Online Trading Scam — Refund Obtained from Foreign Bank

Our client fell victim to a fake online trading scheme and transferred a significant sum to foreign bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters. Through coordinated legal action combining the Italian criminal complaint with formal requests to the foreign bank, we secured a direct refund from the bank.

The trading fraud

The client discovered a trading platform through social media advertising. Initial contact was professional, the platform interface sophisticated. Multiple small profits were accessible for withdrawal, creating confidence. The client then made a substantial transfer to an account abroad, following instructions from the account manager. Immediately after, all contact ceased.

Bank liability and recovery

A distinctive element of this case was our use of the bank's own compliance obligations. The foreign bank — a regulated EU institution — had onboarded the fraudsters' account despite clear indicators of financial crime risk. We filed a formal complaint with the bank's compliance department, supported by the Italian criminal proceedings, arguing that the bank had failed its AML (anti-money-laundering) obligations. Faced with regulatory and legal exposure, the bank agreed to refund our client's transfer.

Banks that process fraud proceeds have their own regulatory exposure. A well-argued AML compliance complaint, combined with the pressure of active criminal proceedings, can produce a refund directly from the institution — without waiting for the criminal case to conclude.

Outcome

The foreign bank refunded our client's transferred funds directly. The Italian criminal complaint provided the legal foundation for this outcome. Our client was made whole without having to wait for the conclusion of the criminal trial.