Community at Shares is at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we think it’s important to create a space that our members feel safe in, and where you’re encouraged to share as much or as little as you want. Whether that’s a public thread discussing what stocks you think are moon-bound or quietly building your portfolio, we want you to feel comfortable however you’re using Shares.
Whether you’re planning to be an active member of our community and use the chat and social facilities or not, here are a couple of suggestions on how to stay safe on our platform.
Spot the Warning Signs
Unexpected contact – scammers may reach out to you unexpectedly via the app.
Time pressure – they might offer you a bonus or discount if you invest before a set date or say the opportunity is only available for a short period.
Social proof – they may share fake reviews and claim other clients have invested or want to take up the deal.
Unrealistic returns – fraudsters often promise tempting returns that sound too good to be true, such as much better interest rates than elsewhere. However, scammers may also offer smaller, more realistic returns to seem legitimate.
False authority – using convincing literature and websites, claiming to be regulated, speaking with authority on investment products.
Flattery – building a friendly connection with you to lull you into a false sense of security.
Remote access – scammers may pretend to help you and ask you to give them your login details, download software or an app so they can access your device. This could enable them to access your bank account or make payments using your card.
Do’s:
Be careful when accepting follow requests from users you do not know
Remove someone as a follower/block them if they are showing suspicious behaviour
Report any suspicious or harmful behaviour to our support team by contacting us in the app or by reporting activity posts
Where necessary - limit trading activity posts so only your followers can see your trades or you can trade in private mode
Don'ts:
Don’t give out sensitive or personal information to users you do not know on the app.
Don’t click without thinking - scammers may reach out using links to try and lure you off the Shares platform. Don’t click on a link unless you trust the source.
Don’t trade based on financial advice given by other users without doing your own research first.