FMA Issues Investor Alert on IFX Banc and Global Payment Solutions

Regulatory Warning Issued by Austrian FMA

On September 1, 2020, the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) released an official investor warning targeting the fraudulent platforms IFX Banc (operating under the domains www.ifxcapitals.com & www.ifxbanc.com). According to FMA findings, these websites are allegedly managed by Global Payment Solutions LLC, a company based in Podgorica, Montenegro.

A swift investigation by Scam-Or Project uncovered additional entities behind the operation. Specifically, Ankor Group Investment Ltd, purportedly registered in Bulgaria, is also named as an operator on these platforms.

Who Are the Players Behind the Scam?

1. Ankor Group Investment Ltd

This Bulgarian company has previously been associated with multiple fraudulent schemes:

• FCA (UK) issued an investor alert linking the company to the ZurichBanc scam.

• CONSOB (Italy) published a warning specifically about IFX Banc, especially the site www.ifxbanc.com.

Note: Scam-Or Project was unable to locate Ankor Group Investment Ltd in the Bulgarian company register under company number 205655321.

2. Global Payment Solutions LLC / GPS

FMA’s warning refers to Global Payment Solutions LLC, which appears to be the same entity as Global Payment Solutions Podgorica DOO (GPS), registered in Montenegro under company number 50738515.

Both entities list the same address in Podgorica, indicating that they may indeed be identical.

Marko Vujosevic, a Belgrade-based attorney listed as GPS’s director, stated the company had ceased operations in 2018 and that its identity may have been misused by third parties.

Deep Ties to Notorious Cybercrime Operations

Global Payment Solutions (GPS) has strong historical links to the E&G Bulgaria cybercrime syndicate, operated by Israeli national Gal Barak and German fraudster Uwe Lenhoff.

Key Facts:

• Gal Barak and Uwe Lenhoff each owned 25% of GPS.

• GPS was used as a financial vehicle in scams involving brands like:

• Option888

• XMarkets

• VEmarkets

Both Barak and Lenhoff were arrested in early 2019. Lenhoff died mysteriously in pre-trial custody, while Barak was later convicted in Vienna and sentenced to imprisonment.

Given that their main base of operations was Sofia, Bulgaria, the involvement of a “Bulgarian” operator like Ankor Group Investment Ltd appears to support this network theory.

IFX Banc and Its Crypto Payment Gateway

Further investigations revealed that IFX Banc relies heavily on the Estonian-based crypto payment processor AllGlobalPay, available at www.agp.com. The processor is operated by Oppino OÜ, a company licensed under Estonia’s now-devalued crypto service provider regime.

A high degree of technical integration was observed between IFX Banc and AllGlobalPay:

• Customer registration data is directly transmitted to AllGlobalPay.

• Wallet services and transaction processing are handled through AllGlobalPay infrastructure.

This integration strongly implicates AllGlobalPay as a key enabler of IFX Banc’s fraudulent operations.

Conclusion: A Web of Fraud Still Unfolding

The investor warning by FMA adds to the growing list of regulatory actions against fraudulent trading platforms connected to Gal Barak, Uwe Lenhoff, and their extensive network of enablers and shell companies. The roles played by Ankor Group Investment Ltd, GPS, and AllGlobalPay suggest that Europe’s cybercrime underworld continues to exploit regulatory loopholes and weak oversight—especially through crypto processors and shell companies in high-risk jurisdictions.

Call to Action

If you have been affected by IFX Banc, ZurichBanc, or any related scheme, consider reporting your case to local regulators.