Consob Warns of Risks in Online Trading "Video Games"

Consob, Italy's financial markets regulator, has issued a sharp warning to investors about the growing hazards linked with online trading “video games.” These sites often masquerade as skill-based assessments, enticing participants with the promise of quick earnings.

The practice, known by many titles such as “shadow investment game,” “funding trading,” or “financed trading accounts,” entails luring people into simulated trading competitions. These difficulties usually require individuals to participate in expensive training courses.

According to Consob's latest warning, these so-called instructional exercises are meant to replicate actual trading but provide the prospect of moving to legitimate trading operations with funds reportedly given by entities claiming to be “proprietary firms” (prop firms).

The Illusion of Profit

The possibility to partake in any earnings made makes these trading “games” even more appealing. The potential of profit-sharing serves as enticement, luring many prospective traders into the battle. However, participant accounts indicate a starkly different reality.

Consob has received several complaints from people who have used these scams. Many have criticized the tests' excessively high difficulty levels, which seem to be designed to drive users to try the tasks many times, frequently at extra expenses. More concerning are instances of broken promises in which participants, despite passing the exams, never receive the claimed riches.

International Concern

This is not a problem exclusive to Italy. Other regulatory bodies, such as Belgium's Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) and Spain's Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), have also warned of the hazards of these deceptive offerings. These worldwide warnings highlight the possibility of severe financial loss, since customers risk not only their initial deposits but also succumb to the idea of assured profits.

About Consob

The Italian Companies and Exchange Commission (Consob) is the regulatory entity in charge of supervising the Italian financial markets. Its mission includes investor protection, market transparency, and building financial system trust.

Consob, founded in 1974, works tirelessly to protect the financial markets' integrity by regulating securities markets, monitoring financial disclosures, and investigating market wrongdoing.

Given these duties, Consob's cautions are critical advises for investors navigating the complicated world of online trading and investing.