Investment scams: warning signs and what to do
Editorially reviewed · Last updated September 8, 2026
Yes — this is a scam. An unsolicited pitch promising unusually high returns with little or no risk is a serious investment-scam warning.
Exhibit · Email
Other versions you might get: A “wrong number” text that turns into an investment lesson, a dating-app connection with a can't-lose tip, a free seminar promising a secret method, or a trading platform that shows profits until you try to withdraw. The opening changes; the guaranteed-return pitch and pressure stay the same.
What to do right now
- Stop before you deposit. Do not send more money, crypto, or a wire because someone promises bigger returns or says a deadline is closing.
- Save the evidence. Keep the messages, site address, account screenshots, payment instructions, wallet addresses, and names before you block the sender.
- Research independently. Search the company, person, and opportunity with words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint,” then check investment registration at Investor.gov. Do not use only the links or contact details in the pitch.
- If money moved, act quickly. Contact your bank, wire company, payment app, or crypto platform and ask whether the transaction can be reversed. Cryptocurrency payments are typically not reversible, but it is still worth asking.
- Report the fraud. File with the FTC and SEC; report commodities or precious-metals fraud to the CFTC.
Reduce the risk of another scam
A scammer may return with a new fee to “release” your profits or a recovery service promising to get the money back. Stop communicating, do not pay another fee, and use the bank, platform, and official reporting links you find yourself.
● Public service · free steps first
Take the free protection steps first
A suspicious message does not tell us how someone found your details. If you shared personal information, start with the official recovery guidance. You can also freeze your credit for free.
- Freeze your credit — free at all three bureausRestricts access to your credit report for new credit applications. It does not protect existing accounts from misuse.
- Report it and get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.govThe FTC walks you through exactly what to do next, for free.
Decide what protection you need
Start with the free controls above. Compare what a paid service would add only after deciding which problem remains.
No purchase needed. How we use evidence.
Frequently asked
Are guaranteed investment returns a scam?
Can an investment platform show fake profits?
Someone I met online wants me to invest. Is it safe?
How do I check whether an investment professional is legitimate?
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Sources
- 01Investment Scams— Federal Trade Commission
- 02Relationship Investment Scams — Protect Yourself— U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — Investor.gov
- 03What To Do if You Were Scammed— Federal Trade Commission
- 04Official security and fraud guidance— investor.gov
- 05Official security and fraud guidance— investor.gov
Pass it on
Help protect someone else
If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.