Investment scams in 2025 don’t look like shady emails or obvious fraud. Instead, they have evolved into sophisticated digital operations that thrive on social media and messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram.
Scammers chat with potential investors, use easy-to-earn or money-doubling schemes targeting people who want to earn money quickly, senior citizens who might have recently retired, looking for investment opportunities, young or first-time investors, etc. The money is routed through mule accounts and personal UPI IDs that disappear without a trace.
And unless these accounts are blocked in time, investors pay the price.
Between January and August 2024, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) logged 11,024 cases of investment fraud. For the same period in 2025, the number rose to 13,287 reported cases, showing a sharp year-on-year increase.
Therefore, this isn’t just a consumer problem. As scammers are moving faster than ever, it is becoming more important for banks and financial institutions to ensure regulatory compliance, apply stronger checks, and block fraudulent accounts in time.
What You Need to Know About Investment Scams in 2025?
Social media has become one of the major modus operandi for investment scammers. Scammers who are not registered with SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) attempt to attract investors through unregulated financial channels. They lure individuals by promising guaranteed returns on their investments.
Here’s how it typically works:
- Scammers create fake social media pages and channels on instant messaging platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
- They pose as “financial advisors” or create groups around “quick wealth” or “money doubling” fraudulent investment schemes.
- Victims are persuaded to transfer funds directly into personal UPI IDs or bank accounts, bypassing regulated financial channels.
- Once payments are made, the scammer vanishes. Victims are left with no returns, no accountability, and no way to recover their money.
Common Types of Social Media Investment Scams to Watch for
Investment frauds on social media are becoming more common and more convincing. Therefore, it is important for banks to understand these patterns to ensure the safety of their customers as well as their own reputation.
1. Instagram money doubling pages
Professional-looking profiles mimic investment advisors, promising unrealistic returns on money using schemes like ‘get-rich-quick’. These are often packed with fake testimonials and screenshots to create the illusion of credibility and authenticity.
2. Telegram high-return groups
These are closed communities where admins promote exclusive, unrealistic returns. Payments are funneled into mule accounts designed to quickly disappear once money is collected.
3. WhatsApp chat scams
Fraudsters initiate private conversations acting as investment agents, slowly building trust before pushing victims toward transfers.
Also read about types of social media phishing techniques used by fraudsters today.
How to Detect Investment Scams Early: Warning Signs Banks Should Watch For
Detecting scams early is critical. Here are some patterns that indicate a high risk of fraudulent activity:
Detecting investment scams at the account level:
- UPI IDs or accounts tied to multiple suspicious social media pages.
- Sudden spikes in small transfers into newly created accounts.
- Payment instruments linked to unverifiable or suspicious identities.
Detecting investment fraud on social media:
- Channels or groups promising guaranteed or extraordinary returns.
- Fake testimonials, manipulated screenshots, or reviews that appear too good to be true.
Banks that can spot and act on these signs early can prevent large-scale online investment scams.
How mFilterIt Helps Banks Prevent Investment Scams Early
Accounts or UPI Ids used by scammers often exist in isolation, and traditional fraud monitoring solutions often fall short in detecting investment scams before they take place. And by the time pattern emerges, investors have already lost their money.
However, our proprietary brand protection solution – Sentinel+ by mFilterIt bridges this gap using a proactive, intelligence-led approach designed for the speed and sophistication of today’s scams.
Here’s how it works:
- Sentinel+ deploys a bot to engage directly with scammers, posing as potential victims in WhatsApp chats, Telegram groups, or Instagram DMs.
- Through these conversations, they extract crucial details such as UPI IDs or account numbers, and payment instructions.
- Once this information is gathered, it goes through human validation to ensure accuracy before any action is taken.
- Once confirmed, the verified details are passed on to banks, who can act quickly to block fraudulent accounts at the source to prevent any further damage.
This automated process fastens the system, enabling banks to move faster than scammers, shutting down fraudulent payment channels before more investors are targeted.
Conclusion: Detect Fraudulent Investment Schemes with Brand Protection Solution
Online investment scams in 2025 are fast-moving, highly convincing, and difficult for individuals to spot. If left unchecked, these schemes can result in significant financial losses and erode trust in the financial ecosystem.
However, with brand protection solutions like Sentinel+, banks can combine AI-driven monitoring, protective bots, and human validation to outpace scammers. The result is a financial ecosystem where investors feel safe, regulators see proactive compliance, and banks strengthen their reputation as trusted guardians of digital finance.
It’s time for you to act now to prevent investment frauds, safeguard your investors, and strengthen trust.
