Verification walkthrough · Updated October 2026

Check Broker License: A 5-Minute Verification Walkthrough

The single check that filters out most trading fraud takes five minutes and costs nothing: the licence register. Here is how to run it properly — against the right register, for the exact entity, including the cross-checks that catch clones.

Why registers win

The check scammers cannot fake

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Step by step

The five-minute walkthrough

1. Find the real name. From the broker's legal documents — not the homepage logo. Note the exact legal entity and its licence number if shown.

2. Open the right register. FCA Register (UK), CySEC (Cyprus, covers EU passporting), CONSOB (Italy), CNMV (Spain), BaFin (Germany). National registers are searchable in English via ESMA's registry links.

3. Match two of three. Entity name and licence number must match the register; the website domain should match the register's recorded domain.

4. Check permissions. 'Investment firm' permissions differ from 'introducing' status; a clone often cites a real firm's number with different permissions.

5. Search warnings. Run the name through your regulator's warning list — blacklisted clones are listed there before they are shut down.

Red flags

If any check fails, treat these as confirmed

Licence number on the site, absent from the register.Copied from a real firm — the classic clone move.
Registered entity name differs by one word.Shells mimic real firms ('Markets' vs 'Markets Ltd') to borrow their licence.
Domain registered weeks ago, claims a decade of history.Register age is public and cannot be photoshopped.
Regulator warning lists the brand or its 'clone'.Warnings mean the regulator already has victim reports — leave, and check withdrawal while you can.
Pressure to skip verification steps.Anyone rushing you past the register is telling you what the register would show.

If the checks fail

From verification to action

Do not deposit 'to test'

A platform that fails verification should receive nothing — first deposits are the cheapest money the scam will ever take from you.

Withdraw what remains, document everything

If you already deposited, attempt withdrawal now, screenshot every step, and preserve all records before the account is closed.

Report and get assessed

Report the entity to your regulator (it feeds the warning lists that protect the next victim) and have your case assessed while bank windows are still open.

Entities our reviewers have already checked line by line are in the forensic review archive; if the licence fails, our scam-broker red flags explain what you are looking at — and our investigation service picks up when verification turns into a case.

Concrete cases from our forensic review archive: a registered broker whose licence details we verified · an exchange whose registration data we checked against the register · a broker whose entity and permissions we matched to the regulator

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Which register should I check?

The register of the regulator where the broker claims its licence: FCA for the UK, CySEC for Cyprus, CONSOB for Italy, CNMV for Spain, BaFin for Germany. If the broker claims 'EU regulation', verify the exact entity and country — passporting is real, but clones abuse the word.

What if the broker is registered but withdrawals fail?

Registration is necessary, not sufficient: registered firms can still face complaints, and clones imitate registered ones. If withdrawals stall, treat it as a case — our withdrawal guide covers the unblock paths.

Is an offshore licence worth anything?

Some offshore regulators are genuine but offer weak enforcement for retail clients. If the broker serving you holds only an offshore licence while marketing into the EU or UK, the marketing itself may already be unlawful — which is leverage, documented in our recovery guides.

Verified client feedback

Client comments

Comments are moderated. We only publish comments from verified clients.

Checks failed — and money already in?

A failed verification is the cheapest warning you will ever get. Tell us what the register showed; we will assess what can be withdrawn, disputed or traced — free and in confidence.

Request a consultation

Contact

Request a confidential consultation

Tell us what's happening. We'll respond within one business day — or immediately for active investigations.

Emailinfo@forensicsourcegroup.com

Phone & WhatsApp+1 737 381 5959 · WhatsApp
24/7 for active incidents

Office5615 Concord Pike, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, USA

CoverageUnited States · United Kingdom · European Union · Germany