Tide Logo
Tide Logo


Stay safe from investment scams

There's no such investment with 50% or higher returns and zero risk. Here’s how investment scams work.

The target receives an investment offer, backed by “legitimate” documents and even an initial payout. After making one or a few transactions, the scammers stop responding.

This guide shows you how to:

🔗 Contact emergency fraud support

🔗 Spot the different types of investment scams

🔗 Recognise how investment scams often work

🔗 Protect yourself from investment scams

Emergency fraud support

Reach our dedicated team 24/7

Call 159

If you're in the UK

Message in-app

Tap the Support icon in the top right corner > Report fraud

Different types of investment scams

Investment scams cost businesses serious financial harm, loss of personal information, or unauthorised online banking access.

Crypto and bitcoin investment

Victims send transactions to fraud wallets or invest in fake coins

Property investment

Targets receive information about a non-existent or overvalued property

Social media investments

Individuals are contacted by a fake celebrity account for exclusive giveaways, deals, or insights

Asset investments

Targets receive "exclusive" information about fake assets like crop stocks, whiskey casks, fine wine, etc.

Pension investments

Individuals invest their life-savings into a fake scheme

Foreign exchange (forex)  investments

Victims trade in a foreign currency via a false company

"Ethical" cause

Fraudsters impersonate social housing, renewable energies, or other charities

Key signs of an investment scam

1. Where the offer came from

Appear out of the blue

From an unknown source

Deepfake

Scammers use artificial intelligence (AI) to produce content or appear as celebrities

Non-FCA registered company

The company is not listed in the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

2. How the offer is presented

Sounds too good

High-profit and risk-free never go hand-in-hand

Urgent

Pressuring victims to act "ASAP!!!"

Too complicated

The offer is way too hard to understand

3. What you are asked to do

Personal details

Requests bank account details and other sensitive financial information

Third-party transfer

Pushes victims to make a transfer to an unknown third-party account

Protect yourself from investment scams

Don't buy into unsolicited offers

Never share your personal information

Be careful of high returns and zero risk

Check the FCA register

Investigate

Verify credentials

Spot an investment scam

Learn from our Tide expert what you need to do when you’re unsure if a potential opportunity is real or a scam. 🎧

Tide | Do what you love.
Tide Platform Limited (Tide) designs and operates the Tide website and app. Tide is not a bank. Tide is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 under firm reference number 900843 for the issuing of electronic money and the provision of payment initiation services and account information services under the Payment Services Regulations 2017. Tide is also authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its credit and insurance broking activities (firm reference 718743). Tide is incorporated and registered in England and Wales with company number 09595646 and registered office at 4th Floor The Featherstone Building, 66 City Road, London, EC1Y 2AL. Tide offers bank accounts powered by ClearBank® Ltd (ClearBank) (account sort code is 04-06-05). ClearBank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 754568. Eligible deposits with ClearBank are protected up to a total of £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the UK's deposit guarantee scheme. For further information visit Home. ClearBank Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number: 754568). Registered Address: ClearBank, Level 27, The Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London, United Kingdom, EC2A 2EW. Eligible deposits held in the Tide Business Current Account (powered by ClearBank) are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (“FSCS”) subject to eligibility. All eligible deposits at the same bank are aggregated to determine the coverage level for each depositor up to £120,000, therefore if you have any other product/services with ClearBank these will be aggregated. To find out more and to check your eligibility please visit: About us . Some of Tide’s members also hold e-money accounts powered by PrePay Technologies Limited (PPT) (account sort code is 23-69-72). PPT is an electronic money institution authorised by the FCA under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 under firm reference number 900010 for the issuing of electronic money. PPT holds an amount equivalent to the money in Tide current accounts in a safeguarding account which gives members protection against PPT’ insolvency. Tide Cards may be issued by both Tide and PPT, who are licensed by Mastercard International for the issuance of cards. The issuer of your Tide card will be identified on your monthly card statement. Tide Capital Limited is an appointed representative of P1 Investment Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 752005 to carry out such regulated activities as are involved in the provision of Tide Investment Account. Seccl Custody Limited is the custodian of assets held in Tide Investment Account and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference number 793200) and registered in England and Wales under No. 10430958. Registered office 20 Manvers Street, Bath BA1 1JW. Tide, the Tide logo, the Swell, and Do Less Banking are trademarks and trade names of Tide Platform Limited, and may not be used or reproduced without the consent of the owner.