FAKE SAVINGS · TRADING · IMPERSONATION
How to check an investment platform or offer: a fraud prevention guide
A fake investment may appear as a high-interest savings product, crypto or trading platform, or an offer involving gold, wine or energy. Targeted advertisements, fake news articles and persuasive advisers lead to dashboards that may display invented profits.
Before signing or transferring personal or company funds, independently check the applicable authorisation, the identity of the contact, the site address and the payment beneficiary. URL analysis can reveal clues but cannot replace these checks.
1. Check authorisation for the actual activity
Start with AMF and ACPR blacklists. A listing is grounds to stop payment, while absence is not proof of legitimacy: blacklists are not exhaustive. Then look up the person or firm in the register that applies to the offered service.
REGAFI covers banking institutions and some investment firms; ORIAS covers intermediaries in insurance, banking and finance. Depending on the product, consult AMF lists or other relevant registers too: an ORIAS registration alone does not permit every type of investment offer.
Compare the legal name, scope of authorisation and official contact details with the adviser’s claims. An unsuccessful search calls for further checks and a pause in payment; it does not alone establish fraud as a legal finding.
Official registers and lists: AMF / ACPR · REGAFI · ORIAS · Check AMF authorisation.
2. Spot a cloned firm or fake platform
A contract may display a genuine SIRET or ORIAS number belonging to a firm unrelated to the offer. Note the exact site and email domains, find the company’s contact details independently through a registry or official site, and call that number to confirm the offer, adviser and payment instructions.
A recently registered domain for an established firm deserves investigation but is not automatic proof of fraud. An older domain, HTTPS certificate and polished interface do not guarantee that an offer is genuine either.
Beware of a small initial deposit followed by spectacular gains displayed on screen. Those figures may be fictional. A demand for tax, release fees or another advance before withdrawing capital is a major warning sign: do not pay to unlock a withdrawal.
Protect your company's cash reserves and capital from fake investments
Fake savings accounts, trading platforms and crypto offers may borrow a real broker's name. A promising dashboard or genuine registration number does not establish that the contact works for that firm.
SecurCheck Business helps finance and leadership teams review an investment offer before transferring funds. It checks submitted text and links, flags suspicious returns and payment demands, and points to official registers and independent beneficiary checks.
Check AMF, REGAFI and ORIAS separately. This analysis does not certify authorisation, the owner of an IBAN or the safety of an investment.
Explore the Business offer3. Protect funds before and after a transfer
Confirm the beneficiary
Compare the stated beneficiary, IBAN and authorised firm. A foreign or third-party account needs investigation but is not itself proof of fraud. Confirm the payment details through an independent channel and use internal dual approval for significant transfers.
Question returns and urgency
High returns do not come without risk. Reject urgent decisions imposed by calls or messages, guaranteed profit claims and offers presented as exclusive to a few people.
Act if funds have been sent
Contact your bank immediately using your usual number to request a transfer recall and report the suspected fraud. Preserve messages, contracts, URLs, contact details and payment records; report the matter to the authorities. Recovery is not guaranteed and depends on the circumstances.
Conclusion: verify every part of the offer
Text and domain checks can reveal suspicious promises or risky links. Independently checking authorisation, adviser contact details and the recipient account gives you a sounder basis for a decision. Fraudsters can reuse genuine registration details; no single tool can certify an investment.