Equitros Review (2026) - FCA Warning & How to Recover Your Funds
If you invested with Equitros and have been unable to withdraw your funds, you are not alone. The Financial Conduct Authority has issued an official warning about Equitros, advising investors to exercise caution when dealing with the firm.
Refundee is currently speaking directly with clients affected by Equitros as part of our ongoing investigation and may be able to help you recover your funds.
If you invested with Equitros, you can complete our claim form for a free assessment to find out whether you may be eligible to recover your funds.
Is Equitros Legitimate?
Many investors are searching for information on whether Equitros is a legitimate investment broker. The FCA's official warning is a significant red flag and regulated brokers are required to be authorised before offering financial services in the UK.
You can verify any firm's status on the FCA register. The reported issues associated with Equitros, including withdrawal difficulties, fee requests, and use of fake celebrity endorsements are patterns commonly associated with unauthorised investment schemes and Authorised Push Payment Fraud (APP).
What was Equitros?
Equitros utilised social media to advertise a legitimate looking trading broker that could earn investors attractive returns through their expertise.
In some cases, fake celebrity endorsements were used including deepfake videos cloning Martin Lewis, who has publicly confirmed he does not endorse any investment product. Read our full Martin Lewis scam warning for more detail on how these ads work.
The platform appeared professional, often displaying dashboards showing profits, which encouraged further investment. In some cases, investors report being able to withdraw small amounts initially, a pattern commonly observed in similar collapsed Investment schemes and recent cases such as Quantum AI and CW Management.
Investors have reported the following warning signs:
Promises of high or guaranteed returns
Contact initiated through social media platforms
Pressure to invest or send additional funds
Requests for “withdrawal”, “tax”, or processing fees
Difficulty or inability to withdraw funds
Use of fake celebrity endorsements to promote the investment
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Warning:
The Financial Conduct Authority has issued a warning regarding Equitros, indicating that the firm may be providing financial services without authorisation.
You can check if a firm is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority on their website.
What to Do If You Invested In Equitros:
If you have invested with Equitros, it is important to act quickly:
Stop making any further payments
Cut contact with the platform
Contact your bank to report the fraud
Gather all evidence, including emails and transaction records
Report the fraud to the UK reporting service, Report Fraud
If payment was made via a UK bank transfer, you may have options to recover your funds depending on your circumstances.
Can You Recover Money from Equitros?
If you transferred funds to Equitros from a UK bank account, you may be eligible to pursue a claim under UK banking regulations. Each case is assessed individually, but acting quickly can improve your chances of recovery.
Refundee has extensive experience winning cases like this, having recovered over £130 million for clients with a large proportion involving unauthorised investments.
Refundee is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 937096)
You can read more about our clients' experiences with us on our verified TrustPilot reviews.
You can start your claim to check your eligibility on our website.
How would the process work?
Refundee manages the case from start to finish.
The process typically involves:
1️⃣ Investigating the circumstances of the investment
2️⃣ Preparing a complaint to the bank
3️⃣ Escalating the case to the Financial Ombudsman Service where appropriate
Recovery cases typically take 6–12 months, although timelines can vary depending on the circumstances.
More about Refundee
Here are the technical bits:
Refundee Ltd is a claims management company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activity FRN: 937096.
Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office; registration number: A8986071.
Registered office address: Refundee, 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE.
Registered as a company in England & Wales; number: 12855931.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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No. The FCA has issued an official warning about Equitros stating the firm may be providing financial services without authorisation. You can check the FCA register to verify any firm's status before investing.
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Stop making any further payments immediately, contact your bank to report the situation, preserve all evidence. Contact Refundee to explore your recovery options — acting quickly improves your chances.
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If you transferred funds from a UK bank account, you may be eligible to pursue reimbursement under Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud rules. Refundee assesses each case individually on a no win, no fee basis.
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An unauthorised firm is one that offers financial services in the UK without being registered with the FCA. It is illegal to do so, and investors who deal with unauthorised firms have significantly fewer protections. The FCA maintains a warning list of firms flagged as potentially operating without authorisation.
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Recovery cases typically take around 6–12 months, but timelines vary based on the bank and complexity of the situation.
