Case Study

TheFundedTrader

TheFundedTrader

How We Helped a Prop Firm Recover Its Reputation After a Public Backlash

How We Helped a Prop Firm Recover Its Reputation After a Public Backlash

The Problem

The Problem

TheFundedTrader was doing well. They had a decent amount of traction in the prop trading space, and traders were regularly signing up for their challenges. But then a few things went wrong, fast.

TheFundedTrader was doing well. They had a decent amount of traction in the prop trading space, and traders were regularly signing up for their challenges. But then a few things went wrong, fast.

A delay in payout processing led to some unhappy traders posting on Social Media. One trader shared screenshots in a Discord group, claiming support hadn’t responded in three days. Another said the scaling plan was “fake” because they hadn’t heard back. The story spread.

A delay in payout processing led to some unhappy traders posting on Social Media. One trader shared screenshots in a Discord group, claiming support hadn’t responded in three days. Another said the scaling plan was “fake” because they hadn’t heard back. The story spread.

Within a week, their Trustpilot score dropped from 4.1 to 3.2. New customers were asking support if they were legit.

Within a week, their Trustpilot score dropped from 4.1 to 3.2. New customers were asking support if they were legit.

Challenge sales slowed down. Their affiliate partners started distancing themselves. A few even removed TheFundedTrader from comparison tables.

Challenge sales slowed down. Their affiliate partners started distancing themselves. A few even removed TheFundedTrader from comparison tables.

The firm wasn’t ignoring payouts. The support team was just overwhelmed. They only had one agent handling hundreds of requests.

The firm wasn’t ignoring payouts. The support team was just overwhelmed. They only had one agent handling hundreds of requests.

They weren’t scammers. But online, perception had already turned.

They weren’t scammers. But online, perception had already turned.

What We Did

What We Did

We told the founders the truth: this wasn’t just a review issue, it was a trust issue. To fix it, we needed to clean up communication, create proof of payouts, and change how they showed up online.

We told the founders the truth: this wasn’t just a review issue, it was a trust issue. To fix it, we needed to clean up communication, create proof of payouts, and change how they showed up online.

1. Mapped the damage
We manually reviewed over 150 Trustpilot and Reddit comments to understand the real complaints. Most of them weren’t about actual non-payment. They were about delays, vague communication, or unclear rules. That was good news. These were solvable.

2. Fixed the support loop
We helped their team create faster, more honest replies for support tickets. We also wrote a new autoresponder that let traders know exactly when to expect a response. No more "we’ll get back to you ASAP." Instead: “Expect a reply within 24–48 hours. If it’s a payout-related question, here’s a direct link to the team that handles that.”

3. Set up review request flows (but only for happy traders)
Instead of asking everyone to leave a review, we connected their payout confirmation emails with Trustpilot. When a trader got paid on time and clicked “thanks,” they automatically got a review link 12 hours later.

This avoided asking people who were frustrated. It also made it easier for happy traders to speak up.

4. Created a payout transparency page
We built a simple page on their website listing:


  • Total number of traders funded

  • Number of payouts processed this month

  • Average response time for support

  • Top FAQs


No marketing speak. Just facts.

5. Got stories from real traders
We invited three funded traders (who had been paid) to do quick Zoom calls. Each call was edited into a 30-second video where they shared what the process was like and when they got paid. These videos were used in emails, the homepage, and ads.

6. Published proof pieces online
We wrote three neutral-toned press releases, one of which focused entirely on payouts and policy changes. These were picked up by smaller finance blogs, SafePlatforms, and Yahoo Finance.


When people Googled “TheFundedTrader payout reviews,” they now saw articles, not just Reddit threads.

The Outcome

The Outcome

0+

Positive Reviews

0%

Evaluation Sales

0%

Refund Requests

0%

Refund Requests

Trustpilot rating improved from 3.2 to 4.5 in 6 weeks

  • Over 260 new positive reviews were generated from the new automated flow

  • Evaluation sales increased by 61% the month after the public transparency push

  • Refund requests dropped by 35%, thanks to clearer onboarding and support messages

  • The firm began ranking on page 1 of Google for “TheFundedTrader review” and “TheFundedTrader payout”

  • Several affiliates added them back into comparison tables


TheFundedTrader didn’t just fix their rating. They fixed how they were perceived.

Today, when traders ask if they’re trustworthy, the answer is backed by numbers.

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UAB Salesbridges

Saudyklos g.6, Lithuania

info@adtrend.io

UAB Salesbridges

Saudyklos g.6, Lithuania

info@adtrend.io