As of 13 August 2026, AI can only partly spot an investment scam.

What to actually do

1. Hand it to a person

   The route this page recommends

   A person who owns the outcome does this end to end, worth it when the failure is dear.

2. Use a tool built for this

   Second choice

3. Do it yourself

   The distant third

   A chat interface, chat-fluent skill, and roughly 30 minutes until you can act on the result.

   How to actually do it

   1. 1. Save the message, advert, website address, phone number, firm name, claimed FCA details, payment instructions and promised returns, and remove passwords, bank details and identity documents.
   2. 2. Open a new chat and paste the prompt, then add the saved offer details and any screenshots as text rather than clicking links in the offer.
   3. 3. Ask the model to list each warning sign and missing fact separately, and discard any conclusion that relies on a fact it has not been given.
   4. 4. Open the official FCA Register independently, search the firm's exact name and contact details, and compare the result with the details in the message rather than using the message's own link.
   5. 5. Contact the firm through details found independently and ask whether the person and offer are genuine, without sending money or revealing passwords, one-time codes or full bank details.
   6. 6. If you have already paid or shared financial information, contact your bank immediately using its official number and report suspected fraud; seek a regulated financial adviser before making an investment decision.

   Prompt

   Assess whether the investment offer below shows signs of a scam. Do not say that it is safe or legitimate based only on appearance, and do not invent facts. Separate your answer into: 1) specific red flags in the text or documents, quoting the relevant wording; 2) claims that cannot be verified from the evidence supplied; 3) checks I should make independently using the official FCA Register and the firm's independently sourced contact details; 4) questions I should ask before taking any action; 5) a cautious conclusion using only one of these labels: strong warning signs, unresolved and do not send money yet, or no clear warning signs found. State clearly that passing a register check does not prove that the person contacting me is genuine. If you cannot access current official sources, say so and do not guess. Tell me not to click links, share passwords or send money while the checks are incomplete. This is not professional advice. Offer no investment recommendation.
   
   Offer details:
   [Paste the message, email or chat]
   
   Firm name and claimed registration details:
   [Insert them, or write 'not provided']
   
   Website and contact details:
   [Paste them, or write 'not provided']
   
   What I have been asked to do or pay:
   [Describe it]
   
   Documents or screenshots:
   [Paste text or describe what they show, removing passwords, account numbers and other private data]

   Open it prefilled in ChatGPT or Claude, or copy it into Gemini, which takes no prefill link.