Social media is full of screenshots of accounts with spectacular returns. The problem is that a screenshot can be faked in a minute: all it takes is a demo account, an image editor or simply showing only the best week. If you sell signals, manage money or want to join a prop firm, you need something others can check.
In this guide we explain how a trading account is really verified, which levels of trust exist and how to spot results that are not what they seem.
Why a screenshot proves nothing
A MetaTrader screenshot has three problems:
- It can be edited. Any number on the screen can be changed without a trace.
- It doesn't say whether the account is real or demo. Many "winning accounts" are practice accounts.
- It is a single moment. It doesn't show the drawdown that came before or the accounts that were blown along the way.
That is why there are tracking platforms that read the history directly from the broker's server.
The three levels of trust
Not every "verified" account means the same thing. It is worth separating three levels:
Level 1: report uploaded by the trader
The trader exports the MetaTrader HTML report and uploads it. It is useful for analysing yourself, but the file could have been manipulated, so for third parties it is only indicative.
Level 2: data read from the broker
The platform connects to the account with the investor password, a read-only password MetaTrader provides for exactly this: it lets you see the history and positions, but not trade or withdraw money. Here the data is real and comes from the broker's server. But one question remains: does the account belong to the person sharing it? Someone could connect another person's account if they have its investor password.
Level 3: verified ownership
This is the highest level. To prove the account is theirs, the trader changes the investor password to one provided by the platform. Only the owner, with the master password, can make that change. When the platform logs in with the new password, it is proven that whoever shares the account controls it.
In the AIMPATFX account audit, accounts always show their level: "Verified owner", "Broker data · not verified" or "Uploaded report · not verified". That way, anyone looking knows exactly what they are seeing.
How to verify your MetaTrader account step by step
- Get your investor password. In MetaTrader: Tools → Options → Server tab → Change. You can also find it in your broker's client area.
- Connect the account with your account number, the exact server name (for example, XMGlobal-MT5 2) and the investor password. Never hand over the master password: a serious platform rejects it.
- Verify ownership. Enter in MetaTrader the new investor password you are given (in the same window: tick "Change investor password").
- Choose who can see it: private, link only (you can protect it with a password) or public.
From then on, the account syncs automatically and the shared page always shows the latest data.
How to spot fake or misleading trading results
Even with real data, people can mislead by showing only part of the picture. Before trusting a track record, check:
- The period. Three weeks prove nothing. Look for at least several months and a reasonable number of trades (more than 100).
- Maximum drawdown. A 200% return with a 60% drawdown means the account nearly disappeared.
- Stop-loss use. If almost no trade has a stop loss, the record may look clean until the day it doesn't.
- Reliance on a few trades. If two trades explain all the profit, it is luck, not strategy.
- Lot increases after losses. It is the classic martingale pattern: very smooth curves that end abruptly.
- Demo or real account. A good audit says which one it is.
- Returns net of deposits. If the balance rises because the trader deposits more money, the real return may be negative.
What about Myfxbook?
Myfxbook is the best-known tracking platform and it also reads accounts with the investor password. If you are looking for an alternative, the AIMPATFX audit adds three things: an easy-to-read score from 0 to 100, automatic detection of behavioural mistakes (revenge trading, martingale, overtrading) and an AI improvement plan based on your own history. You can use both: they are not mutually exclusive.
What you gain by sharing a verified account
- Credibility if you sell signals, teach or run a community.
- A presentable track record for prop firms or investors.
- Discipline: knowing your account is public changes the way you trade.
You can see examples in the list of audited accounts, where verified accounts appear first.
Summary: a trading account is only truly verified when the data comes from the broker and the owner proves they control it. Connect your account with the investor password, verify ownership and share the link. Your first audit is free at AIMPATFX.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to share my investor password?
Yes, with a serious platform. The investor password is read-only: it lets someone see your history and open positions, but not place trades or withdraw money. Never share your master password.
What is the difference between "broker data" and "verified owner"?
With broker data, the numbers are real but anyone holding the investor password could have connected the account. Verified owner means the account holder changed the investor password to one supplied by the platform, which only the owner can do.
How much history do I need for a track record to be credible?
At least several months and more than 100 trades. Shorter records can be dominated by luck or by one or two big trades.
