Introduction to 'Investment scams'
Scams can look like great deals and get-rich-quick schemes. Investing can be a great way to make money. But there are lots of scam deals out there to tempt you. It takes hard work and lots of research to find a good investment. We show you what to look out for and what to do to help keep your money safe.
Fraudsters put adverts for scam investments online and can send deals by phone or email. Often, a deal will offer returns that you can't get elsewhere. If somebody contacts you out of the blue with a deal, it's most likely a scam.
Fraudsters do their research to try to gain your trust. They may know a lot of details about you and your finances. And can even pretend to be someone you know to target you on social media. Other tricks they use are to put you under pressure or to ask you to keep it secret. Never trust a deal that has a short deadline and wants to hurry your decision. And if they tell you to keep quiet about a deal, it's a scam.
