The first stock market “teacher” many Nepali beginners meet is a stranger in a group chat promising guaranteed profit. Tip groups and pump-and-dump schemes follow new investors around, and the damage is done with real money. StockYatra was built partly as the opposite: a place to learn in public, safely, where the only thing you can lose is practice coins.
Six red flags of a stock-tip scam
- Guaranteed returns. Nobody can promise 50%, or any fixed profit. Markets do not work that way.
- Asks for your OTP, PIN or CRN. No legitimate helper, broker or app needs them from you in a chat. “We will apply for the IPO for you” is a classic opener.
- Pay to join a “premium” group. Paid tip groups sell hope, not skill.
- Hurry, buy now. Urgency stops you thinking, which is its purpose. A pump-and-dump needs you to buy before the organisers sell.
- “Real money trading here.” In StockYatra, coins are virtual, always. Anyone offering to turn them into cash is lying.
- Links that leave the app. Fake login pages steal accounts. In StockYatra chat, only StockYatra’s own links open.
How StockYatra’s community is designed for safety
| Safety feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| No tips rule | Buy/sell tips and “sure-shot” calls are banned in chat |
| Verified traders | Global chat, friends and DMs are for verified accounts |
| Safe links only | Only StockYatra links are tappable |
| Auto-masking | Abusive words are masked automatically |
| Report + moderators | Anyone can report; moderators remove, mute or ban |
| !! scam card | Posts a “we never ask for money, OTP or bank details” card |
| $$ withdrawal card | Answers “can I withdraw?” with: no, coins are practice only |
| Safety videos | Nepali videos on scams, reporting and keeping your account safe |
Among StockYatra’s 30 short Nepali help videos, a full set is about safety, with titles such as beware of fraud, do not share personal details, how to report, keep your account safe and one that says it outright: an offer to “trade with real money” is a scam.
Why a simulator is the best defence
Scams work on people who have never seen a market move against them. A few weeks of paper trading changes that. You learn what a normal day looks like, how fast a “sure thing” can fall, and why a stop-loss matters, all without losing a rupee. Start with How to start trading in Nepal without losing money and What is paper trading?.
If you have been targeted
- Stop paying. Promised “release fees” are part of the scam.
- Keep screenshots of every message and payment.
- Report the account on the platform where it happened.
- Call your bank at once if you shared bank or card details.
- Report to Nepal Police’s cyber bureau.
StockYatra is free: 10,000 virtual coins at signup, no fee per trade and no premium tier. Coins are for practice only and can never be withdrawn. Further reading: stock-tip scams in Nepal · Global chat, safely · StockYatra is now social.
Keep reading: StockYatra is now social · How to start trading in Nepal without losing money · How to apply for an IPO in Nepal · Learn the stock market in Nepali, free
StockYatra is an educational paper-trading simulator. Coins are virtual, have no monetary value and cannot be withdrawn or exchanged for money. StockYatra does not facilitate the buying or selling of real securities and does not constitute investment, financial or trading advice. Market data is for learning purposes only.
Frequently asked questions
Does StockYatra ever ask for money, an OTP or bank details?
Never. StockYatra says this plainly in the app, in chat and in its safety videos. Anyone asking for these in StockYatra’s name is a scammer.
Can I withdraw StockYatra coins as money?
No. Coins are virtual practice coins with no cash value. A message offering to “convert” or “withdraw” coins, or to “trade real money here”, is a scam.
Are buy or sell tips allowed in StockYatra chat?
No. Buy/sell tips and “sure-shot” calls are banned, only StockYatra’s own links are tappable, abuse is masked automatically, anyone can report a message, and moderators can remove it, mute or ban.
What is the !! chat shortcut?
Typing !! on its own and sending it posts a scam-alert card for everyone in the chat, reminding them that StockYatra never asks for money, an OTP or bank details.
What should I do if I was scammed?
Stop paying, keep screenshots of every message and payment, report the account on the platform where it happened, and contact your bank immediately if you shared bank or card details. You can also report to Nepal Police’s cyber bureau.
