Category: R4I
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R4I – Estonian crypto payment processor Itez and Databridge
We have already discovered the high-risk payment processor Itez (www.itez.com) in several scams as a facilitator. For example, FXOptex, Optimus Markets, and Spintop Capital have integrated Itez as a payment processor. Itez is operated by DataBridge OÜ, which is licensed in Estonia by the relevant FIU. Maria Neverdinova-Rostovtseva is installed there as Nominee Director (Monkey). Currently, we do not know the beneficial owners of DataBridge. We would like to know more about the payment processor.
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R4I – Broker scam 27ProQuote closed down but Maltese ApcoPay still there
Many retail investors have lost money via the broker scam 27ProQuote. The attackers behind it are apparently in the process of closing the scam. Currently, the server of 27ProQuote is no longer accessible. We have reports of victims who have lost over €100,000 in some cases. The Maltese ApcoPay operated by Apco Systems Ltd registered in Malta processed the payments. We would like to know more about ApcoPay to expose the scammers and find the victims' funds.
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R4I – What’s your experience with the Israeli fund recovery venture Action Refund?
Hundreds of binary options, Forex, and CFD scams have robbed hundreds of thousands of investors worldwide of their money since 2010. Therefore, Israeli fund recovery experts we Wealth Recovery International (WRI) of Austin Smith have also emerged. Smith was convicted in the U.S. for investment fraud related to the Yukom binary options scam and his WRI activities. Now there is a new Israeli fund recovery expert, Action Refund Ltd (ARF). We'd like to know more about it.
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R4I – High-risk payment processor EU Paymentz and its US operator
The U.S. citizen Chris Ortega from Austin, Texas, registered the domain www.eupaymentz.com back in 2015. According to Ortega's LinkedIn profile, he has been the director and owner of the Delaware company EU Paymentz, LLC since January 2020. However, on the payment processor's website, Sofia, Bulgaria, is presented as the registered office address. There Ortega has also registered Bitronum Ltd. He also owns JC Velecom, LCC, another Delaware company with connections to Serbia and Eastern Europe. We would like to learn more.
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Fired Octapay director calls payment processors scams
FinTelegram has reported about the activities of the high-risk Payment processor Octapay. Insiders presented us with information that, on the one hand, qualified Octapay as a scam and, on the other hand, purported that the same beneficial owners controlled it as iPayTotal. Shortly after our Request 4 Information on December 8, 2020, Octapay Europe CEO Christian van Biezen was fired for an impressive misconduct list. He denies allegations and calls Octopay and iPaytotal scams.
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Problems at Octapay – European director was fired for alleged misconduct
Troubles at high-risk payment processor Octapay which is allegedly conntected to iPayTotal through Vishal Coodye and its Rashal International LLC. Yesterdy, Octapay announced that its European CEO Christian V. was fired on accusations of an extensive list of serious malicious activities. We would like to learn more about Octapay and its activities.
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R4I – Let us know more about the High-Risk Payment Processor Octapay and iPayTotal
Octapay Limited was founded on 16 September 2020. According to UK Companies House, the sole director and beneficial owner is Madhumita Singh. The company acts as a payment processor for high-risk merchants in gaming, crypto and forex operating the websites www.octapay.fund. And it seems to be related to iPayTotal.
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R4I – The AKCE Group, European Merchant Bank, and OpenPayd Group
The FinTech entrepreneur Ozan Ozerk was born in Nicosia, Northern Cyprus. He moved to Norway. His father is a professor at the University of Oslo's Department of Education, and his mother is a senior advisor at an institution specializing in children with learning disabilities. Ozerk is the beneficial owner of the Akce Group and runs a number of regulated and unregulated FinTechs in Lithuania, Cyprus, Malta, and the UK. We would like to know more about Akce Group, OpenPayd Group, and its network.
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Request 4 Information – Russian-Cypriot Forex White-label Provider XCritical
XCritical is a brand, CRM white-label solution, and online trading platform of Quant ROI Ltd registered in Cyprus. Xcritical is currently used by some Russian scams like LimeFX, Umarkets, MaxiTrade, or TradeAllCrypto. The beneficial owners of Quant ROI hide behind Cypriot trust companies. A.M.K. Trustee Services Limited acts as director and M. Kyprianou Fiduciaries (Cyprus) Ltd as the company secretary. We would like to know more about XCritial and its people.
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Request 4 Information – Is Fund Recovery Expert LegalWeb AG a legitimate business?
FinTelegram received a tip from a whistleblower that LegalWeb AG (www.legalwebag.ch), allegedly based in Zurich, is also a scam. In a first OSINT analysis, we found out that until a few weeks ago the Sablegal scam was active, whereby LegalWeb AG was indicated as the operator. Now there is a new website under the domain www.legalwebag.ch which is supposed to be the "real" website of the company. Confusing, is it not?