The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned about scammers exploiting investors’ fear of missing out (FOMO) on social media. “If a crypto investment ‘opportunity’ sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” the SEC cautioned.
SEC Says Scammers Often Use Social Media to Defraud Investors
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published an Investor Alert titled “Social Media and Investment Fraud” Monday.
The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy warned that “fraudsters often use social media to scam investors.” Encouraging investors to be skeptical and “never make investment decisions based solely on information from social media platforms or apps,” the securities regulator described:
Fraudsters may exploit investors’ fear of missing out to lure investors on social media into ‘crypto’ investment scams.
“If a crypto investment ‘opportunity’ sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” the SEC stressed. “Promises of high investment returns, with little or no risk, are classic warning signs of fraud.”
Fraudsters may also post fabricated historical returns on their websites showing high investment returns as a way to lure investors into their schemes.
Anyone considering investing in crypto assets or any crypto-related investments should “take the time to understand how the investment works,” the securities watchdog advised. “Check out the background (including license and registration…
