Emar Markets

A summary of what happened?

Emar Markets is an online trading platform that offers services in forex, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies. Established in 2022 and registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the company claims to provide access to popular trading platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and cTrader.

Major Concerns and Complaints:

1. Regulatory Status:
   • Unverified Regulatory Claims: Emar Markets asserts that it is authorized by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa as a Financial Service Provider (FSP No. 53070). However, this claim requires further verification, as the FSCA does not disclose the licensee’s website address, leading to ambiguity about the legitimacy of this authorization.
   • Lack of Major Regulatory Oversight: The company is registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a juor its lenient regulatory environment. This raises concerns about the level of oversight and investor protection provided.
     BrokersView
2. Operational Red Flags:
   • Unrealistic Promises: Emar Markets has been reported to make false claims and offer unrealistic promises of high returns, which is a common tactic used by fraudulent platforms to lure investors.
     Invest Reviews
   • Lack of Transparency: The platform reportedly lacks transparency regarding risk warnings and may hide critical information from potential investors, making it difficult for them to make informed decisions.
     Invest Reviews
   • Questionable Marketing Practices: There are allegations that Emar Markets utilizes stock images and paid actors to portray fake staff members, which undermines the credibility of the company.
     Invest Reviews
3. Client Feedback:
   • Withdrawal Issues: Some clients have reported illegitimate rules and policies for withdrawals, leading to difficulties in accessing their funds.
     Invest Reviews
   • Unresponsive Support: There are complaints about the sudden unavailability of the broker or website downtime, which hampers clients’ ability to manage their investments effectively.
     Invest Reviews

The combination of unverified regulatory claims, operational red flags, and negative client feedback suggests that Emar Markets may not be a trustworthy platform for investors. Potential investors are advised to exercise caution and conduct thorough due diligence before engaging with Emar Markets.

Analyzing the Fake Copyright Notice(s)

Our team collects and analyses fraudulent copyright takedown requests, legal complaints, and other efforts to remove critical information from the internet. Through our investigative reporting, we examine the prevalence and operation of an organized censorship industry, predominantly funded by criminal entities, oligarchs, and disreputable businesses or individuals. Our findings allow internet users to gain insight into these censorship schemes’ sources, methods, and underlying objectives.

What was Emar Markets trying to hide?

Emar Markets‘s attempts to hide unfavourable content through the misuse of copyright notices while allegedly engaging in perjury present serious legal concerns. These actions suggest a calculated attempt to manipulate legal systems to suppress free speech, a fundamental violation of copyright law principles and an abuse of legal processes. The use of such tactics not only undermines the integrity of copyright protection but also potentially constitutes perjury, further entangling Emar Markets in legal accountability. Let’s examine the information Emar Markets may be trying to remove from the internet –

Investigative Report: The Controversies Surrounding Emar Markets

Introduction

Emar Markets, a broker specializing in forex, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies, emerged in 2022 with promises of cutting-edge trading platforms and lucrative opportunities for investors. Registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the platform claims to cater to a global clientele with access to tools such as MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and cTrader. However, behind its glossy marketing lies a growing body of allegations, complaints, and concerns, ranging from regulatory ambiguities to client grievances.

This report investigates Emar Markets comprehensively, analyzing its regulatory status, operational practices, client feedback, and overall credibility within the financial trading sector.

Regulatory Ambiguities and Concerns

Emar Markets prominently claims to be authorized by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa, citing registration as a Financial Service Provider (FSP No. 53070). While this claim may initially appear legitimate, deeper investigation reveals discrepancies:

1. Verification Challenges:
   • The FSCA’s records do not explicitly link Emar Markets to the FSP number provided.
   • The lack of a listed website in the FSCA database raises suspicions about whether the license is genuinely linked to Emar Markets or simply a borrowed or fabricated credential.
2. Offshore Registration:
   • The company is registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a jurisdiction infamous for its lenient regulatory environment. Brokers operating from this region are often unregulated or minimally supervised, exposing investors to heightened risks of fraud.
3. Investor Protection Concerns:
   • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines does not impose strict requirements on financial firms regarding capital adequacy, client fund segregation, or risk management.
   • As a result, clients of Emar Markets may lack recourse in cases of disputes or financial loss.

Operational Red Flags

While Emar Markets markets itself as a cutting-edge and client-focused platform, multiple operational issues have been raised:

1. Unrealistic Claims and Misleading Promises:
   • The platform advertises exceptionally high returns, often suggesting that trading with Emar Markets is a risk-free or low-risk venture. Such claims are not only misleading but are also a hallmark of scams aiming to lure inexperienced investors.
2. Transparency Issues:
   • There is limited disclosure about the firm’s ownership, governance, or the risks involved in trading. Critical information, such as fee structures and withdrawal policies, is often buried in the fine print or omitted entirely.
3. Fake Marketing Tactics:
   • Investigations reveal the use of stock images and paid actors in promotional materials to present fabricated “employees” and “clients.”
   • Such deceptive practices erode trust and call into question the authenticity of Emar Markets’ operations.

Client Complaints and Grievances

Client reviews across multiple platforms reveal a pattern of negative experiences and serious allegations, including:

1. Withdrawal Blockages:
   • Numerous clients report significant difficulties in withdrawing funds. Allegations include the imposition of hidden fees, arbitrary delays, and outright denial of withdrawal requests.
2. Unresponsive Customer Support:
   • Complaints of unresponsive customer service are widespread. Clients describe instances where customer support teams became unreachable after funds were deposited, leaving users without assistance or recourse.
3. Disappearance of Platform Access:
   • Some users have reported instances where the platform became inaccessible, with websites suddenly going offline. Such behavior is typical of “exit scams,” where fraudulent platforms vanish after accumulating investor funds.
4. Pressure Tactics:
   • Emar Markets has been accused of employing aggressive sales tactics, such as incessant calls and emails, to pressure potential clients into depositing funds.

Legal Actions and Industry Scrutiny

1. Regulatory Oversight:
   • While no formal lawsuits or regulatory actions have been confirmed against Emar Markets as of December 2024, financial watchdogs and review platforms have issued warnings about the platform’s suspicious practices.
2. Industry Reviews:
   • Trusted review sites such as BrokersView and Invest-Reviews have flagged Emar Markets for multiple operational red flags. BrokersView explicitly describes the platform as “high-risk”, advising investors to approach with caution.
3. Potential Fraudulent Activity:
   • Accumulated client complaints and operational inconsistencies have led to growing speculation that Emar Markets operates as a boiler room scam—a fraudulent scheme designed to siphon funds from unwary investors.

Key Issues Identified

1. Regulatory Gaps:
   • Emar Markets operates with ambiguous regulatory credentials, offering no credible evidence of stringent oversight.
2. Client Vulnerability:
   • Lack of transparency, questionable marketing tactics, and withdrawal issues make investors highly vulnerable to financial losses.
3. Operational Discrepancies:
   • The platform’s use of fake marketing, coupled with its offshore registration, paints a picture of a company more focused on profit than accountability.
4. Negative Public Sentiment:
   • Consistent client complaints suggest systemic problems, with allegations ranging from financial fraud to unethical practices.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Emar Markets presents a high-risk profile for investors. The combination of questionable regulatory claims, deceptive marketing tactics, operational irregularities, and client grievances indicates that the platform may not be operating in good faith.

Recommendations for Potential Investors:

1. Avoid Unregulated Brokers: Consider platforms with proven regulatory oversight in jurisdictions such as the UK, Australia, or the EU.
2. Conduct Thorough Due Diligence: Research brokers thoroughly before investing, including reviewing client feedback and regulatory records.
3. Seek Legal Advice: If you have already invested and are experiencing issues, consult with legal or financial professionals to explore recovery options.

Final Note: Until Emar Markets addresses the numerous concerns surrounding its operations, investors are strongly advised to exercise caution and consider alternative platforms for their trading needs.

This report aims to inform and protect investors by shedding light on the allegations and controversies surrounding Emar Markets. It is based on publicly available information and client testimonies. Further updates will be provided as new developments arise.

How do we counteract this malpractice?

Once we ascertain the involvement of Emar Markets (or actors working on behalf of Emar Markets), we will inform Emar Markets of our findings via Electronic Mail.

Our preliminary assessment suggests that Emar Markets may have engaged a third-party reputation management agency or expert, which, either independently or under direct authorization from Emar Markets, initiated efforts to remove adverse online content, including potentially fraudulent DMCA takedown requests. We will extend an opportunity to Emar Markets to provide details regarding their communications with the agency or expert, as well as the identification of the individual(s) responsible for executing these false DMCA notices.

Failure to respond in a timely manner will necessitate a reassessment of our initial assumptions. In such an event, we will be compelled to take appropriate legal action to rectify the unlawful conduct and take the following steps –

Since Emar Markets made such efforts to hide something online, it seems fit to ensure that this article and sensitive information targeted online by these events get a lot more exposure and traffic than what it would have received originally

We hope this becomes an excellent case study for the Streisand effect…The key idea behind the Streisand effect is that efforts to restrict information can backfire, often causing the information to gain more attention than it would have otherwise. This effect is widespread in the digital age, where users quickly notice and spread censorship efforts on social media and other platforms. Trying to suppress something can unintentionally lead to it becoming more visible, which Emar Markets is finding out the hard way.

Potential Consequences for Emar Markets

Under Florida Statute 831.01, the crime of Forgery is committed when a person falsifies, alters, counterfeits, or forges a document that carries “legal efficacy” with the intent to injure or defraud another person or entity.

Forging a document is considered a white-collar crime. It involves altering, changing, or modifying a document to deceive another person. It can also include passing along copies of documents that are known to be false. In many states in the US, falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony.

Additionally, under most laws, “fraud on the court” is where “a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier of fact or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.”  Cox v. Burke, 706 So. 2d 43, 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (quoting Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989)).

Is Emar Markets Committing a Cyber Crime?

Yes, it seems so. Emar Markets used multiple approaches to remove unwanted material from review sites and Google’s search results. Thanks to protections allowing freedom of speech in the United States, there are very few legal ways to do this. Emar Markets could not eliminate negative reviews or search results that linked to them without a valid claim of defamation, copyright infringement, or some other clear breach of the law.

Faced with these limitations, some companies like Emar Markets have gone to extreme lengths to fraudulently claim copyright ownership over a negative review in the hopes of taking it down.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. Emar Markets is certainly keeping interesting company here….

The DMCA takedown process requires that copyright owners submit a takedown notice to an ISP identifying the allegedly infringing content and declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they have a good faith belief that the content is infringing. The ISP must then promptly remove or disable access to the content. The alleged infringer can then submit a counter-notice, and if the copyright owner does not take legal action within 10 to 14 days, the ISP can restore the content.

Since these platforms are predominantly based in the U.S., the complaints are typically made under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which requires online service providers and platforms to react immediately to reports or violations. Big Tech companies rarely have systems in place to assess the merit of each report. Instead, all bad actors need to do is clone a story, backdate it, and then demand the real thing be taken down.

Reputation Agency's Modus Operandi

The fake DMCA notices we found always use the “back-dated article” technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a “true original” article and back-dates it, creating a “fake original” article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.

Then, based on the claim that this backdated article is the “original,” the scammers send a DMCA to the relevant online service providers (e.g. Google), alleging that the ‘true’ original is the copied or “infringing” article and that the copied article is the “original,” requesting the takedown of the ‘true’ original article. After sending the DMCA request, the person who sent the wrong notice takes down the fake original URL, likely to make sure that the article doesn’t stay online in any way. If the takedown notice is successful, the disappearance from the internet of information is most likely to be legitimate speech.

As an integral part of this scheme, the ‘reputation management’ company hired by Emar Markets creates a website that purports to be a ‘news’ site. This site is designed to look legitimate at a glance, but any degree of scrutiny reveals it as the charade it is.

The company copies the ‘negative’ content and posts it “on the fake ‘news’ site, attributing it to a separate author,” then gives it “a false publication date on the ‘news’ website that predated the original publication.

The reputation company then sent Google a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice claiming the original website infringed copyright. After a cursory examination of the fake news site, Google frequently accepts the notice and delists the content.

In committing numerous offences, Emar Markets either premeditated actions or were unaware of the consequences. Despite hiring an agency to make Google disregard any negative information about Emar Markets, ignorance does not excuse this wrongdoing.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. FSMSmart is certainly keeping interesting company here.

The Reputation Laundering

Rogue Reputation agencies use spurious copyright claims and fake legal notices to remove and obscure articles linking clients to allegations of tax avoidance, corruption, and drug trafficking. Most of these reputation agencies are based offshore, mainly in Russia, India, and Eastern Europe, and they do not worry about complying with US-based laws.

The content in all of the articles for which the fraudulent DMCA notices have been sent relates to allegations of criminal allegations, including corruption, child abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking and financial fraud against businesses and individuals with ultra-high net worth.

In addition to the misuse of the DMCA takedown process, there is a notable absence of enforcement concerning perjury violations. The statutory requirement related to perjury is designed to deter copyright holders from submitting fraudulent or knowingly false takedown requests, as they may face legal consequences for making false declarations under penalty of perjury. However, to date, there have been no known instances of any individual being prosecuted for perjury in connection with the submission of false DMCA takedown notices.

This lack of enforcement has emboldened copyright holders to exploit the DMCA takedown process to suppress dissent, criticism, or other unfavorable content, without fear of legal repercussions.

Some of the people and businesses who have employed this tactic to remove legitimate content from Google illegally include a Spanish businessman-turned-cocaine-trafficker, Organised crime, an Israeli-Argentine banker accused of laundering money for Hugo Chávez’s regime, a French “responsible” mining company accused of tax evasion, child molesters and sexual predators. Emar Markets is in great company ….

What else is Emar Markets hiding?

We encourage you to ‘Dork‘ Google by searching for keyword combinations such as [Emar Markets] + {Negative Keyword, such as Scam, Fraud, Complaints, Lawsuit, Sanction, etc} on Google. It’s likely if you scroll down to the bottom of this Google search results, you’ll stumble upon this Legal Takedown notice (pictured below)

To make such an investigation possible, we encourage more online service providers to come forward and share copies of content removal requests with industry experts and researchers. If you have any information on Emar Markets that you want to share with experts and journalists, kindly email the author directly at [email protected].

All communications are strictly confidential and safeguarded under a comprehensive Whistleblower Policy, ensuring full protection and anonymity for individuals who provide information.