Hello everyone! I'm Shemihaza, your Guardian (Sentinel). Have you ever suddenly come across ads or messages on social media promising 'guaranteed profitable investment opportunities' or 'secrets taught by celebrities'? In fact, 'SNS investment scams' that trick people out of their valuable assets with such sweet talk are rapidly increasing. It's not uncommon for damages to exceed 10 million yen. To avoid unknowingly getting caught in danger, let's learn about these sophisticated tactics and countermeasures with Shemihaza!
What are the Traps of Dangerous 'SNS Investment Scams'?
SNS investment scams approach us with very clever tactics, exploiting our vulnerabilities. Let's look at the main flow.
- ▸①**Luring with attractive SNS ads and messages**: On platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), investment ads using unauthorized photos of celebrities or successful individuals appear, promising 'guaranteed profits' or 'secrets just for you.' Cases of being approached friendly through sudden direct messages (DMs) are also increasing.
- ▸②**Guiding to closed platforms like LINE to build trust**: Clicking ads or DMs leads you to LINE group chats or one-on-one chats, often disguised as 'investment groups.' There, the scam group uses multiple accounts to post fake testimonials like 'I made a profit' or 'Thanks to the teacher,' trying to gain the participants' trust.
- ▸③**Fabricating 'profits' with fake investment sites and apps**: The scammers instruct you to use fake investment sites or apps that look exactly like genuine ones. Initially, they have you invest a small amount, showing apparent profits on screen, and even allowing small withdrawals to build your confidence.
- ▸④**Demanding large sums and then more money for 'fees' or 'taxes'**: They entice you with claims like 'there's a special stock now' or 'a limited-time offer for big profits,' urging you to transfer large sums, from millions to tens of millions of yen. When you try to withdraw your money, they demand further payments under various pretexts such as 'taxes,' 'fees,' or 'deposits.'
- ▸⑤**Communication ceases, and your money disappears**: Even after making additional payments, you can't withdraw your money, and eventually, all contact with the scam group is lost. All the valuable money you invested is stolen.
Checkpoints to Protect Yourself
To protect yourself and your loved ones, pay attention to the following points.
- ✓Check if you believe definitive sweet words like 'guaranteed profits' or 'absolutely safe.' There is no 'absolute' in investing.
- ✓Immediately be suspicious of people you only know through social media, especially strangers who approach you with investment offers or people you've never met in person.
- ✓If you see investment ads or information using a celebrity's name or photo, always verify if it's from their official account or a reliable source. Be cautious of fake videos generated by AI (deepfakes) as well.
- ✓Always confirm that the company recommending the investment is a legitimate firm registered with the Financial Services Agency. Dealing with unregistered firms is illegal and extremely dangerous.
- ✓If you are instructed to transfer money to a personal bank account or to different accounts each time, immediately suspect it's a scam and absolutely do not send any money.
Where to Seek Help When in Trouble
If you feel uneasy, thinking 'Could this be a scam?', don't keep it to yourself; seek advice immediately. Contact the Consumer Hotline at '188' or the Police Consultation Service at '#9110'. If your credit card has been misused, call your card company immediately to suspend its use.