IsYourTraderReal is operated by Trading Integrity Bureau, a project of Signal Core s.r.o., registered at Rybna 716/24, Stare Mesto, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic (ICO: 24460354). The company is registered in the Commercial Register maintained by the Municipal Court in Prague.

Our team consists of experienced traders, financial analysts, and research analysts dedicated to protecting retail investors from scams in the trading industry.

Trading Integrity Bureau is an independent verification entity for trading firms, exchanges, and funds. It is a pure verification body — not a consultancy, and not a ratings agency.

TIB assesses entities across six dimensions: payout integrity, rule enforcement, capital reserves, operational controls, data integrity, and transparency. It maintains a public registry of verified entities. IsYourTraderReal is a TIB project.

Yes. Submitting a verification request or reporting a suspicious trader is completely free. There are no hidden fees. Our mission is to protect retail investors from fraud, and we believe everyone deserves access to the truth about who they are trusting with their money.

Premium verification is available for traders who want expedited processing, but the standard service costs nothing.

IsYourTraderReal is funded by Signal Core s.r.o. We do not accept payments from traders in exchange for favorable reviews, and we maintain no financial relationships that could create conflicts of interest. Our independence is the foundation of our credibility.

We reference publicly available data from financial regulators such as the FCA, CFTC, CySEC, and ASIC as part of our investigation process. We also maintain links to regulatory complaint procedures for victims of trading scams.

IsYourTraderReal is not a review aggregator. Key differences include:

Direct account verification via verified third-party platforms, not just user-submitted opinions. Multi-source investigation across regulators, review platforms, social archives, domain history, and corporate registries. Continuous monitoring, not one-time reviews. Methodology guided by GIPS principles from the CFA Institute. Evidence-based verdicts, not crowd-sourced opinions.

Our work is guided by four core principles:

Impartiality — the same standard applied to everyone, regardless of size or reputation. Evidence-Based — verdicts based on verifiable evidence, not opinions or popularity. Transparency — our methodology is public, and corrections are made openly when warranted. Fearlessness — we continue investigations and publish findings despite legal threats or intimidation.

Our verification follows a rigorous 4-step process:

Step 1: You submit the trader's details (name, platform, evidence). Step 2: We contact the trader directly, requesting verification via platforms and documentation. Step 3: Deep investigation — background checks, regulatory record searches, online review analysis, social media audit, and performance verification. Step 4: Publication of a comprehensive public report with a final verdict.

Standard free verification typically takes 3-7 business days. Complex cases involving multiple platforms, jurisdictions, or uncooperative traders may take longer.

Premium verification offers guaranteed timelines: Basic tier (10 business days), Professional (5 business days), and Enterprise (3 business days).

We investigate six core areas:

Live accounts — verification of actual trading performance via investor passwords. Online reviews — Trustpilot, ForexPeaceArmy, forums, Reddit. Regulatory records — FCA, SEC, CySEC, ASIC, and 23+ other regulators. Social presence — fake followers, misleading claims, engagement patterns. Track record — claimed performance vs. actual verified results. Red flags — pressure tactics, unrealistic promises, payment issues, withdrawal complaints.

The investigation continues using all publicly available information. Refusal to cooperate is noted as a red flag in the report. Non-cooperation is stated as a factual observation, not an evaluative judgment.

The report is published based on whatever evidence is available. Legitimate traders almost always cooperate with verification — refusal to do so should be considered a warning sign by potential clients.

Verified — the trader has been confirmed as legitimate, cooperated with the investigation, and provided verifiable evidence of their trading activity.

Verified – Educational — this profile has been verified as an educational resource. They provide trading education and do not sell signals, managed accounts, or promise specific returns.

Failed Verification — based on our review, significant concerns were identified regarding claimed trading performance. This is an editorial assessment, not a legal determination.

Under Review — the trader is currently being actively investigated. This is a temporary status.

Inconclusive — insufficient evidence for a definitive verdict. Usually the trader did not respond or refused to cooperate. An Inconclusive verdict may warrant additional caution.

There is also a Pending status for submissions where the investigation has not yet started.

Yes. Verified traders are subject to ongoing monitoring and periodic re-verification. If new evidence of concern emerges, their status can change immediately. "Verified" is not a permanent endorsement — it reflects current findings.

Credible fraud evidence triggers immediate escalation: status change can happen within hours of discovery.

Yes. We investigate trading groups on Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp. Group investigations examine the leadership, signal accuracy, member testimonials, and business practices. Groups are held to the same standards as individual traders.

All major platforms: Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and dedicated trading websites. If a trader or group operates online, we can investigate them regardless of the platform they use.

L1 Basic: Name/identity check, social media audit, regulatory database search, public review analysis, red flag detection.

L2 Deep: Everything in L1 plus direct trader contact, third-party platform verification, Myfxbook/FX Blue audit, community interviews, and cross-platform analysis.

L3 Full Audit: Everything in L1 and L2 plus multi-platform investigation, victim statements, financial trail analysis, corporate registry checks, regulator coordination, and historical activity review.

Trading statements — live vs. demo verification, equity curves, drawdown analysis. Verified platform accounts — Myfxbook, FX Blue, AlphaVerification with tamper-proof data. Community reports — testimonials, chat logs, payment evidence from affected users.

Social proof & reviews — Trustpilot, ForexPeaceArmy, Reddit, with fake review detection. Regulatory records — FCA, CFTC, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, and 20+ other regulators. Digital footprint — domain registration data, Wayback Machine archives, past identities and aliases.

GIPS (Global Investment Performance Standards) are ethical standards created by the CFA Institute for calculating and presenting investment performance. Over 1,600 organizations follow GIPS across 54 markets, including all top 25 global asset managers. The current version is GIPS 2020.

GIPS ensures that investment performance is reported fairly and consistently, preventing cherry-picking of results and enabling meaningful comparison between managers.

IsYourTraderReal does not claim formal GIPS compliance — GIPS is designed for institutional investment firms. However, our methodology is explicitly guided by and aligned with core GIPS principles:

Fair representation (no cherry-picking of favorable periods), full disclosure (all material findings reported), standardized calculations (time-weighted returns), independent verification (third-party account access), and input data integrity (tamper-proof data sources).

We are transparent about what our investigations can and cannot do:

Investigations are point-in-time assessments — trader behavior may change after verification. Results are cooperation-dependent — we can only verify accounts that are disclosed or discovered. Only disclosed or discovered accounts are verified — traders may have undisclosed accounts. Our verdicts are not financial advice; "Verified" is not an endorsement to invest. There are jurisdiction limitations. Sophisticated fraud may temporarily evade detection.

Verification is not a one-time event. We conduct periodic re-verification of verified traders. New community reports trigger re-review. We maintain regulatory watch lists tracking warnings and enforcement actions from major regulators.

Community feedback is continuously tracked. Verification statuses have expiry dates — they are not permanent. When credible evidence of concern emerges, we initiate immediate escalation: status change within hours.

The Trading Integrity Bureau (TIB) is an independent review initiative behind IsYourTraderReal.com. TIB operates as an independent body dedicated to establishing trust and transparency in the retail trading industry.

TIB's role includes:

• Independent verification — conducting multi-level audits of trader and group performance claims
• Data integrity — cross-referencing trading records with third-party platforms (Myfxbook, FX Blue, MetaTrader)
• Certification — issuing Trust Seals and verification badges that confirm a trader's legitimacy
• Fraud prevention — investigating and flagging deceptive practices, fake results, and misleading marketing
• Industry standards — setting benchmarks for what constitutes verified, trustworthy trading performance

Every verification report, trust seal, and investigation published on IsYourTraderReal.com is backed by TIB's methodology and standards. When you see the TIB seal on a trader's profile, it means their performance has been independently audited and confirmed.

An investor password is a read-only MetaTrader 4/5 credential. It allows viewing of complete trading history, open positions, balance, and equity — but it cannot place trades, modify orders, or withdraw funds.

It is one of the methods for verifying trading performance. When a trader voluntarily provides their investor password, we can connect directly to their broker's servers and see exactly what happened in their account. We recommend traders check their broker's terms before sharing any credentials. Alternative verification via Myfxbook or FX Blue is also accepted.

Our Myfxbook verification checks multiple dimensions: live vs. demo account status, whether the account has a "Verified" badge, equity curve manipulation analysis (detecting suspicious patterns), deposit/withdrawal history, account age, and performance consistency over time.

We look for red flags such as sudden equity jumps, unrealistic win rates, or patterns suggesting the account has been swapped or manipulated after the fact.

FX Blue verification includes: live account confirmation, broker and account type verification, trade-by-trade analysis examining entry/exit patterns, abnormal pattern detection (such as martingale sequences or copy-trading signatures), and comprehensive risk metrics assessment.

Alpha Performance Verification Services is a boutique, independent GIPS verification firm established in 2010 in Richmond, Virginia. It is one of the 5 largest GIPS verification firms in the United States, serving clients managing from under $1M to over $15B in assets under management.

Staff includes CPAs, CFA Charterholders, and CIPM designees. Services include GIPS firm-wide verification, performance examination, and model/strategy verification. Verification is their sole business, ensuring complete independence.

When a trader voluntarily provides read-only access credentials, we can access their full trade history directly from the broker's servers. This provides tamper-proof data — unlike screenshots, the information comes straight from the broker and cannot be edited or fabricated.

We confirm broker identity, leverage settings, account type (live vs. demo), detect manipulation patterns, and verify account ownership. Traders may also verify via third-party platforms like Myfxbook or FX Blue instead.

Note: Sharing access credentials is always voluntary. We recommend traders check their broker's terms of service before sharing any credentials.

Visit the homepage and click "Add / Report". Enter the trader's name, the platform they operate on, and any relevant details. Attach evidence such as screenshots, chat logs, or payment receipts. All reports are reviewed by our investigation team.

The more evidence you provide, the stronger the investigation. Useful evidence includes:

Screenshots of promises or guarantees made by the trader. Chat logs from Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, or other platforms. Payment receipts for any money sent. Trading statements they shared with you. Social media links to their profiles or groups. Platform names they operate on. Any communication showing red flags such as pressure tactics or unrealistic promises.

Yes. Your identity is never disclosed to the traders being investigated. Full identity and contact information is not disclosed to subjects, third parties, or the public.

Exceptions apply only in three cases: a valid court order, active legal proceedings, or prevention of imminent serious harm. In all such cases, reporters are notified before any disclosure where legally permitted.

After submission, our team reviews the report and begins the investigation. We contact the trader directly, conduct background checks across multiple sources, verify trading accounts where possible, and compile our findings into a comprehensive public report with a final verdict.

Yes. Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp groups are all accepted. The same investigation process applies — we examine the group's leadership, signal accuracy, member feedback, and business practices.

Important: The platform does not automatically sanitize file metadata. Users are responsible for removing EXIF data, author information, and GPS coordinates from files before submitting them. This is particularly important if you wish to remain anonymous — check your files for embedded personal data before upload.

Email responses@isyourtraderreal.com with: your name, your profile URL on our site, point-by-point rebuttals addressing specific findings, and supporting evidence.

Use the subject line: "Trader Response — [Your Name]". Traders can respond at any time, regardless of when the report was originally published.

The most compelling evidence is verified trading accounts — investor passwords providing access to Myfxbook, FX Blue, or broker accounts. This is the single most important evidence type.

Also accepted: regulatory registrations (FCA, CySEC, ASIC, CFTC, NFA, BaFin) with verifiable registration numbers. Audited track records. Official broker statements. Trading platform certifications (prop firm challenges, funded account confirmations). Identifiable client testimonials that we can contact for verification. Business registrations. Professional qualifications.

The following types of evidence are not accepted because they are easily fabricated or irrelevant:

Trading platform screenshots (easily doctored). Self-reported P/L without third-party verification. Anonymous or unverifiable testimonials. Social media follower counts. Future performance promises. Marketing materials. Legal action threats — threatening to sue us does not constitute evidence and will not influence a verdict.

Acknowledgement: within 5 business days. Initial assessment: within 10 business days. Full review: up to 30 calendar days. Outcome notification: within 5 business days after the review concludes. Profile update: within 3 business days if the verdict changes.

The trader's profile remains visible on the site throughout the review process.

Every investigated trader has the right to: respond at any time with new evidence. Receive a fair review by at least 2 independent team members. Be informed of the outcome with full reasoning. File a formal appeal if dissatisfied with the response outcome. Request personal data access under GDPR.

The appeal process is independent from the Trader Response process. It is handled by a senior panel that was not involved in the original investigation, ensuring impartiality.

Submit your appeal via appeals@isyourtraderreal.com or through the /appeal page on our website.

There are four eligibility pathways:

1. You previously submitted a Trader Response and wish to challenge the decision. 2. You have significant new evidence that was unavailable during the original investigation. 3. There were procedural errors that affected the fairness of the investigation. 4. There are demonstrable factual inaccuracies in the published report.

Acknowledgement: within 5 business days. Eligibility check: within 10 business days. Full review: up to 30 business days, conducted by a panel of minimum 2 investigators who were not involved in the original case. Decision notification: within 5 business days after the review concludes. Profile update: within 3 business days if the verdict changes.

Three possible outcomes:

Upheld — the original verdict is maintained after review. Partial Revision — some findings are updated based on new evidence, but the core verdict may or may not change. Overturned — the original verdict is reversed entirely based on compelling new evidence.

One appeal per 12-month period, unless significant new evidence emerges. Submitting false or misleading information in an appeal results in immediate dismissal plus a notation on your profile.

There are no expedited appeal options. If you remain dissatisfied after the appeal process, you can pursue the Dispute Resolution process.

Our dispute resolution follows four escalating stages:

Stage 1 — Informal Resolution (7 business days): Email acknowledgment within 2 business days, attempt to resolve directly.

Stage 2 — Formal Complaint (14 business days): Written complaint reviewed by a senior investigator who was not involved in the original case.

Stage 3 — Mediation (30 business days): Independent mediator, non-binding proceedings, costs split between parties.

Stage 4 — External Arbitration (60 business days): Binding arbitration through the Czech Chamber of Commerce in Prague, conducted in English.

The dispute resolution process covers: verification outcomes (if you believe the verdict is incorrect), inaccurate content in published reports, platform decisions (suspensions, removals, badge revocation), incorrect data, intellectual property violations, and privacy policy breaches.

The following are excluded from the dispute resolution process: frivolous complaints without substantive basis, third-party disputes between users unrelated to our platform, and repeat filings on matters that have already been resolved through the dispute process.

All disputes are governed by Czech Republic law. Exclusive jurisdiction rests with Czech courts, subject to arbitration. EU residents retain their statutory consumer protection rights under EU law.

Contact: disputes@isyourtraderreal.com

Premium verification is an expedited and enhanced verification service for traders who want to proactively demonstrate their legitimacy. Standard free verification can take 30+ business days — premium guarantees faster processing.

Important: Payment guarantees speed, not outcome. Paying for premium verification does not guarantee a favorable verdict. The investigation applies the same rigorous standards regardless of payment.

Basic — $99: 10 business days, 1 trading account verified, basic regulatory check, email support.

Professional — $299: 5 business days, up to 3 accounts, full regulatory deep-dive (FCA, CySEC, ASIC, CFTC, NFA, BaFin, AMF), performance analytics, dedicated analyst, verified badge for 6 months, priority support.

Enterprise — $999: 3 business days, unlimited accounts, senior analyst, entity verification, embeddable badge widget, custom PDF certificate, quarterly monitoring for 12 months, 24/7 support with 4-hour response guarantee, verified badge for 1 year.

Email premium@isyourtraderreal.com with: your name, trading name, chosen tier, and a description of your trading activity. You will receive an invoice.

Payment accepted via bank transfer, card, or crypto (BTC, ETH, USDT). Once payment is confirmed, submit your documentation and your assigned analyst begins work immediately.

Premium verification is non-refundable once documentation has been submitted and work has begun. A full refund is available if IsYourTraderReal fails to complete the verification within the guaranteed timeframe due to delays on our side.

A negative verdict still provides the full investigation report — no refund is issued for unfavorable outcomes. You may reapply after a 90-day waiting period.

Professional tier receives a 6-month verified badge. Enterprise tier receives a 1-year verified badge. Badges can be embedded on websites and shared on social media.

Renewal is available through a new verification cycle at the end of the badge period. Badge renewal ensures your verification status remains current and actively monitored.

All prices are listed in USD. Invoices are available in EUR or CZK upon request.

The trust seal is an embeddable badge that verified traders can display on their website or social media profiles. It links directly to their verification report on IsYourTraderReal, allowing potential clients to instantly verify their legitimacy.

Embed codes are available in both JavaScript and iframe formats on each trader's profile page.

Each trader profile includes a community voting section with four options: legitimate, suspicious, not credible, or unsure. Voting is anonymous and limited to one vote per IP address.

Community voting reflects public sentiment independently and does not influence the official verdict — it provides additional context alongside our evidence-based investigation.

Yes. Each verified trader profile includes downloadable trust cards in two formats: Post (1080x1080) and Story (1080x1920). The cards display the verification status, key stats, verification sources, and TIB branding — ready to share on Instagram, Twitter/X, or any social platform.

Yes. Each trader profile includes a download option for a print-friendly PDF report. The PDF contains all findings, an evidence summary, the verification status, and a QR code linking to the live profile for real-time status updates.

Yes. Our white-label program is designed for brokers, prop firms, education platforms, and copy trading platforms that want to integrate trader verification into their own systems.

Integration options include: REST API (JSON responses, rate-limited, with sandbox testing environment), Embeddable Widget (JavaScript snippet, customizable appearance), and Custom Landing Pages (branded pages hosted on your domain).

Starter: 100 checks/month, standard reports, email support.

Business: 1,000 checks/month, detailed reports, priority support, dedicated account manager, custom SLA.

Enterprise: Unlimited checks, comprehensive reports, 24/7 priority support, senior account manager, uptime guarantee.

The API returns: status (current verification state), verdict (final determination), confidence score, last_checked timestamp, and report_url linking to the full report.

Most partners go live within 2 weeks. We provide comprehensive documentation, sandbox testing environments, and dedicated technical support during the integration process.

Email partners@isyourtraderreal.com for white-label integration, partnership inquiries, and custom solutions.

Watch for these eight major warning signs:

1. No verifiable license or registration number. 2. Offshore-only registration (St. Vincent, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu). 3. Guaranteed returns promised ("10% daily" or similar). 4. Withdrawal difficulties or delays. 5. Unsolicited contact (cold DMs, random adds). 6. Pressure to deposit money quickly. 7. No physical business address. 8. Crypto-only deposits (untraceable payments).

Additional red flags: fake testimonials, constantly changing group names, deletion of negative reviews, and refusal to share verified trading accounts.

Verify on IsYourTraderReal first. Check regulatory databases (FCA, CFTC, ASIC, CySEC) for licenses and warnings. Demand verified accounts through Myfxbook or FX Blue — do not accept screenshots. Be highly skeptical of guaranteed returns. Never send money via untraceable methods. Trust your instincts — if something feels too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

Act quickly and methodically:

1. Gather all evidence — screenshots, payment receipts, transaction records, emails, URLs, chat logs. 2. Identify the relevant regulator for the entity. 3. File a formal complaint via the regulator's official website. 4. Report to local law enforcement (Action Fraud in the UK, IC3/FBI in the US). 5. Report on IsYourTraderReal to warn others and help build the case.

Yes. The same reporting and investigation process applies to Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp groups as to individual traders. Group investigations examine leadership, signal accuracy, member testimonials, and overall business practices.

We check 27+ financial regulators worldwide:

FCA (UK), CFTC/NFA (US), ASIC (Australia), BaFin (Germany), CySEC (Cyprus), FMA (New Zealand), JFSA (Japan), FSCA (South Africa), MAS (Singapore), AMF (France), CONSOB (Italy), CNMV (Spain), SFC (Hong Kong), OSC (Canada), CNB (Czech Republic), FINMA (Switzerland), DFSA (UAE/DIFC), SEC (US), KNF (Poland), AFM (Netherlands), FI (Sweden), CVM (Brazil), SEBI (India), SEC Thailand, FMA Austria, and ESMA (EU-wide).

See our full regulatory links page for direct links to each regulator.

Follow these five steps:

1. Gather all evidence (screenshots, receipts, transaction records, communications). 2. Identify the correct regulator — this depends on where the entity is registered or claims to be regulated. 3. File a complaint via the regulator's official website form. 4. Report to your local police or cybercrime unit. 5. Report on IsYourTraderReal.

Visit our regulatory links page for direct links to complaint forms for all major regulators.

The same eight red flags apply: no verifiable license number, offshore-only registration (St. Vincent, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu), guaranteed returns, withdrawal problems, unsolicited contact, pressure to deposit quickly, no physical address, and crypto-only deposit requirements.

Always check the relevant regulator's website directly. Do not rely on claims made on the broker's own website — scam brokers frequently display fake regulatory numbers or logos.

We collect: IP address (partially masked when displayed publicly), country (via geolocation), browser/device information, name/pseudonym (first name only displayed), email (never published), submission content and uploaded files, reCAPTCHA data, and cookies.

For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

We collect: names, aliases, and usernames. Photographs from public sources. Trading platform profiles and social media accounts. Trading performance data (only if voluntarily provided by the trader). Business information including company registrations, regulatory filings, domain registration data, and court records.

All data is collected from publicly available sources or provided voluntarily by the trader during the investigation process.

Submissions: Duration of the investigation plus 5 years. Published subject data: As long as the report remains published. IP/technical data: Maximum 12 months. Session cookies: 24 hours. Functional cookies: 12 months. Email correspondence: 3 years.

Data erasure is restricted under GDPR Article 17(3)(a) for journalistic purposes. The right to object is restricted where compelling legitimate grounds override individual rights. Each request undergoes a case-by-case proportionality test.

Contact: dpo@isyourtraderreal.com

Yes. Full identity is not disclosed to investigation subjects, third parties, or the public. Exceptions apply only for: a valid court order, active legal proceedings, or prevention of imminent serious harm.

In all such cases, reporters are notified before any disclosure where legally permitted.

Our reports are classified as "editorial opinion and commentary based on available evidence." They are not statements of absolute fact. A "Scam" designation is not a legal finding of fraud — it is our evidence-based assessment.

The platform operates as a public interest information service. For full legal terms, see our Terms of Use.

The supervisory authority is UOOU (Czech Data Protection Authority), located at Pplk. Sochora 27, 170 00 Praha 7, Prague. Website: www.uoou.cz

For data protection inquiries, contact our DPO: dpo@isyourtraderreal.com

We maintain a dedicated incident response framework with 4 severity levels: Critical, High, Medium, and Low. A dedicated incident response team handles all security events.

Response times: 1 hour for Critical severity, 4 hours for High severity. We follow five response phases: Identify, Contain, Eradicate, Recover, and Lessons Learned.

In the event of a data breach: the supervisory authority (UOOU) is notified within 72 hours. Data subjects are notified without undue delay if the breach poses a high risk to their rights.

Evidence is preserved for 12+ months. Forensic images are taken before any remediation. Incident records are kept for 5+ years for compliance and audit purposes.

Report security vulnerabilities or incidents to security@isyourtraderreal.com or dpo@isyourtraderreal.com. We take all security reports seriously and will respond promptly.