THAMES Valley Police is urging residents to be vigilant against investment fraud as figures show nearly £900m was stolen last year–more than £2m a day.
Data from the City of London Police, the National Lead Force for Fraud, shows that 34,673 people reported investment fraud to Report Fraud.
This marks a 31 per cent rise on the previous year, with officers warning that fraudsters are taking advantage of economic uncertainty, volatile markets, and increasingly convincing online platforms to lure in victims.
Police say the rise in reporting is not only linked to an increase in investment fraud, but also due to the point at which victims realise what has happened.
Reports began climbing steadily from March and spiked in July and September when many people review their investments, move money into new products or check their returns ahead of the new financial year.
For thousands of victims, it was only at that point that the truth became clear: the investment they were sold never existed.
Losses averaged £25,612 per person, often representing pension savings or long-term investments.
Investment fraud last year ranged from bogus online trading platforms to fake bond schemes, cryptocurrency opportunities and glossy social media adverts that featured well‑ known public figures.
Fraud reports have highlighted how criminals now deploy ‑AI manipulated‑ videos, deepfake endorsements and cloned websites to draw victims in, echoing patterns seen across the wider fraud landscape.
Another growing problem is so called “recovery fraud,” where criminals return to previous victims while posing as law enforcement, lawyers,‑ or specialist recovery firms.
They promise to retrieve stolen money but instead charge upfront fees and disappear.
Detectives describe this as one of the most cynical developments in the fraud world, as criminals effectively monetise a victim’s desperation a second time.
In parallel with these trends, officers have also observed a rise in so-called ‘finfluencers’ [financial influencers] across social media: predominantly young male personalities who boast about making “easy money” on high-risk trading platforms.
Their content often glamorises quick wins, luxury lifestyles and aggressive self-improvement‑ narratives, themes recently explored in Louis Theroux’s documentary on the online ‘manosphere.’
While not all these personalities are involved in criminal activity, their posts can create a false sense of legitimacy around speculative trading and make inexperienced followers more vulnerable to opportunistic scammers who mimic the same language, style and promises.
Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn, Head of Central Fraud Unit at Thames Valley Police said:
“Investment fraudsters are highly skilled at appearing legitimate and will often use pressure, false urgency and promises of high returns to manipulate victims.
“If an opportunity sounds too good to be true, or you are being rushed into a decision, stop, take a step back and seek independent advice before parting with any money.
Investment fraud does not just affect the vulnerable–anyone can be targeted at the right moment. Criminals tailor their approach to an individual’s circumstances, often striking during periods of financial pressure, life change, or heightened emotion.
“Understanding how fraudsters manipulate behaviour is key to disrupting their tactics and preventing further victims”
Detective Superintendent Oliver Little, from the Lead Force Operations Room at the City of London Police, said:
“Investment fraud continues to have a devastating impact on victims, many of whom lose life changing amounts of money. Criminals are using ‑professional looking websites, persuasive sales tactics, ‑ and even cloned branding from real financial firms to appear legitimate.
“We’re urging the public to take their time, carry out proper checks and get independent financial advice before parting with any money.”
Concerned residents can check the Financial Conduct Authority’s online Firm Checking Tool via: fca.org.uk/consumers/fca-firm-checker
