Investment fraud complaints with a reported link to artificial intelligence accounted for more than US$632 million in losses in 2025, according to FBI figures. The losses made up about 71% of the US$893.3 million reported across 22,364 AI-related cybercrime complaints that year.
Separate civil cases brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in September 2026 show how investment pitches reached consumers through WhatsApp and other online platforms. The regulator alleges that two operations took more than US$15.3 million while promoting supposed AI trading signals or automated trading bots.
The FBI figures cover reported losses. A complaint can identify a connection to AI without independently establishing whether the technology performed any of the advertised functions. In the SEC cases, the regulator alleges that the trading activity itself was fictitious.
SEC Brings Two Cases in New York
The SEC filed two civil complaints on 29 September 2026 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. One names Cryptoaiml Ltd. and Cryptoaiml Capital Foundation. The other names TSAI Pro Ltd. and TSAI Capital Foundation.
The regulator alleges that the operations cultivated trust through online communications, then directed investors to platforms presented as legitimate. Both allegedly misrepresented their regulatory standing. The complaints set out the SEC’s allegations, which remain subject to judicial determination.
The US$15.3 million alleged in the two cases is a separate figure from the FBI’s annual complaint total. It concerns the conduct of the four entities named in the civil actions.
Cryptoaiml Allegedly Pitched 1,600% Returns
The SEC alleges that Cryptoaiml took more than US$12.5 million between August 2024 and March 2025. People posing as investment professionals allegedly used WhatsApp groups to share supposed AI-generated trading signals and draw investors to the platform.
Promotions claimed the signals were 98% accurate and advertised potential returns of up to 1,600% in 60 days. The regulator alleges that the platform displayed fictitious gains and used false regulatory representations to appear credible.
Some investors allegedly sold securities held in brokerage or 401(k) retirement accounts before transferring funds. For those investors, the pitch prompted a decision about existing savings before they could test whether the new platform would honour a withdrawal. The SEC did not quantify how much retirement money was involved.
TSAI Allegedly Sold Bots That Did Not Exist
The SEC alleges that roughly 1,715 investors transferred more than US$2.8 million to TSAI between September 2024 and March 2025. The operation promoted supposed automated trading packages through WhatsApp, Facebook and its own platform. It also allegedly offered incentives to recruit more investors.
According to the complaint, the advertised trading bots did not exist. The defendants allegedly displayed a fraudulent SEC certificate and imposed restrictions or demanded further payments when investors tried to withdraw their money.
The withdrawal stage exposed a gap between what customers could see and what they could access. A dashboard could display a balance and apparent profits while the operator retained control over whether any money left the platform.
What the Cases Mean for People Managing Money Abroad
The cases concern investments. The complaints do not identify travellers, expatriates or tourism businesses as specific targets. Their relevance to people working or travelling abroad comes from the recruitment method. A person can receive a pitch, join a private group and be asked to transfer money through the same phone they use for everyday banking.
The FBI describes how synthetic voices, videos and personalised messages can make an endorsement or conversation seem credible. The SEC cases illustrate a related tactic: building trust inside a private group before moving the prospective investor to a platform controlled by the promoter.
That progression also explains why an introduction from a familiar contact deserves scrutiny. Where a scheme offers recruitment incentives, a participant may forward a pitch believing the profits shown on screen are real.
Regulators Urge Investors to Verify Registration Independently
The SEC advises consumers to verify investment professionals and firms through official regulatory records before transferring money. A certificate, screenshot or registration claim shared in a chat should be checked independently against the firm’s exact name and the activity it is authorised to conduct.
The alleged schemes also highlight two points at which an investor can pause: when a promoter advertises exceptional returns and when a platform asks for another payment to release funds. A displayed balance can look persuasive, but it offers no assurance that the money is available to withdraw.
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