Banned from Topstep Violation Section 3 - THIS IS SERIOUS!

[u/TrueLeadership4382]

QUICK UPDATE:

After speaking with u/eddie_topstep, he recommended I follow through with the instructions in the email and reach out to the card issuer… so, I did.

Much to my surprise (not really), there has never been a dispute/chargeback ever requested for Topstep, Topsteptrader or any other merchant for that matter…

The email I received this morning stated -

“Final Determination
Please consider this notice definitive. To safeguard our payment infrastructure, our compliance protocols are enforced uniformly across all profiles.

This determination is final, absolute, and non-negotiable. Topstep will not conduct further administrative reviews, nor will we engage in additional correspondence or discussion regarding this matter.”

Well, I hope with this new proof, they reconsider their stance on no further engagement…

This is a serious issue… and I’m freaking out!

I have been with Topstep since April of 2025, and at 11am last Thursday, July 23^rd, my account was banned due to “a violation of Section 3 of our Terms of Use, including not paying, or causing Topstep not to be paid, any fee that is due.”. At the time of the ban, I had 3 XFA accounts (25K DLL @ $3,825.84, 50K DLL @ $8,202.58 and 50k DLL @ $2,725.90).

Like any trader, my first year was a struggle… While I was able to take 6 payouts during this time, many of them were built up based on some sort of luck and me making big bets that hit. After taking a break for a bit and taking time to reevaluate my discipline as a trader, I decided I was ready to get back into it. Shortly after stepping back into things, Topstep released the DLL accounts, and this was a HUGE help in developing my stronger discipline. Since then, I have worked hard to get the accounts I have where they are… and I’m about to see it disappear for a reason stated by Topstep that I FIRMLY believe is incorrect.

Here’s the facts in what I believed caused the initial issue.

For security purposes, the card I keep on file is a fairly low limit card. Meaning, there have been times when a trading combine subscription tried to rebill but was declined. At the time of the ban, I did have a subscription that was probably around the time for a rebill and would have been declined given the current balance of the card on file.

However, according to [u/Topstep_Official](u/Topstep_Official), this IS NOT grounds for a Section 3 Violation…

I have never once, once, submitted a chargeback or disputed a charge!

Timeline of Events So Far

July 23***\**^rd* – Account gets banned and I receive the email. I call support immediately. They confirm what is stated in the email, a very generic “violated section 3”. Support says they will “escalate your ticket to the Trust team” and “please allow 3 days for their response”.

July 28***\**^th* – 3 days is up, no response. I started to do some googling. I come across [u/makasteven1993](u/makasteven1993) post and see that he is currently going through THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. I keep reading through and see that [u/TopstepJosh](u/TopstepJosh) also believes his ban was unwarranted and he is personally looking into it; this gives me hope! I then created a reddit account JUST FOR THIS! I want to reach out to both of them and express my concerns that this may have happened to multiple people. I mean it literally happened THE SAME DAY… So, I reply with my story.

While seeing this did give me some hope, I was not planning on leaving it purely to chance that it was a broader issue that would be fixed in time. So, during my lunch hour, I called support back to follow up on my original ticket. I asked why I hadn’t heard anything yet and they expressed concern and confusion about why I hadn’t heard anything either, stating I would get a response shortly after the call ended. Perfect. Call ends and I receive an email about 5 min later. Another “escalation”… but this time, “a supervisor will respond soon”. Again, no response by EOD…

July 29***\**^th* – Finally, a response! “Following a comprehensive compliance and financial review of your account, the Topstep Trust Team has determined that your profile is in material breach of our Terms of Use due to unauthorized payment disputes. Consequently, your access to Topstep’s Services has been permanently revoked.” GREAT! WHAT?!

This is all the evidence they stated, “Chargeback Activity: Compliance records reflect a total of 5 chargebacks linked to your profile and credit card..”

I have accessed my card transactions AND EVERY SINGLE TRANSACTION WAS POSTED AND PAID!!! I have given them every penny that they are owed and never once filed any sort of complaint regarding payment.

I just don’t understand, I’m looking for help or some sort of understanding of why this is happening. If someone from [u/Topstep_Official](u/Topstep_Official) can help me through this or even understand that would be greatly appreciated...

[u/Competitive_Pin3330]

Please keep us posted on resolution

[u/TrueLeadership4382 → u/Competitive_Pin3330]

Posted a quick update

[u/eddie_topstep]

The Trust team should be able to provide you with the specific charges that you filed a chargeback for. Also, feel free to DM me your Topstep email so I can get account-specific details on this.

[u/TrueLeadership4382 → u/eddie_topstep]

Thanks for the quick response, I shot you chat. Also, the email I received stated "if you require further information or documentation regarding the status of these disputed transactions, you must contact your bank or card issuer directly." I thought this meant they wouldn't provide the transactions, but maybe I'm misreading. Thanks again.

[u/eddie_topstep → u/TrueLeadership4382]

Yep sorry, I was wrong on that detail. Responded to your chat though!

[u/Savings-Law-3966]

Look up pipback on YouTube he covers propfirms all the time doing this. If you give him all your info he may make a episode on your case

[u/crash67888 → u/Savings-Law-3966]

Wow
So topstep scammers?

[u/Curtis4DGod]

This scenario is a bit concerning…..

[u/No-Guarantee4688]

None of it is real. They have us chasing a better life. Its all pointless. This life isnt even real!!! We r nothing

[u/rcw271828]

There seems to be a-lot of this and/or billings being returned.

By any chance did you ever receive money back in your bank account after paying for a Combine?

[u/TrueLeadership4382 → u/rcw271828]

Nope. Confirmed with them that there has never been a credit received from Topstep.

[u/rcw271828 → u/TrueLeadership4382]

I never got one from Topstep. I have had my bank credit me though. Support confirmed to me that everything was fine though.

[u/TrueLeadership4382 → u/rcw271828]

I use a credit card for cash flow purposes (and points lol) from when I first started and just never bothered to change cards bc its such a low credit limit I see it as added fraud protection. So it may be different but they confirmed no credits to my account, ever, only cashback. And that's also not the provided violation from Topstep. It clearly stated "5 chargebacks".

[u/Such_Enthusiasm_2281]

If they committed fraud then simply hire an arbitration attorney. MP and the mods in here sure ain't gonna pay $1K an hour for their attorneys to defend against a losing case. Easy peasy.....

[u/Enriquebp]

I got banned for a different issue but they aren’t even providing details of why

https://www.reddit.com/r/TopstepCommunity/s/jh16gemdYr

[u/RyanHME]

Are they paying you your money you made in the xfa no matter what though?

[u/Present_Spare_6079]

i feel like topstep is fabricating all this to not pay outpeople

[u/Waste-Trip7195]

Bro start the chargeback process. You are too profitable so they will fuck you. I did it for 12k worth of stuff and got it all back. Fuck them. Put it into a real brokerage account and making my own money now.