ASIC steps up takedown of AI investment scam sites
ASIC has intensified its response to AI-powered online investment scams, removing 11,964 phishing and investment scam websites in 2025.
That was up 90% from 6,270 websites in the previous 12-month period. Since launching its takedown service in 2023, ASIC has removed more than 25,000 investment scam and phishing websites, as well as more than 1,100 online investment scam advertisements on social media in 2025.
The increase reflects a shift in scam tactics, with artificial intelligence increasingly used in social media advertising to prompt consumers to share personal information. Scammers are using AI to make ads appear more credible and to exploit public interest in AI-driven investing.
On average, ASIC coordinated the removal of 32 websites a day, or 230 a week. Some scam advertisements appear only briefly before being removed and reposted in altered form, prompting ASIC to monitor them continuously with a specialist third party.
Commissioner Alan Kirkland said some operators were also using cloaking techniques to avoid detection. Under this method, content that breaches a platform's terms is hidden by showing different material depending on a user's device or location.
"Scammers are using artificial intelligence to make fake investment ads look more polished, more convincing and harder to spot," he 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," said Kirkland.
Consumer losses
The warning comes against a backdrop of heavy consumer losses. Australians lost AUD $2.18 billion to scams in 2025, according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's latest Targeting Scams Report, with investment scams accounting for AUD $837.7 million.
Many of the advertisements promise guaranteed returns and quick profits, often claiming that trading bots use AI to generate passive income. Such claims are designed to create urgency and trust, despite the likelihood that the purported systems do not exist.
ASIC also pointed to other common signs of fraud, including fake news pages that use AI-generated endorsements from celebrities and prominent Australians; false claims that an investment platform has been certified or licensed by ASIC; and fake certificates of registration that carry an Australian company number linked to a different business.
Consumers should not hand over contact details or other personal information to anyone promoting an investment opportunity unless they can verify that the person or business holds an Australian Financial Services licence. Company registration alone does not constitute endorsement or guarantee the quality of a business.
"Scammers offer guaranteed, quick and easy investment returns, often claiming to leverage the latest AI technology to make money with minimal effort," Kirkland said.
"These deceptive advertisements use misleading statements and high-pressure sales tactics to try to part Australian consumers from their money, which often ends 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," he said.
How it works
Under ASIC's process, suspicious investment scam websites are referred to a specialist in cybercrime detection and disruption. The provider also identifies scam websites and social media advertisements that direct users to them. Evidence of malicious activity is then assessed, and relevant parties are contacted to help remove the material.
Speed is critical because scam advertisements can appear for short periods before being taken down and reposted in a different format. Round-the-clock monitoring has therefore become an important part of ASIC's response.
ASIC is also working with overseas regulators as part of a broader international response, reflecting the cross-border nature of online investment fraud and the role of offshore criminal networks in many scam operations.