Not sure if you still watching your post but before you transfer money into any brokerage account make sure they are member SIPC. That is a starting point. If not your going to have a hard time getting anything back. Try to find others that have put money into the brokerage house with the same problem, and sue them.....

What brokerage house are they? I would love to do a bit more research and expose the scam if it is, or at least figure out what the problem is..... I have a couple of friends that work some fairly large newspapers, I could get some publicity if it turns out to be a scam.