Worldwide Trade (clone of an FCA authorised firm)

What Is This Scam?

Worldwide Trade is an unauthorised financial services operation that impersonates a legitimate, FCA-regulated firm to defraud consumers. This clone firm targets individuals in the UK and potentially internationally, using fake websites and email addresses designed to appear legitimate. The scam operates by establishing fraudulent trading accounts, soliciting deposits from victims under the pretence of forex or investment trading services, and subsequently misappropriating funds or preventing withdrawals.

The fraudsters behind this operation deliberately adopt the branding, contact details, and regulatory claims of an established, authorised firm to exploit consumer trust in regulated financial institutions. Victims are typically directed to scam websites where they may be persuaded to deposit money for trading purposes, only to find their funds are inaccessible or lost entirely.

Who Are They Impersonating?

The scammers are impersonating Tradelink Worldwide Limited, a legitimate FCA-authorised firm. The genuine company operates under the following verified details:

• Firm Name: Tradelink Worldwide Limited
• FCA Firm Reference Number: 190867
• Registered Address: Park House, 16-18 Finsbury Circus, Ground Floor, London, EC2M 7EB, United Kingdom
• Official Telephone: +4402076189200
• Official Email: [email protected]
• Official Website: www.tradelinkllc.com
• Regulatory Authority: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

Consumers should verify any company claiming to be Tradelink Worldwide Limited by checking the official FCA register and contacting the firm using only the verified details listed above.

Evidence & Regulatory Action

The Financial Conduct Authority formally identified and warned about this scam on 26 September 2024. The FCA has registered Worldwide Trade as an unauthorised firm operating under a cloned identity on its official registry.

According to the FCA's official warning, Worldwide Trade "is not authorised or registered by the FCA but has been targeting people in the UK." The FCA's unauthorised firms register confirms that "This is an unauthorised firm that uses the details of a genuine FCA-regulated firm."

The scam operates across multiple fraudulent domains and contact channels, including the websites worldwidetrade.io and worldwidetrade.broker, as well as the email address [email protected].

Red Flags

• Websites using domains that closely resemble but do not exactly match the legitimate firm's official URL (www.tradelinkllc.com)
• Email addresses using generic domains such as worldwidetrade.io rather than the official [email protected]
• Pressure to deposit funds quickly without proper verification procedures
• Inability to verify the firm on the official FCA register using the provided reference number
• Requests for personal or financial information via unsecured channels
• Promised returns that seem unusually high or guaranteed
• Difficulty withdrawing funds once deposited

What To Do If You Have Been Contacted

If you have been contacted by or have interacted with Worldwide Trade, take the following steps immediately:

• Do not deposit any money or provide personal financial information
• Verify the legitimacy of any firm by checking the official FCA register at www.fca.org.uk using the firm's reference number
• Contact the legitimate Tradelink Worldwide Limited directly using only the verified contact details listed above to report the impersonation
• Report the scam to Action Fraud or your local law enforcement agency
• If you have already lost money, contact your bank immediately and provide them with evidence of the fraud
• Preserve all communications, email addresses, and website URLs associated with the fraudulent contact
• Monitor your bank and credit accounts for unauthorised activity