Robinhood Scams Warning: Protect Yourself

In recent years, there has been a rise in what are known as Robinhood scams.

Investing in the stock market has become increasingly accessible and popular, thanks to online investment platforms like Robinhood. However, as with any online activity, there are risks involved, and scammers have found ways to exploit unsuspecting investors, using various tactics to gain access to victims’ accounts and manipulate them for their own gain.

In this article, we will explore the world of Robinhood scams, how they work, and what you can do to protect yourself from falling victim to these types of scams.

What is Robinhood?

Robinhood is an investment app that allows users to trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, and options with no commission fees.

Robinhood Scams

Robin Hood scams are fraudulent schemes that use the name of the popular stock-trading app Robinhood to trick people into giving away their money or personal information.

These scams can take many forms, such as fake websites, phishing emails, and social media ads promising free stocks or other rewards.

The scammers may also impersonate Robinhood representatives and ask for account information or payment to resolve fake issues.

To avoid falling victim to these scams, it’s important to verify the legitimacy of any communication or offer from Robinhood by checking the official website, contacting customer support, or ignoring unsolicited messages. It’s also important to protect personal information, such as login credentials and banking details, and to be wary of any requests for payment or sensitive data.

It is crucial to be aware of online scams because they can have serious consequences. Online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and scammers can use a variety of tactics to trick people into giving away their personal information or money.

The consequences of falling victim to an online scam can be severe. For example, if you give your credit card information to a scammer, they could use it to make unauthorized purchases or steal your identity. This could result in significant financial loss and damage to your credit score.

In addition to financial loss, online scams can also lead to emotional distress. Scammers often use fear tactics to intimidate people into giving them money or personal information, which can be very upsetting for victims.

Moreover, online scams can compromise your privacy and security, as scammers may gain access to your sensitive information such as passwords, bank account details, and other personal information. This can lead to further identity theft, hacking, and other cybercrimes.

Therefore, being aware of online scams, knowing how to recognize them, and taking steps to protect yourself can help prevent you from becoming a victim and safeguard your personal information and finances.

How Robinhood Scams Work

Robin Hood scams work by manipulating victims into giving away access to their investment accounts, allowing the scammers to make unauthorized trades or withdraw funds.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of how the scams work:

Phishing tactics used by scammers

The first step in a Robin Hood scam is often to gain access to the victim’s login credentials by sending them a phishing email or text message.

The message may appear to come from Robin Hood or another legitimate source, asking the victim to click on a link and enter their account details.

In some cases, the link may lead to a fake website that looks like Robin Hood’s login page, but is actually controlled by the scammer.

Manipulation of the victim’s account

Once the scammer has gained access to the victim’s account, they may begin making unauthorized trades or withdrawing funds.

In some cases, the scammer may use the victim’s account to buy up large amounts of a particular stock or cryptocurrency, artificially inflating its value before selling it off and pocketing the profits.

Common tactics used by scammers

Scammers may use a variety of tactics to convince victims to sell their stocks and invest in cryptocurrency.

For example, they may claim that a particular cryptocurrency is about to explode in value, or that they have inside information about a stock that is about to soar. They may also promise to help the victim make a quick profit by buying and selling stocks on their behalf.

Overall, Robinhood scams rely on exploiting victims’ trust and manipulating them into taking actions that benefit the scammer at the expense of the victim.

It’s important to be aware of these tactics and to always verify the legitimacy of any requests for account information or investment advice before taking action.

Tips from RobinHood.com

Robinhood has published several articles warning from online scams. For example:

Protect yourself from scams

To protect your wallet, assets, and data, Robinhood suggests taking the following precautions: never share your secret recovery phrase, be cautious of suspicious phishing and scam attempts, verify the authenticity of any request before taking action, check transaction details before signing, and only transact with entities and individuals you know and trust.

Learn how to identify scams

Learning to identify scams is important to protect your information.

Scammers may use phishing to obtain sensitive information, such as account information, and may use various methods such as calls, emails, or social media to reach out to you.

They may also create fake websites or profiles that resemble legitimate ones.

It is important to remember that Robinhood Support will never ask for your password or Two-Factor Authentication code, your credentials for other trading platforms, or ask you to send money through different apps or text messages.

They will also not send you links within text messages or request that you download remote desktop access software.

NFT Scams

NFT scams are on the rise and scammers are coming up with sophisticated ways to steal NFTs (unique digital assets that use blockchain technology to verify ownership and authenticity) and sensitive wallet information.

Popular NFT scams include counterfeit NFTs, fake marketplaces and social media accounts, phishing links, pump-and-dump schemes, and rug-pull schemes.

To protect yourself from NFT scams, never share your secret recovery phrase with anyone, be wary of suspicious requests, verify the authenticity of any request before taking action, check transaction details before signing, only transact with trusted entities and individuals, and do your research.

Always proceed with caution when interacting with NFTs and if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

How to identify and report scams

There’s also an article that talks about various types of scams and how to stay safe on the Robinhood platform.

The scams discussed in the article include impersonation support scams, phone support scams, social media support scams, phishing scams, and crypto scams.

It explains how to identify these scams and report them to Robinhood.

Additionally, it provides guidance on how to keep the account secure, such as removing unknown devices, changing passwords regularly, and enabling two-factor authentication.

Examples of Robinhood Scams

On April 6, 2023, the following complaint was filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) by an Ohio, USA person who claims being scammed for $90,000 by a cryptocurrency scam:

This began on 2/10/23. I have the Robin Hood app, and I check my stocks every day. One day, I received a message on the Robin Hood app saying that I had a deficit. I own two Chinese stocks, and apparently, I had to pay a fee to keep them.

So, I searched for Robin Hood’s phone number on Google and called the number I found. I spoke with a man who had an Indian accent. He asked me to download the Anydesk app and allow him to access my Robin Hood account. He explained that Robin Hood was changing to a new application, which is why I had received the deficit notice. We talked for 11 minutes, and he promised to call me back the next day.

The next day, he called me from the number 804-715-1100, and he identified himself as Adam. He told me that I needed to sell my stocks to buy Bitcoin Ethereum to have the new application. He asked me to buy $4,900 worth of Ethereum, which would be 2 1/2 shares. He called me every day at 8:30 am and asked me to sell a few more stocks.

This went on for weeks, and by March, he had sold everything in my account. He told me that he would call me back on Monday, March 6th, and that I could log back into my Robin Hood account. He also promised to give me 10% of the total in my Robin Hood account as compensation for the inconvenience.

However, when I checked my account on Monday, I found that there was only $49 left in it. I waited for his call the whole day, but he did not call me back. I suspected that I had been scammed and called Robin Hood to report the incident. I left them a message and they called me back, asking for my name, SS number, and address. They told me that they would turn the case over to their investigation team.

Later, I received an email from Robin Hood saying that they had seen red flags in my account and were freezing and shutting it down. After a while, I received another email saying that they would return the funds to my account, as they believed I had been the victim of a scam.

However, two weeks ago, they sent me another email saying that they would not return the funds to my account because I had authorized the transactions. Last week, they changed their mind again and told me that they would return the funds because they believed I was the victim of a scam.

Finally, yesterday, they called me and said that they would not return the funds because their research showed that I had authorized the transfers. I have reported this incident to the police, Ohio Attorney General’s office, FTC, and BBB.

In short, the victim received a message on their Robin Hood app saying they had a deficit and called a man with an Indian accent who asked them to download Anydesk app.

The man convinced the victim to sell their stocks and buy Ethereum, calling every day to ask for more stock sales. By March, all stocks were sold and the victim was promised a 10% reimbursement.

On March 6th, the victim found only $49 in their account and contacted Robin Hood who froze the account, then returned the funds, then said they wouldn’t return the funds.

This very unfortunate situation for the person involved highlights the dangers of falling victim to scams.

It’s important to always be cautious and verify any communication, especially if it involves sensitive information or financial transactions. It’s also crucial to report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities, as the victim in this case did.

Robinhood Scams

Scammers on Robin Hood use various tactics to manipulate their victims into giving them access to their account and making unauthorized transactions. Here are some common methods they use:

Phishing Tactics

Scammers will use fake emails, texts, or notifications that appear to be from Robin Hood to trick the victim into providing personal information, such as their login credentials or social security number.

They may also direct the victim to a fake website that looks like Robin Hood’s official site.

Impersonation

Scammers will pose as Robin Hood representatives and contact the victim via phone, email, or text, claiming to be from the company’s support team.

They will use a convincing tone and may even use legitimate-seeming information to convince the victim that they are from Robinhood.

Manipulating Account Information

Scammers will use social engineering tactics to convince the victim to provide their account information or give the scammer access to their account.

They may use a pretext like needing to update their account information or verify their identity.

Once the scammer has access, they may change the account information to prevent the victim from accessing it.

Persuasion

Scammers will try to persuade the victim to make unauthorized trades or investments by making unrealistic promises or presenting false information.

For example, they may claim that the victim can make a significant profit by investing in a particular stock or cryptocurrency.

They may also use high-pressure sales tactics to convince the victim to make a quick decision.

Overall, scammers on Robin Hood use a combination of psychological tactics, social engineering, and technical knowledge to manipulate their victims.

How to Protect Yourself from Robinhood Scams

Here are some tips for recognizing and avoiding Robin Hood scams:

Be wary of unsolicited calls or messages

Scammers often reach out to potential victims via unsolicited calls or messages.

Be cautious of any unexpected communication that asks for your personal information, login credentials, or asks you to download any app or software.

Check the caller’s identity

Scammers often impersonate representatives of Robin Hood, so it’s important to verify the identity of the person calling or messaging you.

If you receive a suspicious message or call, do not provide any information or click any links until you have confirmed the identity of the caller.

Do not give out personal information

Do not share your personal information, such as social security number, bank account number, or any other sensitive information with anyone who contacts you claiming to be from Robinhood.

Be cautious of promises of high returns

Scammers may lure you with promises of high returns, but remember that investments always carry risks.

Be wary of any offer that sounds too good to be true.

Be careful with downloads

Scammers may ask you to download software or apps to “help” you with your account.

Be careful with downloads and only download software or apps from legitimate sources.

Always verify before investing

Before making any investment decisions, research the investment opportunity and verify its legitimacy.

Check the SEC’s EDGAR database or FINRA’s BrokerCheck to see if the investment is registered or if the broker is licensed.

Report suspicious activity

If you suspect you have been a victim of a Robin Hood scam, report it to Robinhood immediately and also report it to the relevant authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

RobinHood.com Reviews

On TrustPilot, Robinhood is ranked 1.3/5 (“Bad”) based on 3,495 reviews, most of which are one star reviews.

Several customers reported having their funds blocked due to system errors and unusual account activity.

Others claimed that Robinhood was sketchy, untrustworthy, and known for scamming its users.

Many of the reviews criticized Robinhood’s customer support and stated that the platform restricted access to users’ funds.

One user reported that Robinhood settled a lawsuit with the SEC for misleading customers.

Another user stated that Robinhood’s “free trades” were not free because the platform routed orders to certain firms that charged worse execution prices and provided Robinhood with kickbacks.

Overall, the reviews indicate that Robinhood’s platform and services were not satisfactory, and users should be cautious when dealing with this company.

On SiteJabber.com they are rated 1.3/5 stars based on 224 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases.

The reviews are mostly negative, with customers complaining about issues with account management, customer support, and trustworthiness.

Many users have reported problems with trading restrictions, stock manipulation, crashes during market volatility, and issues withdrawing funds.

Some customers have even accused the company of stealing from them or blocking trades to benefit hedge funds.

There are also concerns about the lack of live support personnel and long wait times for responses from customer service.

Overall, there are a significant number of negative reviews, many of which mention issues with customer service, trading restrictions, and difficulty withdrawing funds so even without the threat of Robin Hood scams, perhaps you should look for safer alternatives.

Bottom Line

We discuss the rise of Robin Hood scams, in which scammers use various tactics to gain access to victims’ accounts and manipulate them for their own gain, emphasizing the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any communication or offer from Robinhood and protecting personal information.

The consequences of falling victim to an online scam are severe, including significant financial loss, emotional distress, and compromised privacy and security.

We explain how Robin Hood scams work, including phishing tactics, manipulation of victims’ accounts, and common tactics used by scammers to convince victims to invest in cryptocurrency or sell their stocks.

Additionally, we went over an example of a Robinhood scam complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

In summary, being vigilant and cautious when using online investment platforms like Robinhood is critical to ensure the security of your personal information and financial data, protect yourself against market volatility, and maximize your investment returns.

If you have fallen victim to online scams, please comment below. If you have suffered a substantial financial loss, do not despair. We are here to assist you in recovering your funds!