2nd August 2026
Police Scotland is urging members of the public to exercise caution following a rise in sophisticated investment fraud.
Fraudsters are increasingly targeting individuals through convincing online advertisements, social media campaigns and unsolicited cold calls, often promising high-yield returns with little to no risk.
Victims across the North East have reported losing significant sums of money to fake cryptocurrency schemes, fraudulent share offers and cloned websites mimicking legitimate financial firms.
Officers are reminding the public that if an investment opportunity sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
Police Scotland strongly advises everyone to follow these steps before parting with any money:
Never rush into an investment. Take the time to independently investigate the company, look for independent reviews and check backgrounds.
Always verify that the firm or financial advisor you are dealing with is fully authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can check the official Financial Services Register online before making any commitments.
Be highly suspicious of high-pressure sales tactics, unexpected contact out of the blue, or guarantees of guaranteed high returns with zero risk.
Scammers frequently build professional-looking websites or use fake branding. Always cross-reference contact details through official registry channels.
Investment fraudsters are professional, manipulative and will go to great lengths to appear legitimate - sometimes even showing fake profits on a dashboard to trick you into investing more. Always stop and think, do your research and check the FCA register. Protecting your hard-earned money starts with making sure you know exactly who you are dealing with.
You can check if a firm is genuine or view the FCA’s warning list of unauthorised companies by visiting register.fca.org.uk
If you believe you have been targeted by an investment scam, contact your bank immediately using a known official number (such as the one on the back of your card) and report the incident to Police Scotland on 101.