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Private Market Unlock Scam: Pre-IPO Investment Warning

Savun Law & Consultancy · Updated 27 October 2026

Private Market Unlock Scam: Pre-IPO Investment Warning

A chance to buy shares in valuable companies before they go public: the name Private Market Unlock itself carries the promise of privileged access to companies not listed on the stock exchange. The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) added privatemarketunlock.uk and the Facebook page of the same name to its list of unauthorised firms on 5 June 2026.

In short: Private Market Unlock is not authorised in Türkiye by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) and has been recorded as a scheme that collected investors through social media advertising. Legal routes exist for tracing, and claiming back, money sent on the promise of pre-IPO shares.
What this article covers

🔍 Domain and Social Media Trail

The domain privatemarketunlock.uk was registered through Namecheap on 6 April 2026, and Vercel infrastructure was chosen for hosting. Instead of a contact address, the FCA record shows only the @Private Market Unlock Facebook account; in other words, customer traffic was gathered through advertising. The site does not respond today; schemes of this kind open a new address to replace one that has been closed.

🚩 How Is the "Private Market" Promise Built?

In schemes of this kind the process usually runs like this:

  • An advertisement claims that a well-known start-up will "soon be listed"
  • A first purchase of shares is pushed quickly through pressure over a limited quota
  • The dashboard shows virtual shares rising in value, and a second round of investment is requested
  • When a sale is requested, the withdrawal is delayed with a "lock-up period" or tax excuse

Decision No. 5/173 of the Capital Markets Board, dated 03.02.2017, warned the public against unauthorised investment guidance through social media.

🔗 Similar Pre-IPO Schemes

A promise of pre-IPO shares is not a new method; we have examined the same script before in these articles:

🧭 The Process for a Victim

  1. The criminal complaint process is started on the basis of the payments and the advertising records.
  2. The accounts the money flowed to are identified through an asset searchTR.
  3. The act is assessed under the provisions on qualified fraudTR.

For detailed information and legal support, you can contact Savun Law & Consultancy.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Can shares of a company that is not publicly listed be sold online?

In Türkiye, intermediation in the sale of shares can only be carried out by institutions authorised by the SPK; Private Market Unlock is not among these institutions.

I came through a Facebook advertisement. Does that matter?

The advertisement is only the entry point; responsibility lies with the scheme to which the money was sent and with the account holders.

The site has closed. Have the payment trails disappeared?

No. Bank and crypto transfer records are not affected by the closure of a website.

I am a victim of Private Market Unlock. What can be done?

For detailed information and legal support, you can contact Savun Law & Consultancy.

3 attorneys registered with the Istanbul Bar Association · verifyGoogle 4.8 ★ · 123+ reviews · seeOffice in Istanbul · English-speaking team · about us

This page is an English adaptation of our Turkish article Private Market Unlock (privatemarketunlock.uk) Halka Arz Öncesi Yatırım Dolandırıcılığı.

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