Warning: Business-coaching and trading “training” scams
Ads promising that a paid coaching or training program will teach you to build a thriving business or trade crypto, forex, or precious metals for big profits often lead to high-pressure upsells and little real training.
Ads and webinars promise that, for a fee, a coaching program will teach you to build a profitable business or become a successful trader in crypto, forex, or precious metals. A free introductory session or low-cost starter package is used to build trust, then attendees are pushed hard toward increasingly expensive “advanced” packages, sometimes costing thousands, often pitched as a limited-time offer.
The promised results — a thriving business, consistent trading profits — rarely materialize. What's sold is generic, widely available information repackaged as exclusive insider knowledge, wrapped in a high-pressure sales funnel rather than genuine, personalized coaching.
The FTC is warning that legitimate business or trading education does not rely on high-pressure upsells during a live pitch, does not promise guaranteed income, and lets you walk away and think it over.
What to do
- Be wary of any coaching pitch that pressures you to decide and pay immediately
- Treat guaranteed income or trading-profit claims as a red flag
- Research a program's reviews and complaint history before paying
- Ask for the total cost of every upsell tier in writing before committing to anything
- Report suspected coaching scams to the FTC