ASIC is removing record numbers of harmful social media phishing and investment scam websites, as it warns Australians that artificial intelligence (AI) is super-charging online scam threats.
New data shows between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025, ASIC coordinated the removal of 11,964 phishing and investment scam websites - a 90% increase in takedowns compared to the previous 12-month period when 6,270 were removed.
On average, this is 32 websites per day, or 230 per week.
More than 25,000 investment scam and phishing websites have been knocked out since ASIC launched its takedown service in 2023.
ASIC also took down more than 1,100 online investment scam advertisements on social media in 2025.
ASIC warns consumers to watch out for scammers increasingly using AI in social media advertisements to lure them into providing their personal details.
Commissioner Alan Kirkland said scammers sometimes hide content that is against the terms and services of social media platforms, by using 'cloaking' to display different content depending on the consumers' device or location.
The scams attempt to leverage the public's increasing interest in AI and create misleading and unrealistic claims about the opportunity to make money quickly and easily.
'Scammers are using artificial intelligence to make fake investment ads look more polished, more convincing and harder to spot,' Commissioner Kirkland said.
'We're seeing AI being used to create professional videos, fake endorsements and targeted ads designed to lure people into handing over their details.
'That's why ASIC has significantly stepped up its online scam takedown efforts.'
Australians lost $2.18 billion to scams in 2025, with investment scams alone costing $837.7 million, according to the National Anti‑Scam Centre's latest Targeting Scams Report.
'Scammers offer guaranteed, quick and easy investment returns, often claiming to leverage the latest AI technology to make money with minimal effort,' Commissioner Kirkland said.
'These deceptive advertisements use misleading statements and high-pressure sales tactics to try and part Australian consumers with their money, with it often ending up in the pockets of overseas criminals.
'With these AI videos, the only thing that is real is the amount of money you risk losing.'
ASIC is warning consumers to be aware of these AI-powered investment scams and to not give out their contact details or other personal information to anyone spruiking an investment opportunity, unless they can verify they hold an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence.
Examples
Social media ad example 1 - text version
These kids, they're using AI. I thought it was a scam, too. Until I saw the system, an AI program that trades the markets automatically. Trades that can make you passive income 24/7.
No coding, no gurus, just real automatic trades, real money while you sleep.
Look, 19-year-olds are becoming millionaires while you wait for Friday's paycheck. This is your wakeup call.
Click the button. Get the AI system. Start building your portfolio today.
You've got two paths. Keep clocking in while your paycheck stays the same, or let AI do the work for you. The choice is yours.
Social media ad example 2 - text version
(Everything) changed when our founder, a man who lost everything to a fraudulent broker, decided to fight back. After being scammed out of his life savings, he spent 3 years assembling a team of former quantitative analysts from JP Morgan, Citadel, and Renaissance Technologies. Their mission was simple.
Create an AI system so powerful, so accurate that it could level the playing field between Wall Street and ordinary people forever. The result is Deep Blue and the early results have been nothing short of extraordinary. Our internal team member Sarah deposited just $500 into her test account on a Monday morning. By Thursday, that $500 had grown to $1,247.
She didn't analyze charts. She didn't study financial reports. She didn't even know what stocks Deep Blue was trading.
She simply followed the AI's instructions and watched her money multiply.
But Sarah's results aren't unique. Deep Blue has been quietly tested with a small group of insiders, and the numbers are staggering. 85% accuracy in predicting stock prices to the penny, sometimes days in advance. 374% average gains across our model portfolio during back testing that included market crashes, pandemics, wars, and economic chaos. The AI can analyze thousands different assets simultaneously, processing millions of data points in seconds to identify opportunities that human traders would never see.
The videos released with this media release are examples of suspected AI‑powered investment scam advertising identified through ASIC's monitoring activities. They are published in the public interest to warn consumers about the evolving tactics used by scammers and to support ASIC's consumer protection efforts. ASIC has not created, edited or endorsed the content of these videos, and we are unaware of any consumer loss attributed to the specific examples shown.
Common investment scam tactics to watch out for
- Offers of very high investment returns - if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably a scam.
- Scammers claiming their trading bots use AI to generate passive income and unachievable returns. It is very unlikely that these trading bots exist.
- Fake news pages with AI generated endorsements from celebrities and prominent Australians.
- A claim that it was 'certified and licensed by' ASIC as a 'credible assets management platform for investment'. Always check whether they hold an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence before you invest.
- A fake Certificate of Registration listing an Australian company number (ACN) belonging to a different company. Consumers can check whether a company is registered for free on our website. However, registration does not guarantee the quality of a company and does not represent ASIC endorsement.
Protect yourself
Other steps people can take to minimise the risk of being scammed, include:
- STOP: Remember, don't give personal information or act on investment advice you have come across on social media. Don't feel pressured to invest. If you have any doubts, stop communicating with them.
- CHECK: Scammers create fake news and reviews to make an investment seem legitimate. Do an internet search to see if there are warnings about this investment scam.
- PROTECT: Act quickly if something feels wrong. If you have shared personal financial information or transferred money, contact your bank immediately. You can also help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch.
- VISIT: ASIC's Moneysmart's investor alert list to help keep you informed about investments that could be fraudulent, a scam or unlicensed and the Check before you invest page.
Background
- ASIC refers suspicious investment scam websites to a third-party specialising in cybercrime detection and disruption. The company also proactively detects investment scam websites and investment scam ads on social media that direct consumers to scam websites.
- Once evidence of malicious activity is confirmed, the takedown process begins, including identifying relevant parties who can help to take the attack offline.
- We need to respond quickly as some of these ads appear in social media feeds for only short periods of time before they are taken down and reposted under a different appearance.
- ASIC's work with the third party is helping ASIC monitor for these ads 24/7.
ASIC is actively involved in international cooperation with international regulators to build international capability and contribute towards a global response to a global issue.
