Beware! RevolutExpert is an offshore broker! Your investment may be at risk.
RECOMMENDED FOREX BROKERS
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Open trading accounts with at least two brokers.
RevolutExpert claims to be a reliable broker offering a huge number of financial instruments and advantageous conditions. Closer inspection, however, reveals beyond doubt that this is a scam scheme and not a genuine broker. It is in your best interest to stay away from RevolutExpert.
REVOLUTEXPERT REGULATION AND SAFETY OF FUNDS
On the RevolutExpert website we read the claim that its owner is the company Sanguine Solutions LTD, based in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The same company is also the stated owner of other shady websites we have come across, for example GitexCapital.
Because of the lack of regulatory norms and oversight, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the favorite bases of operations for shady brokers. While this country has a financial regulator, unlike other offshore areas, it does not regulate the activities of forex and CFD brokers. Тhe Financial Services Authority (FSA) of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has repeatedly issued warnings on this issue, with the latest such warning dated 23 June 2021.
However, verification shows that RevolutExpert does not even have such an offshore registration. There is a Sanguine Solutions company on the FSA register, but it is of a different type – LLC, not LTD.
There are other clues that RevolutExpert is using a false name resembling that of a registered company. In the text of the Terms and Conditions, for example, we find the wording that disputes between the customer and the company will be resolved by the courts of Poland:
Even if there were a real registration in the SVG, this would not give RevolutExpert the right to operate in an EU member state like Poland. For this purpose a company must have a license from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). However, there is no Sanguine Solutions company in the Polish regulator’s database:
In addition to this, when we register an account we see a completely different brand – InvestCore. We have encountered at least two scam websites using this brand.
RevolutExpert is obviously not a genuine broker. In fact, it seems that this website is just one element of a whole scam network. Under no circumstances should you trust your money to such anonymous sites full of false and contradictory information. Instead, you can turn to one of the many companies that really work under the supervision of respected regulatory bodies like Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) or Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK.
As their customer you will enjoy a number of guarantees including negative balance protection and guarantee for your funds if the broker goes bankrupt, which goes up to EUR 20,000 in EU and 85,000 GBP in the UK. Regulations in the UK and EU include some important measures designed to improve investor protection and promote market integrity and transparency, such as transaction reporting. Regulated brokers are also required to segregate their operational funds from the client’s money.
REVOLUTEXPERT TRADING SOFTWARE
The RevolutExpert website claims to offer the industry’s most popular trading software, MetaTrader. However, this immediately seems dubious because there is no mention of exactly which version of the platform is being used, and stock images of different software are used for illustration.
After account registration suspicions are confirmed. There is no trace of MetaTrader anywhere. Instead, there is only a rather simplified web platform:
While the platform has the basic features for placing orders, customizing charts and application of technical indicators, it lacks the more advanced functionality found in the most widely used trading software in the industry, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). These platforms have established themselves as industry standard because they offer a wide range of features, including a variety of options for customization, multiple account usage, designing and implementing custom scripts for automated trading and backtesting trade strategies.
REVOLUTEXPERT TRADING CONDITIONS
The RevolutExpert website describes three types of trading accounts – Classic, Platinum and VIP. However, the only specific information about these accounts is the minimum deposit – 1,000 USD, 10,000 USD and 50,000 USD, respectively. If you want to start trading in the financial markets you can always turn to legitimate brokers that typically offer favorable terms for beginner traders, including micro accounts with a minimum deposit of 100 USD or even less.
Nowhere on the website can one find information on basic trading parameters such as spread and leverage. The web platform shows a spread of 3 pips for the benchmark currency pair EUR/USD. This is at least double the usual industry levels. Spreads above 2 pips are considered disadvantageous to the trader.
Leverage of 1:100 is set in the trading platform. High leverage creates the opportunity for more significant profit, but correspondingly increases the risk of sudden and excessive losses. All leading regulators therefore restrict leverage for retail traders. In the EU and UK the maximum allowed is 1:30, and in the US the limit is 1:50.
The Terms and Conditions state that “the company charges brokerage fees or commissions for executing trades”, but these commissions are not specified anywhere.
RevolutExpert also claims to offer various bonuses to new clients. Regulated brokers are prohibited from using bonuses, promotions and similar practices to lure customers.
REVOLUTEXPERT DEPOSIT/WITHDRAW METHODS AND FEES
According to the terms and conditions, RevolutExpert uses credit/debit cards and bank transfer as payment methods. However, this is another deception. After registering an account, it becomes apparent that the only deposit options available are Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Cryptocurrencies as the only payment method are a big red flag. Scammers prefer cryptocurrencies because these transactions are not subject to refunds. While there are some legitimate brokers that accept Bitcoin, they do so alongside other transparent payment methods such as credit/debit card, bank transfer or popular e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill or Sofort.
The website states that the minimum deposit amount is 250 USD, but the system accepts any amount. According to the Terms and Conditions, RevolutExpert does not charge deposit and withdrawal fees.
However, in the text of the conditions we find a trap often used by fraudsters. If the account has received a bonus, the withdrawal of funds becomes conditional on meeting high requirements for minimum traded volume – 25 times the amount of the bonus plus the deposit. Such clauses aim to block withdrawal requests.
A fee for an inactive account is also mentioned, but the amount is again not specified.
HOW DOES THE SCAM WORK
The online space is full of ads promising easy money. They sound too good to be true, because they are not – they are outright scams. Many of these fraudsters pose as brokers and take advantage of the general public’s ignorance of the capital markets.
If you give your contact details to one of the flashy sites promising to make you rich, you will be contacted by experienced scammers who will start convincing you to “invest” in their scheme. Initially they will ask for a small amount, say USD 250 or USD 500. If you agree, they will begin to persuade you to give them larger sums.
However, your money will never be truly invested in the market, and you will not be able to receive either the supposed profits or the money from your deposit. Your attempts to withdraw your money will be blocked by deliberately confusing clauses in the terms and conditions. Some of the most commonly used traps are extremely high minimum trading volume requirements or withdrawal fees equal to 10%, 20% or more of your funds.
WHAT TO DO WHEN SCAMMED
It is very important not to rush into trusting people on the internet who offer to magically refund your money for a fee. These are also scammers, and they may even be the same ones who scammed you in the first place.
If you have made the transfers using credit or debit card, you can claim a chargeback. Visa and MasterCard allow this to be done within 540 days. However, such a request may not be approved if you have given the fraudsters documents such as a copy of an ID and proof of address. This will allow them to claim that the transaction is legitimate and approved by both parties. Wire and cryptocurrency transfers unfortunately are not refundable.
