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Re:

French AMF Warns Against Capital Tradefx and Lockwood Investments

France’s AMF and ACPR listed Capital TradeFx and lockwoodinv.com as unauthorized Forex websites in 2019. The official operator name behind Lockwood was Elit Property Vision Ltd.
From TheFinanceBase Team5 min to read
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France’s financial regulators warned the public about Capital TradeFx and the website lockwoodinv.com in 2019. The headline commonly used for that warning is slightly inaccurate: the notice came from both France’s Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) and the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR), while the operator associated with Lockwood was identified officially as Elit Property Vision Ltd, not “Lockwood Investments.”

Both websites were listed as unauthorized Forex operators in France. That is a serious investor-protection warning, but it is not the same as a court ruling that either company committed fraud.

What the French regulators warned about

In a joint notice dated October 8, 2019, the AMF and ACPR identified seven newly found websites offering Forex services without the required authorization in France. The list included:

Website Entity named by the authorities AMF blacklist record
capitaltradefx.com Capital TradeFx Ltd July 15, 2019
lockwoodinv.com Elit Property Vision Ltd July 25, 2019

The joint release placed both websites in its Forex section. They were not among the separate websites listed in the notice for unauthorized derivatives based on crypto-assets.

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The official joint warning is available from the ACPR website. The AMF also maintains individual records for Capital TradeFx Ltd and Elit Property Vision Ltd.

Why “Lockwood Investments” is not the official name

“Lockwood Investments” appears to be a shorthand reference to the Lockwood-branded website. However, the AMF’s individual record names the entity as Elit Property Vision Ltd and associates it with www.lockwoodinv.com.

The English version of the 2019 joint release abbreviated the name as “Elit Property Vision Lt,” apparently leaving off the final “d.” The AMF’s individual English and French records use Elit Property Vision Ltd. A report should therefore distinguish between the website name and the legal or entity name used by the regulator:

  • Website: lockwoodinv.com
  • Entity identified by the AMF: Elit Property Vision Ltd

Three dates, not one

The warning history contains three dates that should not be merged:

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  1. July 15, 2019: the AMF published its individual Forex blacklist record for Capital TradeFx Ltd.
  2. July 25, 2019: the AMF published its individual record for Elit Property Vision Ltd and lockwoodinv.com.
  3. October 8, 2019: the AMF and ACPR issued the joint public warning listing both websites among unauthorized Forex sites.

The July entries and the October communication describe different publications. The earlier individual records are not inconsistent with the later joint warning.

What “unauthorized” means

The AMF’s records state that the named entities were not authorized to offer the relevant financial services or products in France. In practical terms, a person dealing with one of these websites would not have the protections associated with using an appropriately authorized intermediary.

That wording matters. The regulator’s blacklist entries, by themselves, do not establish that:

  • a court convicted the company of fraud;
  • every transaction connected with the website was fraudulent;
  • the AMF shut down the operator; or
  • the company was formally “banned” by a court or regulator.

The defensible conclusion is narrower and still important: the AMF identified the entities as unauthorized to provide the relevant services in France and warned the public not to use them.

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How investors should check a Forex provider

The AMF and ACPR advised consumers to verify an intermediary before sending money or opening an account. The relevant checks are:

  1. Search the official authorization registers. Use REGAFI for authorized financial institutions and agents. For financial investment advisers and participating investment advisers, check ORIAS.
  2. Match the details exactly. Check the legal name, website domain, business address and permissions—not merely a brand name or a logo.
  3. Check the AMF warning lists. The AMF’s current investor-protection pages place the individual entries under Warnings → Blacklists → Forex. On the French site, the route is Espace épargnants → Protéger son épargne → Listes noires et mises en garde → Forex.
  4. Do not treat a clean search as a guarantee. A new domain, a cloned website or a similar legal name can evade a casual check. Confirm that the authorization covers the exact service being offered.

The AMF’s current Forex blacklist includes both Capital TradeFx Ltd and Elit Property Vision Ltd. A listing is a reason to stop and investigate, not a signal to proceed with caution while depositing money.

Warning signs that deserve attention

Consumers should be especially cautious when an online trading provider:

  • promises guaranteed or unusually consistent returns;
  • pressures a customer to deposit more money quickly;
  • requests payment to release a withdrawal or pay a supposed tax;
  • uses a legal name that cannot be found in an official register;
  • claims regulation without giving a verifiable license number; or
  • contacts prospects repeatedly by phone, messaging apps or social media.

These signs do not prove misconduct on their own. They do, however, justify ending contact and independently checking the firm before making a payment.

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If you already sent money

Do not send an additional payment simply because someone promises to recover the balance or unlock a withdrawal. Preserve the evidence: account statements, emails, chat logs, wallet addresses, payment receipts, telephone numbers and screenshots of the website.

Contact the bank, card issuer or payment provider promptly and ask what dispute or recall options remain. Report the matter to the appropriate French authorities if you are in France, and consider obtaining independent legal advice. A warning-list entry does not itself guarantee that deposited funds can be recovered, so early action and complete records are important.

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FAQ

Did the AMF alone warn against Capital TradeFx and Lockwood?

No. The October 8, 2019 public warning was issued jointly by France’s AMF and ACPR. The AMF also published separate individual blacklist records for the two operators.

What company was behind Lockwoodinv.com?

The AMF identified the operator as Elit Property Vision Ltd. The website associated with that record was www.lockwoodinv.com. “Lockwood Investments” is not the entity name used in the AMF’s individual record.

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Was Capital TradeFx listed as a Forex or crypto-derivatives operator?

Capital TradeFx was listed in the Forex section of the October 2019 joint warning. It was not listed in the separate crypto-asset derivatives section.

Does an AMF blacklist entry prove a company is a scam?

Not by itself. The AMF records establish that the named entity was not authorized to offer the relevant services or products in France. They do not, without separate evidence, amount to a criminal conviction or court finding of fraud.

Where can I check whether a financial intermediary is authorized in France?

Check REGAFI for authorized financial institutions and agents, and ORIAS for financial investment advisers and participating investment advisers. Also review the AMF’s warning and blacklist pages.

The Bottom Line

Capital TradeFx Ltd and Elit Property Vision Ltd, the entity associated with lockwoodinv.com, were identified by France’s AMF as unauthorized Forex operators. The broader public warning was issued jointly by the AMF and ACPR on October 8, 2019. The safest response to either name or website is not to deposit funds and to verify any provider through REGAFI, ORIAS and the AMF’s official warning lists.

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