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Investment scams involve scammers tricking you into handing over cash or cryptocurrency by promising fake or high-return investment plans. These scams often masquerade as legitimate investment opportunities and span a wide range of sectors, from cryptocurrency trading and the stock market to investing in wine or art. Investment scammers use manipulative tactics, fake celebrity endorsements, fake websites, and cloned platforms to make their scams appear legitimate.

Investment scams are perhaps one of the most difficult types of app fraud (authorized push payments) to detect and prevent. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most destructive types of fraud. An average of nearly 8,000 such cases are reported each year, with losses exceeding $144 million in 2024 alone, and this trend appears set to continue.

Common Types of Investment Scams

Cryptocurrency Investment Scams

Scams that specifically target people interested in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. Scammers pretend to offer safe, high-yield cryptocurrency investments, but typically steal your funds or assets through fake exchanges or wallets.

Binary Options Scams

Binary options are a trading scam in which scammers promise easy profits by betting on price fluctuations. These scams are often operated by unlicensed brokers, making it very difficult for victims to recover their losses.

Forex Scams

Forex scams claim to offer risk-free currency trading. Scammers may impersonate brokers or use fake websites to trick victims into handing over large sums of money.

Clone Website Scams

Technically savvy scammers replicate legitimate websites, tricking victims into disclosing confidential information or making payments. In many cases, these cloned websites closely resemble legitimate platforms and appear to offer the same features.

Fine Wine and Whisky Scams

Criminals lure people into investing in unregulated, often counterfeit, fine wines and whiskies. These scams are increasingly common and can cause significant financial losses.

Real Estate and Land Scams

Real estate and land investment scams typically involve criminals claiming to guarantee high returns on real estate investments. These scams may exaggerate the value of properties, make false promises of development, or claim to offer or represent non-existent properties.

Pension Transfer Scams

Pension transfer scams lure people into handing over their retirement savings to scammers. Scammers promise high returns and security in exchange for access to and use of their pension funds. These scams exploit retirees' desire for financial stability in old age.