ASC warns Alberta investors of the top misleading investment fraud tactics to watch for in 2026

CALGARY, AB, Jan. 19, 2026 /CNW/ – The Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) today published information on the top three scams and misleading tactics Alberta investors should watch out for this year and how they can protect themselves.

In 2026, investors now face an ever-evolving landscape of online threats that can put their hard-earned money at risk: deepfakes, finfluencers, and the growing use of private messaging apps. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre research, Canadians lost more than $310 million to investment scams in 2024.  

“The tools and technology scammers use are rapidly evolving – from sophisticated deepfake impersonations to encrypted group chats – making fraud increasingly harder to detect at first glance,” said Hilary McMeekin, Director of Communications and Investor Education. “We urge investors to slow down, check registration, and ensure any advice aligns with their investment goals and risk tolerance before investing.”

Top three harmful investment tactics to watch out for

Deepfakes or AI-Impersonations: The ASC has seen deepfake content – images, video and audio created with artificial intelligence (AI) – often used to impersonate prominent political figures and select well-known Canadians in promotions for fraudulent investment and crypto schemes. Albertans should be aware of:

• Advertising, websites and social media posts that appear to feature credible public figures endorsing an investment opportunity, especially offerings that promise quick or guaranteed returns.
• Attempts by scammers to impersonate local individuals, including deepfakes of Alberta-based business leaders, industry experts, and other credible provincial public figures.
• The potential for a more sophisticated AI-driven approach that uses cloned voices and realistic likenesses of well-known financial advisors, finfluencers and virtual public speakers for seminars and online presentations.  

Private messaging apps: Private messaging platforms, like WhatsApp and Telegram, are often used by fraudsters to engage with investors and build trust. After grabbing the victims’ attention through an ad or social media post, scammers use these channels to bring people to group chats where they share promises of exclusive trips as investment incentives and guaranteed investment returns.

Once these groups are established, scammers can often exploit the trust that already exists within personal networks by encouraging individuals to invite their contacts to join the chat. When family members or friends pass along invitations to investment groups, it creates a built–in sense of credibility and lowers skepticism, allowing scammers to reach new victims without having to seek them out directly.

Many of these interactions lead investors to harmful investment schemes such as pump-and-dumps or crypto scams.

Finfluencers and unregistered advice: Digital creators typically seek monetization of their content through affiliate links, paid agreements, and other strategies that can blur the line between education and unregistered advice.

The Canadian Securities Administrators and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) recently issued guidance so that finfluencers and the firms they work with can understand and follow securities laws when posting investment information online. Generally, anyone offering investments or personalized investment advice must be registered with the ASC or another provincial securities regulator.

How can Albertans protect themselves?
Investors can easily access all kinds of advice and information online and many of these marketing tactics leverage trust, urgency and perceived credibility to pressure investors into acting fast. The ASC encourages Albertans to pause, step back and take the time to do their own research and make sure an investment opportunity is right for them:

• Verify that the investment professionals, firms and online trading platforms they plan to use are registered by visiting the Check Registration page on CheckFirst.ca.
• Ask questions when something doesn’t feel right, and report suspicious activity to the ASC by calling 403.355.3888 or online. Early reporting helps the ASC act faster and protect others.
• Access CheckFirst.ca for unbiased information and resources designed to help investors stay informed and avoid fraudulent schemes.

The ASC is the regulatory agency responsible for administering the province’s securities laws. It is entrusted with fostering a fair and efficient capital market in Alberta and with protecting investors. As a member of the Canadian Securities Administrators, the ASC works to improve, coordinate and harmonize the regulation of Canada’s capital markets.

SOURCE Alberta Securities Commission (Marketing)