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Mumbai, February 16, 2026: FPSB India has announced its participation in a worldwide investor awareness initiative led by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) to raise awareness about relationship investment scams and the serious financial harm they can cause.
Running from 11 February to 14 February, the campaign focuses on scams that exploit emotional connections. These scams are known by several names, including romance scams, crypto investment scams, financial grooming scams, and ‘pig butchering’ scams.
In India, where digital adoption, online dating, and the use of messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and social media continue to rise, fraudsters increasingly target individuals through wrong-number texts, dating apps, and online platforms. These scams typically involve a long conversation, where criminals gradually build trust through friendship or romance before introducing so-called investment opportunities. Once a relationship is established, fraudsters often claim access to profitable investment opportunities, commonly linked to cryptocurrency, forex, or digital assets, and direct individuals to legitimate-looking but fake investment websites or apps.
According to McAfee survey, 39% of Indians reported that their ‘potential love interest’ online turned out to be a scammer – meaning more than a third of online connections are fake or malicious.
In another finding, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, dating scams in India surged by over 24% recently, and financial losses alone in 2023 exceeded ₹200 crore due to these schemes.
As people celebrate love and connection, FPSB India, in alignment with IOSCO’s global efforts, encourages the public to learn how to recognise the warning signs of relationship investment scams and to share this information to help protect others.Relationship investment scams are estimated to have caused losses running into tens of billions of dollars globally, with cases increasingly being reported in India. Through this campaign, FPSB India aims to empower investors with information that can help them protect themselves and their loved ones.
Listed down are the possible threats and ways to protect yourself from fraudulent dating scams:
Red Flags
- Unsolicited investment advice or opportunities from someone met online.
- Requests to move conversations away from social or dating platforms to private messaging apps.
- A prolonged inability or reluctance to meet in person.
- Repeated suggestions to invest or requests for money.
Protect Yourself
- Ignore, delete, and block messages from unknown senders.
- Make investment decisions or take advice from Certified Financial Planner ® professional.
- Research investment opportunities thoroughly.
- Always protect personal and financial information.
- Never pay money to recover lost investments or to release funds.
For more information on relationship investment scams, visit: https://www.iosco.org/v2/investor_protection/?subsection=relationship_investment_scams.
