Kerala police and the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) issued warnings this week about fraudulent investment schemes promising guaranteed returns.
These alerts come as scammers increasingly use social media and messaging apps to lure retail investors into fake trading platforms. The rise of these schemes threatens the financial security of individuals who may not recognize the red flags of investment fraud.
Authorities in Thiruvananthapuram and across India have identified a trend of online trading scams that promise guaranteed profits. The Kerala police said that promotions offering "100 per cent profit" [1] are typical indicators of a scam designed to steal money from gullible investors.
In a separate advisory released on Monday, the NSE cautioned investors regarding the use of Telegram for stock tips. The exchange specifically identified two Telegram channels [2] that were offering guaranteed stock market returns. The NSE said that such promises are deceptive because market investments inherently carry risk.
Fraudsters often utilize fake forex and stock trading applications to create an illusion of legitimacy [3]. Once investors deposit funds into these platforms, the scammers often disappear or demand further payments to release the supposed profits.
Law enforcement and financial regulators said that no legitimate investment can guarantee a specific rate of return. Investors are encouraged to verify the registration of any trading platform, and avoid sharing financial details with unverified sources on messaging apps.
“Promotions offering "100 per cent profit" are typical indicators of a scam.”
The shift toward Telegram and fake apps indicates a tactical evolution in financial fraud, moving away from traditional email phishing to high-engagement social channels. By leveraging the perceived intimacy of chat groups, scammers can build rapid trust with victims. This trend underscores a growing gap in digital financial literacy among retail investors, necessitating more aggressive public awareness campaigns from regulators like the NSE.
