Financial regulators publish lists of firms they believe are operating without authorisation, impersonating regulated firms or otherwise putting the public at risk. These lists are among the most useful free tools available when checking an unfamiliar broker.
What an entry usually says
- The name of the firm and the websites it uses.
- Why the regulator is concerned: no licence, clone of an authorised firm, or misleading promotions.
- The date the warning was issued.
What it does not say
Absence from a list does not prove a firm is safe. New scams appear faster than warnings are written. Presence on a list is a strong reason to stop, but even then check the exact wording: some warnings concern a specific domain that copies a real firm, not the real firm itself.
How to use lists well
Search both the brand and the domain, check the register of authorised firms, and keep a note of the date you checked. Brokeli's Scam Broker Shield links to official sources where they exist and marks the date of our last review.