BKCT SCAM! (Lynx Capital Partners)
BE AWARE of this firm! They are a SCAM.
Most of their hires are college grads. I know the people that run that chop shop!
They require you to bring in a lot of money (my guess is around $5,000). Their actual name is LYNX Capital Partners and YES they share the same floor with T3.
That place is a scam. They hold interviews every day with young kids that are unexperienced.
These people make no money, and when I talk about people I talk about Mike M and Carl.
Due to their bad rap on the net they have changed their name into BKCT.
To all young kids out there! Be aware! It is a rip off!
Please, tell us how you really feel.
Regards
Theres also that one that was posted on here a while back, Star Alliance Capital and besides the fact that they clearly want to sound like SAC, you basically schedule yourself for interviews, never heard of a firm that does that tbh.
I was looking into BKCT the other day and it seemed fishy, can you go into more detail about why they are a scam. Also I feel like Chimera securities is the same type of place, anyone know anything about them?
Haha yeah, I find it amusing that they changed their name again... its one of 50+ "prop shops" in NY that requests a 5000 training fee and lets you use their version of an etrade account. Pathetic.
Really? I am curious as to who threw monkey shit at me for that one. Do people from their marketing department frequent this forum?
To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if they did. This is a place for College grads and industry professionals to come together, so they've certainly heard of WSO.
chimera is/was good for successful traders to go to because they have very good software that rivals some of the best shops (although no idea whats happened since the whole assent sungard anvil pullout debacle).. if you wanted a higher payout youd go there but the new guys coming in got the shaft cuz the experienced guys sat in a room off to the side since they were clients vs reps
Does anyone actually do well at this place? Is there a potential upside if you can afford the 5k upfront and support yourself in NYC for 6 months? Can you make good money if you survive the first few months?
Or is this just a complete scam?
You can make money anywhere if you know how to trade. My friends little brother worked there and they trade order flow. Teach you to front run big bids and offers. I have never practiced it but seems to me like you would be competing with computers so you have no edge. They take no risk and you will be mentored by someone who loses money every day. If you interview and most people are 25 or under that should be a serious red flag. The kid I know lost all his money, went somewhere else, and is a decent trader now. Sounds like a complete chop shop to me. If you have money to live off of and to put up 5k, start trading from home, get a little knowledge, and apply somewhere that will give you a draw. If they dont offer a draw they dont invest anything in you and make money whether you win or lose as long as you trade. Read blogs, books, ibd and get in the market. Getting in the market is the only way to learn.
LYNX Capital Partners (Originally Posted: 09/30/2010)
Hey guys.
Just wanted to know your opinion of LYNX Capital Partners. Are these guys any good or are they a chop shop/bucket shop/scam artistes?
Thanks a bunch
the illustrious monkeysama
Scam! The only condition for employment is putting up $5k of your own capital. Don't do it. lol
This is a scam dude ... they posted a position on my school's career center. I applied and got a really long response about how great their company is. Hidden in the last paragraph of this ridiculously long email (I mean 2-3 pages long) ... they write that traders are required to put up "nominal risk capital".
I write back: "Could you please elaborate on the "nominal risk capital"? How much am I required to invest on my own?"
They respond: "As is typical in NYC/Chicago.... $5000 if you have no experience, $20,000 if you've traded before but we deem you "high risk", $0 if you have traded before and have a solid auditable track record."
There are so many red flags in his response, I can't even begin to count. Anyways ... stay far far away my friend.
Hahahaha! I think we got the same email. Do you go to UIUC by chance. If so HIGH FIVE.
No, but you're close ... very very close. Think BIG ...
err...big student body or bigger name school. NW or U of C maybe? Perhaps Indiana or Wisconsin?
Dude I have got the same shit in my inbox. i went to their office in nyc. never heard of an office in chicago. it is a scam. stay away from them. their interview was so fucking retarded man. did anyone else go for an interview?
LYNX Capital (Originally Posted: 02/25/2009)
Info on LYNX Capital Partners? Do they still require your own capital? Let me know if anyone has any info...their website is a bit vague.
yea.. they do require a minimal capital contribution. They want you to post $5000 with them. In my opinion, the problem with these places is that they wont give you enough training and just feed on you through trade transaction costs.. so unless you're already an experienced trader.. its a BAD idea!
Its pretty much a bucket shop. I would not advise going there unless you are an experienced trader with a well defined strategy.
"Oh the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion" - Frank Slaughtery 25th Hour.
BE AWARE OF BKCT SCAM! (Originally Posted: 11/29/2010)
This firm is a bit of a scam. They require you to put up some of your own capital and won't pay you a salary. This is a problem because they don't train you at all. I went for an interview where this oaf looking clown pretending to be a big shot informed me that I am required to pay $6,000 upfront (he never mentioned anything before in the emails). I took my things and left this chop shop. Be aware of this place, it is a scam! Don't ever give a firm money, A FIRM WILL HIRE YOU BECAUSE THEY CAN USE YOUR SKILLS NOT YOUR CASH!
sounds a lot like world financial group lol
Yeah, they should have given YOU $$$ just for showing up to the interview. LOL
What did you expect? If you had done any homework you would have known what their deal is.
Basically you drop $5 or $6k, hope to make it, and if you do, then good for you. If not, you should have researched the odds of how difficult trading can be even with the best training.
It is not something that I recommend for many people to go and try, but hey, if you are willing to take a risk, have the means, and are early in your career, then go for it. Nowhere have I ever come across a trading firm of any type that guarantees you a gravy train without putting in the work.
Is BKCT former LYNX CAPITAL PARNTERS a SCAM? (Originally Posted: 11/08/2010)
Early August I was contacted by LYNX Capital Partners, LLC for a 1st round interview. They walked me in a room and two girls were interviewing me for about 45 min when suddenly a fat douche showed up. He started to talk about how he became a trader and kept going for another 30 min annoying the shit out of everyone. He claimed that he was this big shot and that he had to transfer $400,000 profits into his bank acc; he was a complete jerk spitting one story after the other. One of the girls made an air jerk motion telling me at the end of the interview that the firm is crap and the other one confirmed by telling me that they both were interns and that their boss is a complete retard. About 1 week ago I have received an exact same 1st round interview email from a trading firm called BKCT which made me think that this chop shop may have changed its name. What's the reason for all that? And why do they reach out randomly to students by sending the same email format over and over again? Anyone heard of them? Are they really a scam?
i think they joined up with another trading firm and may have taken a different name -- not sure though :\
Same firm, same scam.
I was in contact with LYNX capital as well. Didn't seem like a scam but just a trading room giving you training then straight commission off profit. Offered me that deal to goto new york and do that but no reason. Look for other options imo
BKCT Trading in NYC? (Originally Posted: 11/02/2010)
Anyone know anything about them? Their website doesn't really say a thing other than that they are an equity trading firm. That's it!
I figured someone here had perhaps heard something about them...
picture six guys playing the huge X-Men arcade game from the 90's
they are recruiting at my school but thats all i know..
They occupy the same floor as T3 and SMB
JSinNOLA..I'm assuming you read about them on Freemanlink from Tulane? PM me
BKCT is not on the same floor as T3 or SMB. I think that is LYNX. Not sure but pretty positive. If it is same firm than definitely avoid. Supposed to be a very sketchy operation but ask around. Do your due diligence and do not believe anything they tell you when they recruit you.
weird. they have the same address.
BE AWARE of this firm! They are a SCAM. Most of their hires are college grads. I know the people that run that chop shop! They require you to bring in a lot of money (my guess is around $5,000). Their actual name is LYNX Capital Partners and YES they share the same floor with T3. That place is a scam. They hold interviews every day with young kids that are unexperienced. These people make no money, and when I talk about people I talk about Mike M and Carl. Due to their bad rap on the net they have changed their name into BKCT. Loosers.
I signed up on this site to find some info on BKCT, because there is nothing on their website.... BeRt54, did you actually GET HIRED by that firm!!?! Unless you are FOB (which would explain your horrendous spelling and syntax) I can't imagine you lasting 5 minutes in that interview-- my interviewer was a total hard*ss. If anyone with an IQ over 80 has any real information about the firm, please message me. I have a second round interview over Thanksgiving break. Thanks.
For what it's worth I actually went and they are definitely the former LYNX Capital and share space with CMB and T3.
Never heard of CMB. Are they legit?
BKCT Group and Posting on WSO in General (Originally Posted: 11/29/2010)
OK... I signed up 3 weeks ago after doing a google search on the bkct group and seeing a ton of negative posts on this site and I wanted to email the posters to find out what the story was. A few people we really helpful (shorttheworld, JsinNola, Win1680) about the business of trading in general...others not so much, but even from them I learned a couple of things. 1) a good deal of the people on this site are like me.... soon-to-be-grads looking for a career; or unlike me, have already graduated, are unemployed, and are failing to realize that their best shot at a career is doing back office work at a 3rd tier firm. 2) everyone has a strong opinion, and most people can't substantiate why they have that opinion. How many threads can there be about "prop firm rankings"? College kids from non-target schools debating about "which is better" Jane Street or DRW, is like a homeless person arguing that the DB9 is much better than the Quattroporte. I think this site is great, and I have spent WAY too much time on this thing (when I should be studying), and it can be a great resource, but I really wish members would be more forthcoming about their level of expertise... or lack thereof.
So anyway... after my first interview at bkct I emailed everyone on this site that posted anything about the firm because there is nothing on their website, and although some people got back to me and were very nice, not a single person ever worked there, and only one person got an offer--- so I went in last week for a second time and told you guys that I would report back. So here's what I found out (to the best of my understanding): They are on the same floor as LYNX but they say they have different management and a different training system, and they said they changed their name to differentiate themselves from LYNX proper. I got to sit in on a training class, and although 95% of it went over my head I asked a few of the traders what they thought of the training program and they said it was good. I don't know where posters on this site got their information that they won't train you, because the new traders I spoke to said they did. They do require capital, which sucks (but they said that in the email before my first interview, so I knew what I was getting into)...and so do alot of the firms I have interviewed at (some of which seemed REALLY sketchy), and the firms that don't, aren't hiring early grads... so I either wait till May. or pick a firm that requires either a capital contribution or a training free. From talking to people on this site who actually are trading, a capital contribution is not a scam if you get training and is more of the norm than the exception-- people who are currently employed as traders please correct me if I am wrong. The environment in the office wasn't what I was expecting... I guess I expected a little more wall street and a little less frat house. I don't know if that is just at bkct or a prop trading thing in general, but it just caught me off guard.
I think I am going to take the offer (unless anyone on here knows of a firm that has good training, doesn't require capital and is hiring now)... and if I start working there (or anywhere else in trading), I promise to be more like shorttheworld and some of the other great posters on this site and share the knowledge I have and not just post total nonsense.
id rather have a db9, quattroporte is kinda eh :P and definitely all are fratty
LOL
I guess you can take the guy ot of the frat, but can't take the frat out of the guy.
I definitely see your point about this site but I would argue that it's no different than any other source of information in that you have to sift through whats written and make judgements for yourself. I know that it can be frustrating and that a lot of the people who post here abuse the forum for their personal entertainment or whatever but, as you said, there are many people that are very helpful and I have been fortunate enough to form a good network of people I have met either through this site or other resources I have learned of through WSO. Good luck with whatever you decide to do and there are worse places to work than a frat house lol
+1 for the DB9 though, homeless or otherwise
Well hopefully when I get into the "real world" and I actually have some insight and knowledge to offer you, you'll include me in your network.
SLO89, clearly you're an insider of the company. Aren't you? I know the girls you have been hiring. They told me enough about your firm.
The fuck language is this?
J.Ridgewood, clearly you're a fucking idiot. Aren't you? The point of this post was not about any particular firm... BKCT was used as an example. I easily could have used Trillium (in regards to the post from someone who never worked there who said "they are going way downhill")... or SMB Capital (in regards to posts ripping apart their training program)... etc etc. The reason I chose bkct was because I interviewed there and they let me sit on their desk for an afternoon... and my experience was very different than that of many of the people who post on WSO.
But you do a PERFECT job illustrating my ACTUAL original point.... you posted they require a $6000 capital contribution, so I emailed you to ask if they charged you more than they were asking from me (because this would have been a MAJOR red flag in my mind), and this was your response: "However much the amount was.... the people all looked like retards. It is funny how people think they are traders because they work for the crappiest trading firms. These people are losers trying to pretend they are someone. I feel kind of bad for them" You then post "I know the girls you have been hiring. They told me enough about your firm."... who are these 'girls'? I was on the floor... there was one woman. One. So unless you were also there the day I was (which would have made two of us), I question the veracity of your 'information."
I am not an "insider" (and you should probably avoid using that term in light of recent events on the street)... but I am seriously considering accepting their offer for a variety of reasons, and if I do, I will be 100% happy to share my experience and you can feel free to feel 'kind of bad for me.' In the meantime, good luck with your future career selling annuities to your "core network" at Axa, and please kindly restrict your posts to REAL information that could be useful to this community.
lolwut
LOL.... sorry SLO, but this is a massive fail at trying to 1) legitimize either the scam that is BKCT that you have some sort of stake in, or 2) somehow pathetically trying to make yourself feel good about shipping $5k to a clown ass place like this in hopes of thinking you have a cool new job as a "prop trader"...get an etrade account son.
Come on, are you really wasting your time writing mile long stories on this forum backing a place/places everyone knows are a joke without ulterior motives? I LOLd a lot though, thanks.
Temporibus molestiae praesentium non esse delectus est quo. Et qui quasi sed amet vel aut non. Voluptas vel porro modi et dolor dolores odio harum. Laboriosam reiciendis sint sed ut praesentium.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Accusantium architecto dignissimos inventore vel placeat sit quae. Aut facilis labore culpa et exercitationem rerum. Optio harum amet sint maxime omnis cumque. Similique doloremque voluptas veritatis minus beatae voluptatibus. Dolorum possimus ullam voluptas rerum incidunt et. Non aut quis commodi quaerat. Aut possimus autem unde beatae exercitationem. Dolore eligendi sed esse delectus magnam modi cum.
Dolore dolor corporis quo nam. Qui quod repellat eligendi enim distinctio et est mollitia. Asperiores nulla ea dolores non. Eum et aut alias corporis ea alias. Quam omnis et doloribus.
Adipisci quia earum officia nesciunt eos ex sed. Repellat optio est autem quia repudiandae corrupti. Officia quibusdam dolores nemo dolor officia. Est quia id eos eum voluptatem.
Sunt blanditiis quis quia aut placeat praesentium unde. Quas incidunt sint id eos aut officia. Quis deleniti saepe est eum deserunt enim. Vero modi voluptatum non temporibus.
Laboriosam eos et et dolores. Accusantium quidem itaque qui sint eligendi. Impedit exercitationem nemo est repudiandae aliquam et. Sed non nostrum cumque rerum corporis voluptas dolorem. Similique voluptate et perferendis.
Sint eaque molestias numquam hic. Aut voluptatem cum dolores ut magni. Aliquid vel ipsa et aut itaque quos dolore.
Tempore id in quo dolorum. Officiis tempore aliquid velit praesentium ipsum. Animi est expedita et voluptatem. Repellendus harum sint placeat voluptas illum. Totam pariatur doloribus alias esse error ut adipisci. Non ducimus reprehenderit qui doloremque itaque dolores est.