Check a crypto trading-bot pitch without trusting its dashboard

Write down the claim

Practical checklist · not an audit of another provider

Record whether the seller promises a fixed return, a minimum return or merely a strategy that can lose money. Save the dates, fees and identity of the operator. Labels such as proprietary, AI or volatility trading do not answer how returns are generated. The BitConnect sentencing record illustrates why the funding source needs attention even when the pitch focuses on software.

Distinguish simulations from transactions

Practical checklist · not an audit of another provider

Ask what the evidence actually represents: a backtest, a demo account, a screenshot or records from an identified live account. Note the period, costs and omitted losses. A small withdrawal demonstrates a single payment, not a sustainable return stream. Avoid sending additional funds simply to perform a test when you already suspect deception.

Check the seller outside its own channel

Practical checklist · not an audit of another provider

Use independent official contact details and relevant regulatory records to verify the operator and the service. Do not accept a referral commission or celebrity endorsement as evidence of trading performance. The FTC advises scepticism about guaranteed profits and large-return promises. If the platform blocks access and demands more money to release it, preserve the communications and use official reporting channels.

Compare four kinds of bot evidence

Practical checklist · not an audit of another provider

Label each item you receive as marketing, simulation, live-account record or independently checked reconciliation. For a backtest, note the dates, assumed fees and whether the rules were chosen after seeing the results. For a live statement, record the account owner and whether deposits are separated from gains. For a withdrawal, record only the transaction it proves. Do not upgrade an item to the next category because it looks professional. This prevents a dashboard, a testimonial and a single payout from being counted as three independent demonstrations of trading profit.

Sources, dates and limits

Checked 23 October 2026 against the SEC's September 2026 release and the earlier DOJ records. Noble, Grant, Brown, Arcaro and Kumbhani have separate procedural histories. An obligation in a judgment is not a verified payment to victims.