Ex-waitress who dropped out of school after GCSEs makes £100k a year on the stock market
A WAITRESS who left school at 16 says she’s now on track to make £100,000 after trying her hand at online trading. Anna Reynolds, 29, from Harrow in West London dropped out of school after her GCSE’s but struggled to find a job she felt both passionate about and which earned her decent money. Instead […]
A WAITRESS who left school at 16 says she’s now on track to make £100,000 after trying her hand at online trading.
Anna Reynolds, 29, from Harrow in West London dropped out of school after her GCSE’s but struggled to find a job she felt both passionate about and which earned her decent money.
Instead she did odd jobs, such as waitressing, while watching her friends go away to university.
But when an advert for a course on online trading recently caught her eye on Instagram things changed.
According to the Daily Mail, the 29-year-old now reckons she’s completely changed her lifestyle because of it.
She says she can now afford to go on holidays to Dubai with pals, buy things for family, and has even treated herself to a Rolex watch.
She said: “I just need the internet to do it – you can do it on phone or computer, or even while travelling.”
Anna told the newspaper that she got into trading after taking part in a six-month course in forex trading, which is where you buy and sell different currencies from around the world – including cyrptocurrencies.
The course she used was offered by Financial Markets Online, which charges £1,750.
And she now loves the freedom of being her own boss – and even says she trades while on holiday.
But before you dive in head first to do the same bear in mind that this type of trading is risky – the value of your money can go down as well as up and there are no guarantees you won’t lose everything you invest.
Before you begin to trade, you should also check the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) register to ensure the firm you’re using is regulated.
Also so a search to make sure the company isn’t on the regulator’s warning list.
And be aware that there are bogus firms out there that will trick people by using the same name, registration number and address of legitimate companies.
We spoke to one dad who sadly lost his £150,000 life savings to a Facebook investment scam.
Anna told the Daily Mail that Financial Markets Online, which doesn’t offer trading itself – only tutorials – set her up with a trader to offer help and guidance and she initially started with just £100.
It’s unclear how much she has since invested but she believes she’ll make around £10,000 by the end of the year.
But she is wary of the risk and warns others to do their research first.
She said: ‘There is always a risk to trading… you do have to be careful.
“Don’t just give money over to someone – there is no such thing as a free lunch.”
And Anna isn’t the only one who claims to be reaping the rewards from forex trading.
We spoke to one teen who failed his A-Levels but learned how to invest on YouTube using cash from his Saturday job – and is now a millionaire.
How to protect yourself from an investment scam
TO avoid falling victim to investment scams, you need to remain vigilant when making investment decisions.
- Reject unsolicited investment offers, whether made online, on social media, or over the phone.
- Before investing, check the FCA Register to see if the firm or individual you are dealing with is authorised. Also check the FCA Warning List of firms to avoid.
- If in doubt, steer well clear.
- Get impartial advice before investing.
Signs that should set the alarm bells ringing include:
- Unexpected contact – while you may be on your guard for cold callers, you now need to be alert to contact out of the blue from all sorts of online sources, such as email or social media. The same applies to contact you may get through the post, via word of mouth, or even in person at a seminar or exhibition.
- Time pressure – beware if someone offers you a bonus or discount if you invest before a set date or says the opportunity is only available for a short period.
- Social proof – keep an eye out for fake reviews and claims that other clients have invested, or want in on the deal.
- Unrealistic returns – watch out for fraudsters promising tempting returns that sound too good to be true, such as much better interest rates than elsewhere.
- False authority – don’t get tricked by convincing literature and websites, or investments which claim to be regulated. Also be wary of someone speaking with authority on investment products.
- Flattery – be on your guard if someone tries to build a friendship with you. They may be trying to lull you into a false sense of security.
More on money
Of course it’s best to finish your GCSE’s before turning to trading full time.
We’ve put together the timetable for this year’s GCSE exams as well as what you need to know if you end up having to resit them.
Do you think you’d pass your GCSE’s if you took the exams now? Take our test to find out.
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