Campaign Scam Hero
Relationship Investment Scams
Protect Yourself and Your Money
How the Scams Work

Relationship investment scams can begin so innocently. You meet a stranger online through social media or a dating app, an investment-related group chat, or even through a wrong number text message. Before you know it, you’re exchanging texts every day. You might be “love bombed” with frequent messages, calls, or develop a non-romantic relationship. But you never see each other in person. Your new friend is rich, attractive, travels, and likes everything you do. How did they become so wealthy? By investing in cryptocurrency, gold, or foreign currency they’ll show you how to do it too.

Once you invest on their recommended app, you will see charts that indicate your investment is earning huge returns. And when you want to withdraw your money, you can’t, and you can’t reach your new online “friend” — your money is gone. Your money was never invested. The app and the huge returns you saw were all fake. These devastating scams, called relationship investment scams or romance scams, and often referred to as pig butchering by the perpetrators, leave investors brokenhearted and bankrupt. Investors are losing billions of dollars to the scams globally each year.

These Scams Can Impact Anyone

Relationship investment scams can happen to anyone. Scammers target a wide range of people of various ages, education levels, and professions.

Scammers try to lure individuals into their scams with promises of friendship or love. People who live alone or spend a lot of time on social media or in discussion groups tend to be more vulnerable to fraud. Be on high alert if you are widowed, divorced, or living away from family and friends. And become a fraud fighter by sharing this information with anyone you know who is in the same stage of life. They are prime targets for scammers.

These scams work on all types of people because they appeal to unmet needs or emotions, like financial stress, future hopes and dreams, excitement, or fear.

Know the Red Flags:
  • The relationship moves too fast: They declare strong feelings very early on, often before meeting in person.
  • They avoid meeting in person: There's always an excuse – they're overseas, working a lot, busy with family, in the military, on an oil rig, their internet is bad, etc.
  • They may avoid video calls: If they do video call, often AI is used to create look-alike, realistic video.
  • They want to move conversations from a dating app or social media site to an encrypted text messaging app: Some dating apps have message filters that can identify harmful or illegal behavior, so scammers prefer to communicate via text messages.
  • They ask for money or talk about investments: This is the biggest red flag. A legitimate love interest won't ask you for money, especially for an "investment opportunity," early in the relationship.
  • They promise high returns with little to no risk: If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. Legitimate investments carry risk.
  • They pressure you to act quickly: They'll create a sense of urgency, saying you'll miss out if you don't invest now.
  • They want you to use a specific, often unknown, trading platform: They'll guide you to a platform you've never heard of, where your "investments" will appear to grow rapidly, encouraging you to put in more and more money.
  • They are reluctant to let you withdraw money: When you try to withdraw your "profits," there will suddenly be technical problems, or unexpected taxes and fees you need to pay first.
  • They try to isolate you: They may discourage you from discussing the "investment" with friends or family.
Outsmart the Scammers
  • Ignore text messages from senders you don’t know. Instead, delete, block, and report these messages.
  • Don’t make investment decisions based on the advice of someone who makes unsolicited contact with you online or through an app or text message.
  • Research investment opportunities thoroughly and ask questions.
  • Protect information relating to your personal finances and identity. Don’t share it with someone who contacts you online, on a social media platform, or through text message.
  • Never download any suspicious software or apps. These can remotely control your device and may steal your money or use your information for further fraud.
  • Never pay money to recover your investment or make an upfront payment to release funds.
  • If you suspect you are in a relationship investment scam, stop communicating with the individuals immediately and don't give them any more money.
Be a Fraud Fighter:
  • Talk about relationship investment scams, crypto scams, and other scams you hear about with friends and family. This raises awareness, reduces the stigma of victimization, and can encourage reporting.
  • Listen for warning signs, like a friend or relative talking about a new online relationship or investing in crypto for the first time.
  • Host a fraud prevention event in your community.
Think You’ve Been Scammed? Report it!

Below you’ll find the official authorities and resources in different countries where you can report scams and seek support.

Angola

Comissão do Mercado de Capitais (CMC)

Brazil

Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM)

  • CVM Investor Support: 0800-025-9666 (Weekdays, 8am–8pm)

State Public Prosecutor’s Office

Canada

All Provinces & Territories

Ontario

Ontario Securities Commission (OSC)

Québec

Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)

Chinese Taipei

Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC)

France

Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)

Hong Kong

Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)

Hong Kong Police Force – Anti-Deception Coordination Centre

  • Anti-Scam Helpline: 18222

Israel

Israel Securities Authority (ISA)

Italy

Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB)

  • Report via CONSOB’s Public Relations & Investor Protection Offices
  • Updates available in the “Beware of Scams” section on CONSOB’s website

Japan

JFSA

  • Tel: (81)-570-050588 (for calls from IP phones, dial +81-3-6206-6066.)
  • Visit: fsa.go.jp (summary in English: fsa.go.jp)

Jersey (Channel Islands)

States of Jersey Police

Luxembourg

Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF)

Malaysia

Securities Commission Malaysia (SC)

México

Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV)

Report Complaints:

Other Reporting Options:

  • Contact UNE (Specialized User Service Unit) of your financial institution
  • Report fraud to FGR (General Attorney of the Republic) or local prosecutors
  • Internet fraud → Cyber Police Unit

Netherlands

Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM)

Singapore

South Africa

Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA)

South African Police Service (SAPS)

  • Report at your nearest police station

Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS)

Other Actions:

Spain

Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV)

Sweden

Finansinspektionen (FI)

Thailand

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Anti-Online Scam Operation Center (AOC)

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission

The Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (FIUTT Website)

Türkiye

Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (CBM)

  • Tel: +90 (312) 292 90 90
  • Fax: +90 (312) 292 90 00
  • Mail: Mustafa Kemal Mahallesi, Dumlupinar Bulvari (Eskisehir Yolu) 8. km No:156, 06530, Çankaya/ANKARA
  • Complaints/Info: CIMER Portal

United Kingdom

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

  • Report scams: FCA Website
  • Tel: 0800 111 6768 (freephone) | 0300 500 8082 (UK) | +44 207 066 1000 (abroad)
  • Firm Checker: FCA website
  • Police: Action Fraud | Tel: 0300 123 2040 (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm)

United States

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Other Authorities:

Resources

Below is a list of valuable anti-fraud resources: