Coaching offers that promise fast money in crypto, forex, or stocks
Federal Trade CommissionNationwide
On April 16, 2026, the FTC said investment scams are producing large losses. FTC data cited in the alert showed more than $7.9 billion in reported losses to investment scams in 2025, and a median individual loss of more than $10,000.
The pitches arrive through social media, WhatsApp, online ads, or a friend or love interest who offers coaching in stocks, forex, or cryptocurrency. After you send money, you may be shown a screen that says the investment is up. The FTC says the investment is not real and people lose what they put in. Anyone who treats risk disclosures as a formality, or says the opportunity is essentially risk-free, is not describing a real investment.
Red flags
- A stranger, an ad, or a new online friend promises quick profits in crypto, forex, or stocks.
- You are steered into WhatsApp or another chat and shown supposed proof that you are already making money.
- Risk is waved off, or you are told the disclosures do not matter.
- You cannot withdraw, or you are told to deposit more before you can.
How to protect yourself
- Remember that investments involve risk. Walk away from anyone who says otherwise.
- Search the company, its officers, and the person promoting it, plus the words review, scam, or complaint. Read past the first page of results.
- Use the free search on investor.gov to check whether the person or firm is registered. The FTC also points readers to the CFTC database for precious-metals and coin pitches.
- Do not send cryptocurrency to someone you know only from a chat or an ad.
If you are hit
- Stop sending funds. Contact the exchange or payment company immediately and say the transaction was fraud.
- Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and, for an online investment fraud, at ic3.gov
- The FTC's payment-recovery guide is at consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed Cryptocurrency transfers are often difficult to reverse.
Questions
Is Coaching offers that promise fast money in crypto, forex, or stocks a scam?
On April 16, 2026, the FTC said investment scams are producing large losses. FTC data cited in the alert showed more than $7.9 billion in reported losses to investment scams in 2025, and a median individual loss of more than $10,000. This page summarizes a public warning from Federal Trade Commission dated April 16, 2026. The linked source is the record.
What should I do if I fell for it?
Stop sending funds. Contact the exchange or payment company immediately and say the transaction was fraud. Report it at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and, for an online investment fraud, at https://www.ic3.gov. The FTC's payment-recovery guide is at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed. Cryptocurrency transfers are often difficult to reverse.
Sources
- With people losing big to investment scams, learn how to spot and avoid themFTC Consumer Advice
This summary is informational and not legal advice. If it and the linked source disagree, follow the source.
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