Trading on the International Markets

I recently searched for a platform that would allow me to trade on the international markets and happened upon an article, ostensibly in one of the local newspapers. In the article, the name of one of South Africa’s more prominent businessmen was freely brandished and it was coloured so that it seemed as if this person is now devoting all his attention to making money on the international market through this platform. I followed the instructions and located the necessary forms on the internet that I filled out. Within seconds after having submitted the form, my phone rang and the person on the other side sounded eager and wanted to do business. I was taken aback by this very quick response but nevertheless decided to pursue the matter further. Following the conversation with this person via a local cell phone number, I was contacted a few minutes later by one Mr David Serrano via a London (+***61) cell phone number who claimed to be a manager with a company World Wide Brokers (WWB) and that he personally would assist me as his subordinates were all busy with clients. Some seemingly South African cell phone numbers were also used i.e. *** and ***. David Serrano even sent me a writ of his prowess via an sms. He was very friendly and quite efficient and clearly knew his way about business of international trading. He assisted me in installing WWB’s trading programme on my computer via a link programme and impressed me with several facts and figure, even to the extent that he took me on a journey to other information websites to illustrate his point. Next, I transferred a small amount of money into WWB’s account to enable him to demonstrate and teach me about the trading process. During the above demonstration, Mr Serrano remarked that he is thirty- eight years old, owns several properties in both London and Spain (his nationality is Spanish) and that he would be retiring soon as he is rich enough. At the end of the session, he informed me that he would be contacting me the next day to further my education. He promptly phoned and we had another long session during which my small investment showed remarkable returns! At of this second session, he set me up for the next phase in which he required that I transferred a large sum of money through an intermediary, a legitimate firm from whom I was then to arrange for the funds to be transferred into my “trading account” over which they (World Wide Brokers (WWB)) held full control. During the above session, he warned me that the intermediary transferring company would contact me and would require answers on certain questions before the money would be transferred. At his behest, I was to answer all questions negatively, whilst the truth was that a positive answer was required on each question. This immediately raised my suspicions. I transferred the money to the intermediary late on a Friday. On the Saturday I did some web research as to the standing of WWB, and could only locate one entry that stated that the World Wide Brokers had been dissolved! I promptly contacted the transferring company and put the record straight. They advised me that it was in all probability a **** and gave me a write-up to enlighten clients such as myself as to the modus operandi of these ********. The modus operandi followed by Mr Serrano exactly mirrored that given to me by the transferring company. I immediately arranged for my money to be returned to my banking account. Over the weekend, I attempted several times to go into their trading programme but was blocked from entering the trading window. I could therefore not verify the veracity of the information produced in the WWB programme, as I doubt whether the information was a genuine reflection of the actual prices of stocks and other trading commodities. It was clear that I had only access to their so called programme and that it was not installed on my computer. On the Monday morning Mr Serrano promptly phoned and inquired about the money transfer. He had the password to my transferring account, and immediately wanted to transfer the money to my supposed trading account. To his dismay he found the account locked and wanted to know “exactly” what I told the transferring company. I eventually told him that I had locked the account for reasons of being suspicious about his and his company’s bona fides, which he purported to understand. He immediately attempted to persuade me to still transfer the money through a different transferring company and reiterated how rich he was and that he does not need my money. I refused and requested that he return the small amount that I had transferred, plus the gains from trading. Since I requested that my so-called investment be liquidated, Mr Serrano has gone quiet and has ignored several sms’s and emails. At one stage, another person, also with a Spanish accent phoned me to convince me to continue making use of their services! Mr. Serrano even contacted me via sms about my new account with the second transferring company, ostensibly to transfer my money back to me. I refused him access and requested payment directly into my banking account which he has failed to do. There is no doubt that World Wide Brokers is operating a **** and pries on unsuspecting people.