The watchdog says the profile of victims is changing with the young particularly vulnerable. Under 25s are six times more likely to trust an investment offer made via social media, compared to those aged 55+.
The regulator says that online scams have overtaken phone calls as most common contact method for investment fraudsters to use.
Because of the rise the FCA has issued a public warning today urging the public to be, “vigilant to the threat of online investment fraud.”
The FCA says: “Fraudsters offering investments in binary options, contracts for difference (CFDs), forex and cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin) often promote themselves online and via social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
“They typically promise high returns and use images of luxury items, like expensive watches and cars, to entice people to invest in their scams. After someone has invested, they distort prices on their website, tie people in with extreme pay-out clauses and even close customer accounts, refusing to pay back their money.”
The FCA says that while historically over 55s have been most at risk to investment fraud, the FCA’s latest study conducted as part of its ScamSmart campaign, found those aged under 25 were six times (13%) more likely to trust an investment offer they received via social media, compared with over 55s (2%).
Action Fraud figures reinforce this trend, showing that under 50s are significantly more likely to fall victim to a binary options scam versus other types of investment fraud (34% v 21%).
More than one in five (23%) respondents said that online customer testimonies and reviews increase their trust in an investment company.
The FCA’s ScamSmart campaign encourages those considering investing to check its dedicated website (www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart). The site features an online tool, the Warning List, which allows users to find out more about the risks associated with an investment and view a list of firms the FCA knows are operating without its authorisation.
For the first time, the FCA has seen more users checking the Warning List after being approached with an investment offer online rather than over the phone. From August-December 2017, the FCA received 6,891 enquiries on the Warning List tool regarding investment offers made online, compared to 3,654 over the phone.
Binary options investments allow consumers to make bets on the expected value or price of a stock, commodity, currency or index.
On 3 January 2018, binary options became a regulated investment product, meaning that all firms trading in binary options need to be authorised by the FCA. Since then, the FCA has published a list of 94 firms without FCA authorisation that it understands to be offering binary options trading to UK consumers.
Mark Steward, director of enforcement, FCA, said: “As people have become more sceptical of investment-related cold calls and consumer habits have changed, we have seen investment fraud moving online and to social media.
"While their websites and profiles appear to be professional, they are all too often run by fraudsters who fix prices and pay-outs, or in some instances don’t really place trades at all, before disappearing with innocent investors’ money.”