Online Friends Who Introduce an Investment Platform
A friendship or romance that started online turns to talk of trading, crypto or a special platform. How to recognise the pivot from friendship to money, and what to do.
You met online, through a wrong-number message, a dating app or a group. You talk every day. They are kind and interested in your life. Then, casually, they mention how well their investments are doing, and offer to show you how.
The pivot from friendship to money
- Mentions of an uncle, aunt or mentor who is a trading expert.
- Screenshots of profits, often casually shared.
- An offer to teach you "just to try with a small amount".
- A specific platform or app you have never heard of.
- Encouragement to deposit more "while the opportunity lasts".
Why it works
The trust has been built over weeks or months. The friend never asks for money for themselves; they help you invest. Early small withdrawals seem to prove it is real. See romance investment scams.
Separate the person from the platform. However real the friendship feels, check the platform independently on your financial regulator's register before depositing anything.
What to do
- Do not deposit, or stop depositing.
- Check the platform with your financial regulator and search for warnings.
- Talk to someone you trust offline.
- If you lost money, contact your bank and report it. See reporting WhatsApp scams.
Related: wrong-number messages, after a romance scam. For more, see the complete guide to WhatsApp scams.
Frequently asked questions
They never asked me for money directly. Can it still be a scam?
Yes. In these scams, the friend guides you to deposit on a platform yourself, so it feels like your own decision.
The platform shows my profits growing. Is it real?
The platform may be fake, showing numbers the scammers control. The test is whether you can withdraw your money without new fees.
How do I tell them no without them getting upset?
You do not owe an explanation. If they become upset, pushy or disappointed, that confirms the risk.
Sources
- What To Know About Romance Scams, US Federal Trade Commission
- What To Know About Cryptocurrency and Scams, US Federal Trade Commission
- Investment Scams, US Federal Trade Commission
