This tale is about my introduction to Binary Options, and how I got scammed. My goal is to deter you from pursuing this option, pun intended, of making money. There are far better ways to make money than Binary Options. Read on and I’ll let you be the judge!
As the name implies, it is a means of making money involving Options. Simply explained, an option is the right to buy or sell a stock, at a specific price with a specific time limit. To have this right, a premium is paid for a lot consisting of 100 stocks.
You can learn more about Options from this well-known financial investment company called Charles Schwab. I will explain what Binary Options Trading is.
Binary Option Trading
The value of Options, just like Stocks, goes up and down until the day it expires worthless. Binary Options trading is like making a bet that the value of an Option will rise or fall over a specific time period. The time can range from 1 minute to a week or
more, before the expiry date naturally.
Each Binary Option gives a fixed payout if you bet correctly. The value of the bet as well as the payout is predetermined. If
you win, you get back your initial outlay and the payout. If your bet is wrong, you lose the what you paid for the bet. Although this appears like gambling, it is deemed legal. The answer to the question above, it is legit.
Sounds simple, right? The concept most certainly is. Is it easy to win? Far from it. From my experience the odds are worse than tossing a coin! This is where scammers come in. They persuade you that if you know what you are doing, it is possible to make more money than any other form of investing.
I’d like to tell you a cautionary tale where I got scammed. So beware
How I Got Entrapped In A Scam
This scam, like most of them, appeals to those who can least afford to lose money. I had accumulated a lot of high interest debts and was suffering from monthly payment schedules that hurt our budget. I needed a way to pay these off quickly. It was hard to save money to do that, since I was retired and on a fixed income.
During this time of worry, I got a phone call from a lady who asked me if I wanted to earn some money quickly through Binary Options. The company was called Ask Option and they were headquartered in the UK. How timely was that?
When I balked, she gave me many reasons why this was legal and not a scam. She got my attention. My defenses were weakened. But I had something urgent to do. I asked her to call me back the next day.
This was my first mistake. I should have hung up and blocked her number
She did call me back and gave me a primer on Binary Options. I already knew what trading regular Options were like. But this was different.
Being the risk taker I am, I liked the concept of making bets like this, She suggested I try it out with $1000 and watch my investment double within a couple of weeks. The broker would make my initial bet. She even said, that if it lost, they would pay me back my initial investment.
This
This was my first red flag. I was so desperate I was willing to risk $1000 to see how this played out.
You can guess what happened. I went for it using a credit card. What do you know, my $1000 had increased to $2000 within two weeks. I had an account online and I could see exactly how they did it.
They made several small bets of $200 or less, one at a time. The payouts were from $100 to $250. And the duration of most of the bets was one hour. I could watch the trade play itself out in real time. And see my account grow.
This was actually very exciting. Especially at the end of 60 seconds drew near, the value would rise and fall. Then right at the last moment the trade would win or lose. Most of these trades (sounds better than bets) went in my favor. I was ahead by $1000 in just two weeks! 100% GAIN!
This was my second red flag! Was this real? I asked to make a withdrawal of $1000. They approved it. Within a few days $1000 was deposited back to my credit card.
I was hooked. My thinking was after that I could play with the house money. Sounds like a good plan. Right? So far, no harm, no foul.
The Next Phase
In retrospect I feel that all of this was orchestrated for one purpose and one alone. To manipulate me into lowering my guard. And to earn my trust.
The fact that I got my money back and I was not being pressured made me feel they were a legitimate operation. Since I grew up in the UK I felt secure. In order to save me making International calls they had a phone number in the US that linked back to their UK office.
The Account Manager
Some bigwig at Ask Option told me that they were going to assign an Account Manager to assist me. He called me once to introduce himself to me. I told him I would like help in making more investments with the $1000 balance in my account. That would be possible and he would get back to me soon to discuss some trades.
He kept me waiting. After several days had passed, I decided to make some small trades by myself. I was successful in adding some small profits to my account. But I was afraid to go any further.
After several weeks had passed, I called Ask Option to find out what was happening with my account manager? They apologized and said he had left the company. A new account manager would be assigned to me.
The New Account Manager
He had an African accent and was oh so nice. He profusely apologized for the other managers neglect. He promised that he would work with me to make as much money as possible.
For the next few days he made trades for me and I noticed my account growing rather fast. Then it stopped.
My account manager called me and said that technically he shouldn’t be trading for me since that service was reserved for those who opened accounts with $25,000 or more. I didn’t have that kind of money and told him so. That was when he suggested that others in my situation got a loan and deposited the proceeds into their Ask Option trading account. After a few weeks they were able to pay off that loan with their profits.
I tried to get a loan and failed. My credit was bad. My account manager called me every day for a “friendly” chat. The main purpose was to find out how I was doing in getting a loan. When I mentioned that I could not qualify, he recommended approaching one those high interest places like he had heard other clients do. And they got their money the next day.
But if I could not get a loan that was OK. I could continue trading by myself using my small account that had grown again to $2500. This time I was more interested in growing this further rather than making withdrawals.
Greed Raises Its Ugly Head!
I couldn’t qualify for a $25k loan, but one company, Lending Club who is really big in making creative loans, agreed to lend me $18K.
When I got a call from my buddy the account manager, he was encouraged. And asked me to see if I could somehow find the remaining $7K. He would call me back the next day to see how I was doing. Since he didn’t pressure me to get that $18K loan and deposit that into my account, I felt food that they cared about me.
When I got the call the next day, I once again told my manager I didn’t have the $25K. Time was marching on if I couldn’t come up with the money, it would take a much longer time for me to build up my account trading by myself.
At this point he proposed something that I thought was remarkable. He liked me as a person and could see how much I needed the money to become debt free he was going to do me a favor. He was going to ask the company to loan me $25K and give me a matching bonus of $25K so that I would have $50K in my account to invest with. With that amount he would be happy to make trades for me and see my balance soar.
Red Flag #3. There was a catch. Until I paid back the loan with a cash transfer from me to Ask Option for $25K I could not make any withdrawals. But once I paid up the loan, I would have total access to my account and could make withdrawals freely. All I had to do was to sign an agreement they would send me to that effect and the deposits would be made into my account.
Greed had overtaken reason in me and I agreed without thinking this through. The next day when I checked my account, the balance had increased from $2500.00 to $52500.00! Yikes, was this really happening?
Miracle Growth
My buddy was making trades for me, Each day I saw my account grow by several thousands of dollars. Pretty soon it had reached over $152K. I was itching to get my hands on that cash!!
By now like clockwork I would be getting a daily phone call from my account manager. I began to think he was my hero! I thanked him for his trading brilliance. And he kept asking me how was I am getting on in coming up with the $25K to pay off the loan.
Red flag #4. I asked why couldn’t I use the money in my account to pay off the loan. He kept telling me that is all my money. His stock answer was it didn’t work like that. I had signed the agreement to pay off that loan with a money transfer first before I had access to that money.
I cashed my IRA and other savings to add to the $18K that I could borrow. But I was still $2K short. My account manager told me since I was such a good customer, if I could send $23K he would come up with the rest trim his commissions. That was the least he could do for me.
I could hardly wait to get the loan and cash out $5K from my IRA to come up with $23K.
Blind Stupidity
I got the money. When I went to the bank to execute a wire transfer, they gave me a form to fill out where I had to answer a question that I knew the people I was sending this money to. I was warned there were scams going around. And they wanted to make sure I was not being scammed. Of course, I told them this was for an investment that had already paid me back handsomely.
In an instant the money was sent. I confirmed with my Account Manager that they had received the money. He confirmed they had. When I asked him when was he going to deposit the $2K into my account to make up the $265K. He told me he was going to talk to his manager about that that very day.
Panic At The Disco
It was at that moment I got an uneasy feeling in my gut. How come he hadn’t already got his deposit into my account approved? Like I said before, my greed was so overwhelming I was blind to what was really happening. Was I being scammed?
No it can’t be. I kept looking at my Ask Option account balance to make me feel good again. I got a call from another person and my heart sank.
Yet Another Account Manager
I was assigned another account manager as my previous one had to return to Africa for a family emergency. His father had died. I asked the new manager did my previous manager make that $2K deposit into my account to help me meet my contract of paying back the $25K loan from Ask Option?
He checked and said it was not deposited. But he would contact my previous manager to make arrangements for that deposit.
I pleaded that I needed to make a withdrawal. So it was important that deposit was made.
Thank God that deposit was finally made. Now I could make that withdrawal I desperately needed. I asked id I could make a $50K withdrawal trim my account that was now at $176K. Yes of course, I was told. All I had to do was to go into my account online and fill out a withdrawal request for $50K which I did as shown below. It would be sent for approval. Once approved, a wire transfer would be made to my account in 5 business days.
Time For Celebration!
There it was. I saw my request for $50K approved. Soon I would have my hands on some real money.
A week passed and nothing happened. My new account manager became difficult to get hold off. So I called the UK office directly and spoke to one of the executives there. He told me not to worry, the transfer is being processed and I would get my money soon.
Weeks went to months. And nothing. My calls were not being taken.
Time For Dejection
By now it became clear to me that something was not right. I got a lawyer to send them a letter. They responded that they had sent me the money and I should have received it.
My bank had no record of any wire transfer. When my lawyers sent them another letter, they responded that there was nothing more they could do as the matter was closed.
My Account
The strange thing was when I checked my account online, it showed that the $50K transfer was still pending. What was going on? Since they were located in the UK I would have to enlist the help of lawyers there to sue them, But I had no money to do that.
My Ask Option account now stood at $181K. And it was stuck at that level. Was that money really mine?
The Sad Truth
When I researched Binary Option Scams, I discovered that the center for these operations was in Israel. These companies were thieves. They used all kinds of deception including using false foreign countries to assign their fake headquarters.
Also, the Israeli Government was doing everything in their power to close these companies down.
I contacted a Law Firm in Israel who specialized in fighting these Binary Option companies. They were swamped with cases. They would be happy to take my case. They charged a 30% flat fee based on my real investment. In my case I had invested $23K. They said they would charge me $6K which was a discount. I would have to pay $3K up front. And $3K after they recovered my $23K would be taken out of that amount. If they failed, then I would not owe them the balance. So I would only be out-of-pocket $3K.
They also added that if Ask Option closed their operations down, then there was nothing they could do.
Since I was really strapped for cash, I couldn’t come up with another $3K. And with the possibility of Ask Option closing down, I could lose it all.
Don’t Put Good Money After Bad
Have you heard this term? I felt it was not worth pursuing this recovery. One day I discovered that the Ask Option website was no more. And their phone number was not functioning. This sounded like curtains.
The only silver lining was I could write off this investment loss on my tax returns. I was now saddled with a $18K loan monthly repayment I could not afford. My plan was to have paid this off with the profits.
My 2nd Best Move Last Year – Loan Repayment At A Discount
I couldn’t declare bankruptcy because I had already done that a few years earlier. I did the next best thing. I defaulted on all my loans. Then contracted with a debt renegotiating company to help me pay back these loans at a discount.
This was my second best move in the past year. I will tell you about my 1st best move in a little while.
I found a highly rated loan renegotiation company who prepared a plan for me. They would halve all my outstanding debts and negotiate a repayment plan with my creditors where no additional interest would be tacked on.
With this plan, I would be debt free in four years. And they would take their fee at the end. We set up an escrow account where I make one payment each month and they tale care of the rest.
My 1st Best Move Last Year – Joined Wealthy Affiliate
My 1st best move was to take action towards clearing up my debts.
My 1st best action was to come up with a plan to use the Internet to earn money. And I did! I discovered Wealthy Affiliate who is currently training me in creating an Affiliate Marketing business online, For less than $1 a DAY!
I now have peace of mind knowing that I am in control of my financial future., With debts under control, I am now taking income generation under my control.
Passive Income Asset
My goal is to build an Affiliate Marketing website that will help me generate a passive income over time. This website you are on now is part of this plan. Why don’t you check out some other Blog Posts here?
I wrote about Affiliate Marketing for those who need to know more:
How Easy Is Affiliate Marketing – Secrets Revealed
Wealthy Affiliate has become a huge part of my life now. You can either click the banner below and join for FREE! No credit card required. When you join us I will see you on the other side and be your mentor. Only if you would like me to:
OR
You can check out my detailed article about Wealthy Affiliate at:
The Best Training In Affiliate Marketing That Turns Beginners Into Pros!
Be careful about being scammed. When you see an offer too good to be true, do your research. You may think that Wealthy Affiliate is too good to be true too. I urge you to do your research. What better way to do that than to join for free and kick the tires as it were. You can remain a free member as long as you like. The graphic below shows the great value you get as a free member and the awesome value available to you as a paid Premium Member. I hope you find this Blog Post helpful. I am here at your service.
Edwin Bernard
Note: (This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a link to the Merchant’s site and purchase something I may earn a commission.The price you pay will be the same if you went to the Merchant’s site directly.)
Well I have traded the American tech stock market for about four years now, but I would consider myself a investor more than a day trader.
Binary Options could never be considered an investment – they are way too much of a gamble.
I know a lot of people that make great money off options, but they are not, and never will be for me. The markets are volatile and you REALLY need to know what you’re doing before you invest in options (they are a costly mistake!).
Many of the products linked to options are also known for being blatant scams.
Hi Chris,
I feel that trading Options is a worthwhile pursuit only after one has proven ones strategies in a demo account.
On the other hand, Binary Options is closely related to pure gambling. I even wonder why the SEC permits this. I wish I had known better at the time.
Thanks for responding. I wish you much success in your own online business.
Cheers!
Edwin
Thanks for sharing the truth about Binary Options Trading. It’s really surprising to hear you first came across this program by phone. If you look back, that might have been a warning sign already, as most quality companies don’t try to find customers by calling people randomly. But I wouldn’t have thought about that either, if I were you. And since they actually let you withdraw $1000 pretty fast, who would have thought this could be a scam? I would have thought I had found a golden mine!
Anyway, this program is definitely a much smarter scam than most I have seen, so thanks for sharing the whole story and how you realized it was a scam.
I think Wealthy Affiliate is a much better option, even though it’s not such a get-rich-quick scheme (not that it was a bad thing, but some people want money really fast). I’m personally using this program so I definitely don’t plan to go for something else, especially stuff like Binary Options Trading.
Hi Heather,
Thanks for your supportive comments. Wealthy Affiliate is indeed the real deal. I posted a review a while back called: Wealthy Affiliate – Is It Legit? It most definitely is!
I call this Get Rich Slow lol! The slow build makes sure it is more sustainable for the long haul. It is worth spending the time to create a money making machine even of it takes a while!
I wish you much success in your online business.
Cheers!
Edwin
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Thanks for the info.
Edwin
I appreciate you sharing this scam, though I’m sorry to hear that it happened to you. Information like this is really valuable and people should take heed for sure. Options are a tricky instrument. You really need to know what you’re doing in this field. Knowing that there are scammers out there like this is excellent information. Glad to hear that you got your life back and are doing better. Great reference in Wealthy Affiliate, well done!
Thanks for your kind comments!
Edwin
What an experience! My big bro lost almost everything months ago on binary options, it literally ruined him; Never been a fan of it though.
Wealthy Affiliate is the real deal bro, it completely changed my life. Even though I was a newbie with zero experience when I joined, the experienced community members were always at my aid, when i need guides. There are also tons of tutorials that would keep you going.
Hi Jordan,
Thanks for your own cautionary tale of the experience of your brother. I was blinded by the false promises of big profits. Never again!
That is why I was so cautious when I was invited to join Wealthy Affiliate. My first free week was sufficient to realize this was the real deal. Get Rich Slow lol is the best way and most sustainable too.
All the best to you.
Edwin
Hello Edwin,
It was unfortunate that you had to go through such a horrible experience. I’m glad that you found your way to Wealthy Affiliate!
You had my head spinning with all the craziness that people cook up just to make money… even if it meant that they’ll do it scamming people that just want to make ends meet!
I swear that making your way into affiliate marketing is like a journey, a process of discovery. You will find just what you need, if you know in your heart what you were meant for and what you want to do with what you have.
I too have been a member for over a year now and never once had I ever doubted that whether upgrading to the Premium Membership was a good idea… It was the best decision of my life thus far!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Now I no longer will have to wonder whether binary options is legit or not!
Hi Jose,
I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Glad we both found Wealthy Affiliate. It certainly is the place to be to learn all about Internet Marketing.
In order to help visitors to my site see the big picture of Wealthy Affiliate from the outside, I created a series of Blog Posts starting with an overview that links to several supporting posts that provides more details into how we are assisted in creating our own Affiliate Marketing Businesses:
The Best Training In Affiliate Marketing That Turns Beginners Into Pros!
If you get a chance check that out and let me know what you think.
All the best to you.
Edwin
Hi there Edwin.
Wow, I am so sorry that this happened to you!
As I was reading your article, the feeling of unease just grew and grew. The Internet can truly be a crazy place. Scams really are everywhere and it is so easy to get caught up in it.
I am so happy for you that your debt will be cleared soon, that must be a giant weight off your shoulders.
I recently joined Wealthy Affiliate, and I have to say, I am just SO impressed. There are no scams, no promise of getting rich quick and the value for money is amazing. You certainly made a great choice.
Good luck to you and all your endeavors!
Lize
Hi Lize,
Thanks for your kind comments. I am happy you appreciate the value of Wealthy Affiliate. Me too!
I wish you much success in your business.
Edwin
Aww, this is a very cruel experience. I have learnt a lot of leason from this review. One should have a deep rethink on any offers that appear to be too good to believe. ‘Ask option’ acted very smart. They even claimed fake country, that’s so painful.
Binary Options trading from experience is not a business worth investing on. True, it has a confirmed payout. But at the beginning, the profit and loss outcomes go in an intermittent manner before they finally give up in shock.
Do you believe it is also very additive? I have seen many friends who have wasted their hard earned money on this binary trading but only realized their mistake after they exhausted their savings.
The step you took to restructure your debt is a better option. What I detest most when this kind of incidence happen’s the exorbitant fee that is charged or demanded by the stake holders in charge of security before they can make the investigation done. A lot of people got pulled out hopelessly because they can’t afford the Money.
This is a very useful review that will serve as a mind opener for anyone that read this review, not to fall victim of those good for nothing scammers. Thanks for sharing this review.
Stella, you brought up a valid point about trading Binary Options becoming addictive. It’s just like gambling. By the time you realize you have been scammed, it is too late to recover your lost money.
Thanks for commending me on restructuring my debts.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I wish you much success in your business.
Edwin
4 years ago I was introduced to binary options by my colleague. I was lucky enough to reject his offer and completely ignored it and I told him to stay away from those bull shit scams. Often in my online activities I’d see their adds appearing on my social program page.
Any way, hope you are fine and free of loan now. I’m sure that you will be successful in Wealthy Affiliate moving forward.
Thanks for bringing up this awareness to the viewers.
~Shirian
Hi Shirian,
Glad you had the good sense to avoid Binary Options. I am happy I found Wealthy Affiliate and know this is going to work out well for me. Hope your online business will be a great success.
Edwin
Most binary options brokers are scam, because i have lost so much to scam brokers and almost went bankrupt, sometime ago a friend refereed me to One Mrs Maria for assistance with her help and her masterclass strategy I’m able to make $12,000 weekly and a successful withdraw and also recovered all my lost funds from my scam broker, you can contact her for help on mariajosh651@gmail.com
Glad that you were able to recover the money you paid out. I have been giving it much thought to contact Maria. The company who scammed me is long since gone out of business. It would be very difficult to find the people much less recover the funds. Still I may send her a message and see what she says.
If you are already a member of Wealthy Affiliate that is great. If not, please sign up using one of my links. The Black Friday Sale will be coming up soon.
Thanks for the info.
Edwin
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