This week, Italy’s Companies and Exchange Commission, CONSOB, released a striking video warning the public about the dangers of Ponzi schemes—reminding investors that "easy money with no risk" is usually the oldest trap in the book.

But while the video focuses on classic scams, the message feels eerily relevant to today’s prop trading landscape.

Watch the video here (Official CONSOB YouTube Channel)

Ponzi Energy, Prop Trading Aesthetic

Some so-called “prop firms” are using modern branding, influencer marketing, and flashy dashboards—but underneath, the structure feels all too familiar:

• No real evaluation or trading required
  
  
• Instant funding after a payment
  
  
• Guaranteed payouts, no proof of profit
  
  
• Referral programs that grow faster than accounts
  
  

Sound familiar? That’s not a trading model—it’s a cash recycling machine, and sometimes, a slow-moving Ponzi in disguise.

Lessons from CONSOB (applied to prop trading):

1. If it’s “risk-free,” it’s fake. Legitimate prop trading requires risk, performance, and discipline.
   
   
2. If you can’t find who’s behind the firm, walk away. Transparency is the first layer of trust.
   
   
3. If the only people getting paid are those recruiting others—run. That’s network marketing, not trading.
   
   
4. If the payouts seem too fast, too big, and too easy—there’s probably no real liquidity behind them.
   
   

What to Look For Instead

• Clear and realistic evaluation rules
  
  
• Proof of real trading infrastructure (platforms, risk dashboards)
  
  
• Verified trader testimonials
  
  
• Real names, licenses, or at least verified company entities
  
  

In a fast-growing industry like prop trading, credibility is everything. CONSOB’s reminder comes at the right time: behind every professional firm is real structure—behind every fake one is a fantasy.