Anti Scam Hub

Written by Reviewed by Associate Professor Charles Lo, CPA, PhD ·  ·  Updated
IF YOU HAVE LOST MONEY OR SHARED BANK DETAILS · CALL FTC FRAUD LINE 1-877-382-4357 · REPORT TO FBI IC3
UNITED STATES EDITION · LAST REVIEWED 21 MAY 2026

Investor Anti-Scam Protection Hub

Check, verify, and respond before you send money.

US-led verification tools, illustrative scam patterns, and steps to take if you suspect a scam. Free to use. Reviewed by a named verified expert. Sources cited inline to FBI IC3, FTC, SEC, FINRA, CFPB and other official authorities.

HOW WE MAKE MONEY: StockEducation is currently funded by its operator and accepts no broker, platform, or advertiser payments. Full disclosure →
Take 2-Minute Self Check Verify a Broker I’ve Already Sent Money
Sources cited from official authorities:
🇺🇸FBI IC3 🇺🇸FTC ReportFraud 🇺🇸SEC EDGAR 🇺🇸FINRA BrokerCheck 🇺🇸CFPB 🇺🇸IdentityTheft.gov 🇺🇸AARP Fraud Watch 🇺🇸NASAA
Start Here

What Do You Need Help With Right Now?

Choose the situation that matches what’s happening. Urgent paths are prioritised at the top. Click any card to reveal matching articles. Categories aligned with FBI IC3 and FTC ReportFraud typology.

04 — What Scam Pattern Is This?
Pig Butchering scam explained→ WhatsApp & Telegram group scams→ Fake trading platforms & dashboards→ Romance-to-crypto scams→ AI trading bot scams→
Educational guidance only. If you believe you are a victim, contact your bank and local law enforcement immediately.
05 — Learn the Red Flags
Top 25 Investment Scam Red Flags→ Why guaranteed returns don’t exist→ Why smart people fall for scams→ Emotional manipulation in fraud→ Universal investment red flags→
Prevention first: Verify any investment through official regulatory sources before committing funds.
06 — Report a Suspected Scam
Find official reporting options→ Global scam reporting directory→
Use the official reporting options below if you suspect fraud.
US Investment Fraud · 2024 SOURCED + LINKED
$6.57B
Reported losses to investment fraud in the US, 2024
→ FBI IC3 · 2024 Internet Crime Report
#1
Most costly cybercrime category by total losses (FBI IC3)
→ FBI IC3 · 2024
47,919
Investment fraud complaints reported to FBI IC3 in 2024
→ FBI IC3 · 2024 Internet Crime Report
Investment fraud was the costliest IC3 crime category by reported dollar losses in 2024. Scammers rely on urgency, fake celebrity endorsements, crypto payment paths, and pig-butchering relationship build. This guide is built to slow you down before money moves.
Quick Answers

Common Questions About Investment Scams

Direct answers to the questions Americans ask most often. Use the cited sources and official reporting options for the latest guidance.

Can a bank reverse a scam transfer?

Sometimes, but only if you act within hours. US banks can recall a domestic ACH or wire transfer if the receiving account hasn’t moved the funds yet, but international wires and crypto transfers are almost never reversible. Contact your bank’s fraud team immediately and file a complaint with the CFPB if the response is inadequate.

Under Regulation E (Reg E), US banks may reimburse unauthorised electronic fund transfers if reported promptly. Authorised transfers (where you initiated payment yourself, even if deceived) are not covered by Reg E — these depend on the bank’s voluntary fraud policy.

Source: CFPB · Regulation E · 12 CFR §1005
How do I check if a broker is licensed in the United States?

Search the firm name or CRD number on FINRA BrokerCheck at brokercheck.finra.org for brokers, and on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) at adviserinfo.sec.gov for registered investment advisers. Legitimate US firms appear on one or both with a clean disciplinary history and a verified business address.

State-registered advisers also appear on NASAA’s contact directory. Cross-check the registration number against the broker’s own website — scammers regularly clone real CRD numbers from genuine firms.

Source: FINRA BrokerCheck · SEC IAPD · 2026
Why am I being asked to pay tax before I can withdraw?

This is always a scam. US capital gains tax is paid annually to the IRS based on realized gains, never to a broker or platform as a prerequisite for withdrawal. Any platform asking for a “release fee”, “unlock tax” or “verification deposit” before letting you withdraw is fraudulent. Do not pay it.

Genuine IRS communications never demand payment to release investment funds. The IRS does not contact taxpayers through brokers, by text, or by social media.

Source: IRS Tax Topic 409 · FBI IC3 Investment Fraud Alert
Is it safe to invest through WhatsApp or Telegram groups?

No. SEC-registered and FINRA-licensed US firms do not use WhatsApp or Telegram to onboard new clients, run “mentor groups”, or coordinate trades. Encrypted messaging platforms are the dominant channel for the pig-butchering scam pattern, which the FBI identified as the largest source of US investment fraud losses in 2024.

Source: FBI IC3 2024 Internet Crime Report
What is the pig butchering scam?

A long-form investment fraud where the scammer first builds a personal relationship over weeks or months, then introduces a fake trading platform. Victims see fake profits on a clone of MetaTrader or a custom site, are encouraged to deposit more, and find withdrawals blocked when they try to cash out.

The name comes from the practice of “fattening” the victim with attention and small initial wins before “slaughtering” them with a large final loss.

Source: FBI IC3 · Chainalysis Crime Report 2024
Should I trust celebrity-endorsed trading platforms?

No. The vast majority of ads featuring US celebrities, business figures, or news anchors endorsing trading platforms or AI bots are deepfakes or fully fabricated. No major US public figure has publicly endorsed a retail AI trading product in 2025–26. If you see one, treat it as a scam indicator and report the ad to the platform, the FTC, and the SEC.

Source: FTC Consumer Alert · SEC Investor Bulletin 2025
Verify Independently

Check With Official Sources Before You Invest

A legitimate investment provider should be easy to verify against official regulators. Always run at least two checks before sending money.

US Regulators · Check These First
FINRA

FINRA BrokerCheck EXTERNAL · GOV.US

Search the official register of US-licensed brokers and disciplinary records.

 SEC

SEC IAPD (Adviser Info) EXTERNAL · GOV.US

Verify a registered investment adviser and review their Form ADV disclosures.

 EDGAR

SEC EDGAR Filings EXTERNAL · GOV.US

Search US company filings, registration details, and required disclosures.

 FTC

FTC ReportFraud EXTERNAL · GOV.US

Report a scam, view recent alerts, and search the FTC Consumer Sentinel database.

 FBI

FBI IC3 Internet Crime EXTERNAL · GOV.US

Federal reporting portal for internet-enabled financial crime and investment fraud.

 CFPB

CFPB Complaints EXTERNAL · GOV.US

File a complaint against a US bank, lender, or financial service provider.

 IDTHEFT

IdentityTheft.gov EXTERNAL · GOV.US (FTC)

FTC’s official identity recovery service. Free, step-by-step recovery plan.

 AARP

AARP Fraud Watch Helpline EXTERNAL · NFP

Free national helpline for fraud victims: 877-908-3360. Resources for older adults.
Global & International Tools
WHOIS

WHOIS Domain Lookup EXTERNAL · GLOBAL

Find when a domain was registered and by whom. New domains are a red flag.

 HIBP

Have I Been Pwned EXTERNAL · GLOBAL

Check whether your email address has been exposed in known data breaches.
StockEducation Tools · Use Alongside Official Checks
SE

Website Pattern Check INTERNAL · SE

First-pass scan for suspicious domain patterns. Not a verdict — always confirm with FINRA BrokerCheck or SEC IAPD.

 SE

2-Minute Self Check INTERNAL · SE

Categorise the warning signs in your situation. No personal details required.
30-Second Triage

Quick Risk Checker

Tick every box that matches your current situation. Risk level updates instantly. Patterns weighted from FBI IC3, FTC Sentinel and AARP Fraud Watch typology.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Each ticked box represents a documented pattern of investment fraud.

LOW RISK
Tick any boxes on the left — your risk level updates instantly.
TWO MINUTE SELF CHECK

Not Sure if It’s a Scam?

Answer five questions about the offer, payment method and contact source. No personal details, no email, no login. Built to slow you down before money moves.

5 QUESTIONS · ~2 MIN · 100% ANONYMOUS
HOW THIS TOOL WORKS · CLICK TO EXPAND

This quiz scores answers against documented investment scam patterns. It is a triage tool, not a definitive verdict. A “low risk” result does not certify a platform as legitimate.

METHOD
Weighted rule-based scoring (no AI/ML model). Each option carries a 0–3 risk weight.
SOURCES
FBI IC3 Internet Crime typology, FTC Consumer Sentinel data, SEC Investor Alerts.
REVIEWED
Andrew Curtis · vCISO · 18 May 2026
LIMITATIONS
Cannot detect novel scam patterns, sophisticated impersonation, or insider fraud.
OUR ADVICE
Always verify against FINRA BrokerCheck and SEC IAPD before sending money, regardless of this tool’s output.
QUESTION 1 OF 50 FLAGS
INSUFFICIENT SIGNAL

No clear scam signals detected

Illustrative Scenarios

Common Investment Scam Patterns

These examples illustrate tactics described in public fraud alerts. They are scenarios, not verified victim reports.

MESSAGING APP INVESTMENT GROUP

A friendly group shows impressive returns, then blocks withdrawals.

1A stranger starts a conversation on a messaging app.
2They invite the person to a private investment group showing screenshots of profits.
3The group directs the person to a convincing but unverified trading platform.
4When the person tries to withdraw, the platform demands another payment.
Warning sign A demand for an extra fee before a withdrawal is a serious reason to stop and verify the firm independently.

Celebrity ad and remote access

A fake endorsement leads to a lookalike news page and a call asking the person to install remote-access software.

Recovery fee scam

Someone claiming to recover lost funds requests an upfront tracing fee and disappears after payment.

Fake pre-IPO offer

A convincing prospectus and professional-looking profile are used to pressure someone into wiring money for an unverified offer.

Check Any Investment Website

Paste a URL to get a fast risk signal based on domain age, SSL, DNS records, and Google Safe Browsing data. Not a verdict — always confirm with FINRA BrokerCheck or SEC IAPD.

Checked against Google Safe Browsing + domain pattern analysis · Not a definitive fraud verdict

Official Reporting Options

Report a Suspected Investment Scam

StockEducation does not collect scam reports on this page. Use an official reporting service or the directory below to find the appropriate agency.

Report to FBI IC3 Report to FTC Global reporting directory
About The Author

One Named Expert · Multiple Official Sources

This page is written, reviewed and maintained by a single verified cybersecurity and fraud-prevention expert. Financial-licensing claims are sourced directly from FINRA, SEC, the IRS and CFPB. No anonymous contributors. No AI-only authorship. Photo verified, credentials confirmed, LinkedIn linked.

Andrew Curtis, vCISO
VERIFIED EXPERT
Photo verified · LinkedIn confirmed · May 2026
Author · Reviewer · Maintainer

Andrew Curtis

Virtual Chief Information Security Officer with 20+ years across cybersecurity, incident response, and online fraud prevention. Andrew authors and reviews all cybersecurity and scam-pattern content on this page. Financial-licensing, regulatory and tax claims are sourced directly from FINRA, SEC, the IRS and CFPB.

RolevCISO
Experience20+ Years
SpecialismCyber / Fraud
VerificationConfirmed
Areas of Authorship and Review
  • Investment scam taxonomy and red flags
  • Phishing and social-engineering patterns
  • Remote-access tool abuse
  • Domain and impersonation indicators
  • Crypto wallet and payment risk
  • Identity exposure following a scam
  • Incident response for affected users
  • Quiz methodology and scoring rules

“Most investment scams in 2026 are cybersecurity events as much as financial ones. By the time money has moved, identity exposure and ongoing account risk are usually the bigger problem. This page is designed to slow people down before that point.”

View LinkedIn Profile → linkedin.com/in/c1andrew/
Take It Further

Get the Tools to Invest Confidently

Free Scam Protection Checklist

A printable 15-point checklist covering domain verification, FINRA/SEC checks, payment safety, and reporting steps.

  • 15-point pre-investment checklist
  • FINRA, SEC, CFPB verification steps
  • Beginner-friendly, no jargon
Download Free PDF →

Learn to Invest Properly

Now that you know what to avoid, learn how to invest properly. Free beginner courses cover reading financial statements to portfolio building.

  • Step-by-step learning paths
  • No credit card required
  • US context, NYSE/NASDAQ-aware
Start Learning Free →

Monthly Scam Alert Email

One email a month with new US scam patterns, regulator warnings, and platform blacklist additions. No spam, no upsells.

Beginner Investing Guide Form

Ask the AI Stock Learning Assistant

Get instant educational answers about investing concepts, scam patterns, and StockEducation’s tools.

Educational only · Not personal financial advice · Outputs may contain errors
Our Editorial Standards

How This Content Is Made and Checked

Editorial Process

How We Make Money

References & Primary Sources

  1. FBI IC3 · 2024 Internet Crime Report · ic3.gov
  2. FTC Consumer Sentinel · 2024 Data Book · ftc.gov
  3. FTC ReportFraud · reportfraud.ftc.gov
  4. SEC EDGAR & Investor Alerts · sec.gov
  5. SEC IAPD (Investment Adviser Public Disclosure) · adviserinfo.sec.gov
  6. FINRA BrokerCheck · brokercheck.finra.org
  7. CFPB · Regulation E & Consumer Complaints · consumerfinance.gov
  8. IdentityTheft.gov · FTC Identity Recovery Service · identitytheft.gov
  9. AARP Fraud Watch Network · aarp.org/money/scams-fraud
  10. NASAA · North American Securities Administrators Association · nasaa.org
  11. Chainalysis · 2024 Crypto Crime Report · chainalysis.com
VERIFY TRIAGE SENT MONEY FAQ

About the Author

Andrew Curtis

Andrew Curtis

Author · Reviewer · Maintainer · Verified
vCISO 20+ YRS VERIFIED

Virtual Chief Information Security Officer with 20+ years across cybersecurity, incident response, and online fraud prevention. Sole named author and maintainer of this page. Reviews quiz methodology, scam taxonomy, and all technical guidance.

View LinkedIn Profile
Photo, LinkedIn profile, and credentials are publicly verifiable. See our Editorial Policy for the full verification process.

Page Changelog

v8.0 · US Edition21 MAY 2026

US edition: the current resource links above lead to US investor-protection and fraud-reporting agencies. Use the agency relevant to the issue and confirm the official destination before sharing information.

v7.021 MAY 2026
v6.121 MAY 2026

Consolidated to a single named expert. Removed placeholder author (James Clarke) and academic reviewer (Dr. Sarah Williams) until those credentials can be filled by real verified people. Andrew Curtis (vCISO, 20+ years cybersecurity and fraud prevention) is now the sole named author, reviewer and maintainer. Hero strip, bio modal, expert section and editorial process updated accordingly.

v6.021 MAY 2026

Major UX restructure. Author block collapsed to single-line strip with bio modal. Stat panel moved below triage. Added FAQ snippet blocks for featured-snippet capture. Featured case study + 3 compact pattern. Rebalanced 3-up Editorial Team. Added Quick Risk Checker, Website Trust Checker, Submit Anonymous Report form, PDF download, Courses CTA, Newsletter, AI Assistant strip.

v5.018 MAY 2026
v4.212 MAY 2026
v4.x earlier2025–26

45 incremental updates. Full history available on request.

Try a lesson example

Open the linked tool or source. Imagine a social post promising a guaranteed 20% annual return from Apple shares. Use this hub’s red-flag checklist, then open Apple’s prefilled SEC filing page and write down two facts a genuine filing can verify. A guarantee of return is still a red flag.

Key takeaways

  • Check a broker’s identity independently using the relevant official register.
  • Pressure to act immediately and guaranteed-return claims deserve investigation.
  • A checklist result cannot establish that an investment is safe.

Check your understanding

Answer each question, then open the explanation.

1. Why should you look up a broker independently rather than follow a link in its message?

Show answer and why

Answer: To check its identity against an official source you locate yourself.

Why: A supplied link can lead to a copied site; compare the registered entity and contact details.

2. What should you do when an offer combines guaranteed returns with pressure to send money today?

Show answer and why

Answer: Pause and verify the offer before sending money.

Why: Urgency discourages checking; a promised outcome is not evidence that the offer is genuine.

3. Does a low-risk result in the hub’s checklist prove an investment is safe?

Show answer and why

Answer: No. It only reflects the answers supplied to that checklist.

Why: Missing information or an unfamiliar scam pattern can escape a short questionnaire.

Sources: Investor.gov: AI and Investment Fraud

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This lesson teaches a concept. It is general education, not advice about your money. Before you act on anything you learn here, speak to someone licensed.

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