Beware of Investment Scams

□Jingling Evening News/ Zhijishan News Reporter Jiu Jing

Correspondent Wang Peng

“Low-risk, high-return” “Expert recommendation, guaranteed profits” “Internal information, system vulnerabilities”…… have you seen these phrases in your daily life? Are you tempted by them? If so, be careful! These are basically classic tactics used by investment scams.

With the rise of mobile internet and online investing, many people are choosing convenient and accessible investment options. However, this also provides opportunities for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. According to statistics from the City Anti-Fraud Center, investment scams have seen a steady increase in cases over the years, with losses reaching record highs.

In these types of scams, scammers create fake investment websites or platforms, telling victims that they have high-level guidance, inside information, or know about system vulnerabilities. They promise guaranteed profits and use high returns as bait to lure investors into investing, only to eventually lose their entire principal.

To gain the trust of victims, scammers often provide fake accounts for them to operate and make them feel like they're experiencing high returns firsthand. Once victims have invested, scammers will sometimes give them small returns as a reward, making them feel like they're on the right track. However, when victims increase their investments, they'll discover that the platform's balance is just a number that can never be withdrawn.

Last year, citizen Li began learning about investing online and attended some lectures. He then started trading stocks but didn't make much money. Recently, Li learned about investment from someone on his QQ chat, who claimed to be a manager at a securities company. Li thought the person was professional and added him as a friend. The person recommended an investment platform, claiming he had inside information that guaranteed high returns. Initially, Li wasn't very convinced, but the next day, the person sent him an account and asked him to help with operations. According to the person's instructions, Li bought a stock and indeed made a profit.

Later, the person kept asking Li to help with operations and one buy, one sell, repeatedly urging Li to invest more. Confronted by high returns and tempted by the promise of getting rich quick, Li registered an account and initially didn't dare to invest too much, only depositing 10,000 yuan. According to the person's information, Li quickly made a profit of 20,000 yuan and successfully withdrew his earnings. Li then fully believed in the person and thought he had found a shortcut to getting rich, so he continued to invest, eventually putting in 300,000 yuan. The platform showed an increasing balance, but Li couldn't withdraw any funds.

Two days ago, Li suddenly discovered that the platform was no longer operational and couldn't buy or sell stocks or withdraw his earnings. He immediately contacted the person to ask why this was happening. The person claimed that a system vulnerability had been discovered by regulators and the company would be shut down soon. He asked Li to apply for withdrawal as soon as possible, requiring a 10,000 yuan fee. Li transferred the money only to find that he still couldn't withdraw his funds. The person then kept coming up with excuses for Li to continue transferring money, until Li finally realized he had been scammed.

Warning from the police:

When buying stocks or investment products, please only use reputable institutions and avoid clicking on unknown websites or downloading unverified apps. Never believe strangers' claims of "inside information" or "system vulnerabilities." Always maintain a healthy dose of skepticism and remember that the sky won't fall.