A scam involving the website Stockvalidus.com has been reported. The scammer, Sherrie Ann, persuaded the victim to send multiple payments totaling $1,720 through Zelle for a supposed trade class. Here are the details:

The following funds were transferred to the email address eslteach44@hotmail.com:

1. $500 on June 28, 2024
2. $500 on June 29, 2024
3. $720 on July 4, 2024

This scam occurred in 2024. The victim was convinced to invest $1,720 in a trading company by a representative named Sherrie Ann, who contacted her through Instagram. The victim was referred by an acquaintance who claimed the investment would be profitable. After the second deposit, the scammer claimed additional fees were required to withdraw the money, which had not been disclosed. Despite an email stating there would be no additional fees beyond the $720, the scammer later demanded more money, revealing the initial claim to be a lie.

Scam Website URL: https://beta.stockvalidus.com/en-us/account/dashboard

If you have been scammed by this person or through this website, please share your story in the comments to help others avoid falling victim to this scam.

Domain Analysis

In early 2023, the domain stockvalidus.com was registered by Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu. The domain registration details indicate that it was created on January 23, 2023, and is set to expire on January 23, 2025, with an update on January 29, 2024. The domain is currently protected under a Whois Privacy Protection Foundation in Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, which keeps the registrant’s personal details confidential. The domain’s status is listed as clientTransferProhibited, which means it cannot be transferred to another registrar without the approval of the current registrar.

The domain is hosted by Cloudflare, Inc., which provides the hosting service and security features such as DNS protection. Cloudflare’s involvement ensures the site’s uptime and performance, masking the true hosting server’s details from public access. The IP address associated with the domain is 104.21.11.246, based in Toronto, Canada, with an autonomous system number AS13335, belonging to Cloudflare.

The scam website stockvalidus.com is presented as a cryptocurrency and forex investment platform. The site includes various functionalities and pages such as login, registration, privacy policy, and email protection, all managed through Cloudflare. Despite the professional appearance, the site’s actual operations are fraudulent.

Stockvalidus.com had a minimal online footprint, with no significant organic or paid search traffic and a limited number of backlinks, primarily from directories and automated content platforms. This low visibility in search engines and lack of reputable backlinks further signal the site’s dubious nature. The site’s authority score and domain rank are negligible, and there is no substantial data on organic keywords or traffic, indicating the site’s primary function was fraudulent rather than providing legitimate investment services.

Stockvalidus.com Review

Stockvalidus presents itself as a comprehensive cryptocurrency and Forex investment platform, offering trading on a wide range of financial instruments, including CFDs on forex, cryptocurrencies, gold, indices, and US shares. The website emphasizes its role as a trusted broker, touting ultra-low spreads, multi-lingual customer service, and round-the-clock trading capabilities. Additionally, Stockvalidus claims to offer cutting-edge mining solutions, leveraging state-of-the-art technology and environmentally friendly energy sources across six continents.

The company positions itself as a UK-based entity, promoting transparency and security for its users. It asserts that it is officially registered and emphasizes the security of user information and investments. Stockvalidus also promotes an affiliate program with significant rewards, aiming to expand its user base through referrals.

Stockvalidus lists two contact addresses: one in Georgia Town, KY, and another in San Francisco, CA. The website provides a support email (support@stockvalidus.com) for user inquiries. The privacy policy and terms emphasize compliance with GDPR, detailing how personal information is collected, processed, and protected.

Red Flags

Despite these assertions, several serious red flags suggest that Stockvalidus might be a scam:

1. Vague and Misleading Information: The website offers limited verifiable information about the company’s registration and regulatory status. It claims to be UK-based and officially registered but does not provide specific registration numbers or verifiable details.
2. Unclear Company Details: The contact addresses in Georgia Town, KY, and San Francisco, CA, are unusual for a supposedly UK-based company, raising doubts about the authenticity of its location and operations.
3. Exaggerated Claims and Unrealistic Returns: The website boasts extremely high return rates (e.g., 1000.86% for day trading, 3000.46% for swing trading) that are typically unrealistic and indicate fraudulent schemes.
4. Emphasis on Affiliate Program: The heavy focus on recruiting new users through an affiliate program, with promises of substantial rewards, is a common tactic Ponzi schemes use to lure in more victims.
5. Lack of Independent Verification: The platform lacks endorsements or verifications from credible financial institutions or regulatory bodies.
6. Opaque Mining and Investment Operations: The descriptions of mining operations and trading activities are vague and lack concrete details about how these services are actually provided.
7. Dubious User Testimonials: The presence of generic and overly positive user testimonials without any verifiable details casts doubt on the platform’s legitimacy.

In conclusion, while Stockvalidus presents itself as a legitimate and innovative investment platform, the lack of verifiable company and regulatory information, unrealistic return promises, and heavy reliance on affiliate recruitment suggest it may be a scam.